Hidden Sources of Gluten

Quick List: Common Hidden Sources of Gluten

Common foods and products where gluten may unexpectedly appear include:

• ice cream
• french fries / hot chips
• corn chips and potato chips
• flavoured snack foods
• rice crackers
• candy, lollies and sweets
• chocolate
• beer and malt drinks
• drink mixes
• sausages
• meatballs
• deli meats and cold cuts
• salami
• rotisserie chicken
• stuffing
• soups
• stock and broth
• soy sauce
• gravies
• sauces and marinades
• salad dressings
• prepared salads
• sushi
• seasoning mixes
• spice blends
• flavoured nuts
• snack bars and energy bars
• oats
• supplements and medications
• play dough
• communion wafers

Now, I’m not saying that every product in this list contains gluten, but they are all common places where gluten may appear due to added ingredients or preparation methods.

The sections below explain why gluten may appear in each of these foods and what to watch out for.

What ‘Hidden Gluten’ Really Means

Gluten may appear in foods because it helps to improve the texture, thickness or stability during cooking or manufacturing. It may be used as:

• a thickener,
• a binder,
• a stabiliser,
• a flavour carrier, or
• a component of seasoning mixes or sauces

Because of this, gluten can appear in foods that might otherwise seem naturally gluten-free. Understanding where this happens helps gluten-free families make safer choices.

Ice Cream

Many ice creams are naturally gluten-free, but gluten may appear when ice cream contains mix-ins such as:

• cookie crumbs
• brownie pieces
• biscuit pieces
• waffle cone pieces

Some ice creams may also contain malt flavouring, which comes from barley. In ice cream shops, cross contamination may also occur if scoops are used across flavours containing cookie, or cone pieces.

French Fries / Hot Chips

Potatoes themselves are gluten-free, but fries may contain gluten if:

• they are cooked in shared fryers with crumbed foods,
• they are coated in seasoned flour or batter,
• seasoning mixes contain wheat

Because of this, fries from takeaway shops and restaurants can sometimes contain gluten even when potatoes themselves are naturally gluten-free. I always ask about their cooking process and if there are separate fryers, and what the fries are battered in (if anything).

Corn Chips, Potato Chips and Snack Foods

Corn and potatoes are naturally gluten-free, but packaged snack foods may contain gluten through:

• flavour coatings
• seasoning mixes that use wheat flour as a carrier
• barley malt flavouring
• cross contamination during manufacturing

Plain varieties are often gluten-free, but flavoured versions should always be checked. For example, here in Australia, most Dorito flavours contain gluten.

Candy, Lollies and Sweets

Many candies are gluten-free, but some may contain gluten due to ingredients used to create texture. Gluten may appear through:

• wheat-based starches
• malt ingredients derived from barley
• licorice made with wheat flour
• cookie or wafer pieces in fillings

Because starch can be derived from wheat, some chewy or gummy sweets may contain gluten even though wheat is not immediately obvious.

Chocolate

Plain chocolate is generally gluten-free, but gluten can appear when chocolate includes:

• cookie pieces
• wafer layers
• cookie crumbs
• malt flavouring
• chocolate-coated cereals

Chocolate bars with crunchy or layered fillings are the most common sources of hidden gluten.

Drinks

Most plain drinks such as water, milk, tea, coffee and fruit juice are naturally gluten-free. However gluten may appear in drinks containing barley or malt ingredients, including:

• beer
• malt beverages
• malted chocolate drinks
• flavoured drink powders
• some hot chocolate powders

Malt flavouring is particularly important to recognise because it comes from barley, which contains gluten.

Processed Meats

Unseasoned meat is gluten-free, but processed meats may contain gluten due to added ingredients. Examples include:

• sausages
• meatballs
• burgers
• deli meats
• cold cuts
• salami

Breadcrumbs, wheat flour or wheat-based binders are sometimes added to improve texture or hold the meat mixture together, and therefore need to be checked for.

Rotisserie Chicken

Store-prepared rotisserie chickens may contain gluten if:

• seasoning mixes contain wheat
• marinades contain soy sauce
• stuffing is added inside the chicken

Even when the chicken itself is gluten-free, sauces or gravies served with it may contain gluten.

Sauces and Gravies

Gluten often appears in sauces because it helps create thicker textures. Examples include:

• soy sauce
• teriyaki sauce
• hoisin sauce
• barbecue sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• gravy powders
• packet gravies

Traditional soy sauce is one of the most common hidden gluten ingredients because it is usually made using wheat. Gravies served at cafes and restaurants are almost always full of gluten too unfortunately, so always ask!

Salad Dressings and Prepared Salads

Salad dressings may contain gluten if they include ingredients such as:

• soy sauce
• malt vinegar
• wheat-based thickeners

Prepared salads may also contain gluten if they include:

• couscous
• pasta
• barley
• orzo
• croutons

Because these foods are often prepared in advance, gluten ingredients may not always be obvious.

Sushi

This one caught me out at first! Sushi rice itself is gluten-free, but gluten may appear through:

• soy sauce
• imitation crab (surimi)
• tempura batter
• marinades used in fillings

Cross contamination may also occur in kitchens preparing both sushi and tempura foods.

Flavoured Nuts

Nuts themselves are gluten-free, but seasoned nuts may contain gluten through flavour coatings. It’s one of those annoying ones that has no business ‘glutening’ a perfectly good gluten-free product.

Examples include:

• barbecue-flavoured nuts
• honey-roasted nuts
• spice-coated nuts

Seasoning mixes sometimes contain wheat flour or barley-derived flavourings.

Oats

Oats are one of the most confusing ingredients for people following a gluten-free diet. Oats themselves do not naturally contain gluten, but they are commonly contaminated with wheat, barley or rye during growing and processing.

Because of this, food standards in Australia and New Zealand do not allow oats to be labelled gluten-free, even when produced in dedicated facilities or grown far far away from wheat. In some other countries, specially produced oats may be labelled gluten-free, which is why oats are often discussed separately in gluten-free guidance. I urge you to check the Celiac/Coeliac advice in your local area.

Supplements and Medications

Some vitamins, supplements and medications may contain gluten because tablets and capsules may use wheat-derived starches or binders.

I find it’s becoming less and less of an issue, but recommend to keep on checking with a pharmacist or manufacturer can help confirm whether a product is gluten-free.

Play Dough

Traditional play dough is commonly made using wheat flour.

Although it is not intended to be eaten (there’s always one!), gluten can transfer to hands and surfaces during play. For children with coeliac disease, many families choose gluten-free play dough alternatives to be safe from ingesting any gluten.

Communion Wafers

Traditional communion wafers are typically made from wheat flour, which means they contain gluten.

This can be an important hidden source of gluten during church services or religious ceremonies where ingredients may not be discussed beforehand. There are plenty of gluten-free versions available now and this seems to be getting more common to have them available.

Gluten Awareness

Hidden gluten can feel overwhelming at first, especially when you are new to gluten-free living. However, once you understand where gluten commonly appears and why it is added to certain foods, it becomes much easier to recognise and avoid.

Over time, most gluten-free families develop a list of trusted foods, brands and meals that make everyday cooking and eating much simpler.