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Swiss, Gouda, Havarti, Cheddar,Muenster. No matter how you slice it, cheese is a favorite addition to any sandwich.Pile on some ham, salami, bologna,sliced turkey or chicken breast,spreadyour favorite condiments, and you’ve got the makings of adelicioussandwich.
But isthatsandwichgluten-free and safe for you to eat if you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity?
Youprobablyalready usegluten-free sandwich bread or a bread alternative (lettuce wrap, anyone?). That’s a good start, butbefore you add anything between the slices, read on!
Let’s Talk About Cheese
Most cheese is gluten-free because the basic ingredients are milk, bacterial cultures, and rennet, the enzymes that separate milk solids from the water in milkto createcurds. All of these components of cheese are naturally gluten-free.
Not all cheesesarecreated equal. Some go through processes where gluten could be present. For example, blue cheeses,such asRoquefortandGorgonzola,are made with culturesfromthe mold Penicillium. This cheese-making processcreates the characteristic blue mold streaks or spotson blue cheeses.
If thePenicillium culturesaregrown on wheat or barley, they could contain gluten. The actual levels of gluten present in the final cheese product are probably low, butthe safest bet is to findblue cheese that is certified or labeled gluten-free.InSeptember 2020, GIGhad testing performed onpenicilliumcultures at a research lab in Australia, andthe findings showed the cultures containedgluten levels greater than 20 ppm.
Watch out for cheese withflavorings or additional ingredients.Any time ingredients are added to a food product, the risk of gluten being present increases. Some hard cheeses are soaked in beer,for example,depositing gluten on them and making them unsafe for a gluten-free diet.Processed cheese, such as American cheese,and cheeses that are low-salt, low-fat, or fat-free may also contain gluten.
Always check the ingredients list on cheeses if they are not either labeled or certified gluten-free. As always, a third-party certification can provide an extra level of comfort when seeking out safefoodsto eat.
When making a sandwich, you usually have control over the cheeses you use.Stay clear of cheese trays and gifts of cheese where you cannot examine the packaging.
Let’s Talk About Deli Meats
Most lunch meats are gluten-free, but it is always possible that they may contain added ingredients that could contain gluten, such aswheat-deriveddextrinor modified food starchto thicken. While these two additives are not always derived from gluten-containing grains,some areandcouldlead to a gluten reaction.You can contact the manufacturer about the source of dextrin or modified food starch if it isn’t clearly labeled.
A lunchmeat manufacturer could add gluten-containingflavoring, likewheat-containingsoy sauce.As with cheeses – and any packaged product you’re putting on your sandwich or consuming in another way–always check labels and confirma product’s gluten-freestatus.
Meat products are regulated by the USDA,not the FDA like other packaged food products. Meat processing and packaging companies are notrequiredto comply with theFood Allergen Labelingand Consumer Protection Act(FALCPA)allergen labeling law.(See our article “3 Tips for Gluten-Free LabelReading” for more details.)
Most USDA-regulated products do complywith FALCPA, but without a third-party certification, there is no guarantee the label you read is fully accurate and transparent.Productscertifiedgluten-free by a third-party are the safest products to consume.
What About Condiments?
What’s a gluten-free sandwich without some mayonnaise, mustard or another tasty spread? But are condiments gluten-free? The short answer is notnecessarily, so check the ingredients on the labels of anything you add to your sandwich.
While mustard seed is inherently gluten-free, some manufacturers add flour as a thickener or bulking agentto their mustards.Mayonnaise is typically made of eggs and oil, and most popular brands do not addgluten-containingflavorings.Since condiments are regulated by the FDA,even if the product is not labeled gluten-free,the product labelmust saywhether or not wheat–based ingredientshave been added,since wheat is one of the top 8 allergens which must be clearly indicated in ingredient lists
With a little bit of caution and a lot of creativity, you can enjoy a gluten-free sandwich with cheese, meats, and spreads. Don’t forget the fresh lettuce and tomatoforsomenaturally gluten-freefinishing touches.BonAppetit!
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for educational purposes only. Consult your healthcare team when considering this information.
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