einstein (São Paulo). 22/May/2026;24:eCE2428.
Gluten-free is not enough
DOI: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2026CE2428
This is where danger lies for the unwary
Naturally gluten-free foods are rarely the problem. Processed foods labeled as gluten-free often are. Regulatory definitions allow foods labeled gluten-free to contain up to 20 parts per million of gluten.() Some countries adopt stricter limits, below 10 parts per million.() For patients with celiac disease, these differences matter.
Since my son’s diagnosis, I have learned to read every label, scrutinize every ingredient list, and carefully check for gluten-free claims. In the United States, manufacturers are not universally required to indicate whether a product is gluten free. Even reading ingredient lists is insufficient, because foods processed on shared equipment, particularly equipment used for wheat-containing products, can become contaminated despite containing no gluten-based ingredients.
[…]
2