Is Liquid Smoke Gluten-free?

I get asked the question, ” Is Liquid Smoke Gluten Free?” quite often. You may have read in my post, “Celiac: Foods to Avoid” (a list of foods that are unsafe on a gluten-free diet) that some food items containing smoked flavoring may contain barley, as barley malt is sometimes used to captured smoke from the wood. It is mostly used in some beers and whiskey. Usually in the U.S. liquid smoke is gluten-free. I list below the brands of liquid smoke which I have found that are advertised as being gluten-free, both in the U.S. and in France.

Wright’s brand of liquid smoke is gluten-free and all natural.  This pertains to their Hickory and Mesquite flavors.  Per Wright’s website,

“Wright’s Liquid Smoke is a natural product that gives foods a charcoal broiled taste.

It is made from hickory wood that is burned in an enclosed unit.

As the smoke rises it is captured in a condenser, allowing the smoke to cool.

The cooled smoke forms water droplets (condensation).

The condensation droplets are collected in a pan, filtered and placed in 55 gallon drums.  The drums are taken to the production filling location where it is filtered for a second time and transferred to the filling line.

The bottles are filled, capped and labeled.  They are then placed into shipping cases ready for distribution.

It contains no salt, carbohydrates, food additives, colorings or carcinogens.

It is designated “natural” by the FDA.”

Colgin Natural Liquid Smoke is gluten-free.

Honest Foods has a gluten-free list of condiments and plum sauces in which they test for gluten, but their Lazy Kettle Liquid Smoke is not on this list. It could be gluten-free, but not guaranteed, as they do not test it.

Smoked products contain benzopyrene (a known carcinogen (cancer causing) and should not be used often.

There are liquid and powdered smoke products made in France, Amcan Forest Smoke. Their only product that they list as being gluten-free and non-GMO is their powdered version, AFS P 720 : Smoke Powder. However, they state that wheat maltodextrin is used to make it.