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Gluten Contamination in Naturally or Labeled Gluten-Free Products Marketed in Italy
by
Anil K. Verma 1,*
, Simona Gatti 1,2, Tiziana Galeazzi 1, Chiara Monachesi 1, Lucia Padella 1, Giada Del Baldo 2, Roberta Annibali 2, Elena Lionetti 1,2 and Carlo Catassi 1,2
Anil K. Verma 1,*, Simona Gatti 1,2, Tiziana Galeazzi 1, Chiara Monachesi 1, Lucia Padella 1, Giada Del Baldo 2, Roberta Annibali 2, Elena Lionetti 1,2 and Carlo Catassi 1,2
1
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy
2
Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2017, 9(2), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9020115
Received: 14 December 2016 / Revised: 28 January 2017 / Accepted: 3 February 2017 / Published: 7 February 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Ptolemaus to Copernicus: The Evolving System of Gluten-Related Disorders)
Background: A strict and lifelong gluten-free diet is the only treatment of celiac disease. Gluten contamination has been frequently reported in nominally gluten-free products. The aim of this study was to test the level of gluten contamination in gluten-free products currently available in the Italian market. Method: A total of 200 commercially available gluten-free products (including both naturally and certified gluten-free products) were randomly collected from different Italian supermarkets. The gluten content was determined by the R5 ELISA Kit approved by EU regulations. Results: Gluten level was lower than 10 part per million (ppm) in 173 products (86.5%), between 10 and 20 ppm in 9 (4.5%), and higher than 20 ppm in 18 (9%), respectively. In contaminated foodstuff (gluten > 20 ppm) the amount of gluten was almost exclusively in the range of a very low gluten content. Contaminated products most commonly belonged to oats-, buckwheat-, and lentils-based items. Certified and higher cost gluten-free products were less commonly contaminated by gluten. Conclusion: Gluten contamination in either naturally or labeled gluten-free products marketed in Italy is nowadays uncommon and usually mild on a quantitative basis. A program of systematic sampling of gluten-free food is needed to promptly disclose at-risk products.
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Keywords:
celiac disease; gluten-free products; naturally gluten-free; R5 ELISA; oats; buckwheat; lentils
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MDPI and ACS Style
Verma, A.K.; Gatti, S.; Galeazzi, T.; Monachesi, C.; Padella, L.; Baldo, G.D.; Annibali, R.; Lionetti, E.; Catassi, C. Gluten Contamination in Naturally or Labeled Gluten-Free Products Marketed in Italy. Nutrients 2017, 9, 115.
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