Bushra Griffith
Blue cheese is a general term for veined cheeses made using blue or green mould. For years, there has been much debate over whether blue cheese is safe for people with coeliac disease. This is because blue cheese is sometimes injected with mould strains grown on gluten-containing media. However, it is now widely believed that blue cheese is safe for coeliacs to consume, as long as it does not contain wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt ingredients.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is blue cheese safe for celiacs? | Yes, blue cheese is safe for celiacs unless the label contains the words wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt, or the company states their product is not gluten-free. |
| Is blue cheese gluten-free? | Yes, nearly all blue cheeses are gluten-free. |
| What about mold in blue cheese? | Blue cheese is sometimes injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media. However, it is unlikely that this would cause blue cheese to contain more than 20 parts per million gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with celiac disease. |
| What are some gluten-free blue cheeses? | Mass-produced blue cheeses, Gorgonzola, and Rosenborg blue cheese. |
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What You'll Learn
- Blue cheese is generally safe for celiacs to consume
- However, some blue cheeses are injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media
- The Canadian Celiac Association deems blue cheese safe for celiacs
- Always check the label for ingredients like wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt
- Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free
Blue cheese is generally safe for celiacs to consume
Blue cheese is a general term for veined cheeses made using blue or green mould, and it was once thought that the mould in blue cheese was grown on gluten-containing grains, making it unsafe for celiacs. However, this is no longer the case. Nowadays, manufacturers use lab-grown mould, and even when bread mould is used, testing of the finished product shows no detectable levels of gluten.
Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free, and the Canadian Celiac Association has added blue cheese to its "Acceptability of Food and Food Ingredients for the Gluten-Free Diet" pocket dictionary. This means that blue cheese is safe for people with celiac disease, as well as those with gluten intolerance or those on a gluten-free diet for health reasons.
However, it is important to always check the labels on food products, and this is especially true for those with celiac disease. Some blue cheeses may list wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt in the ingredients, and these should be avoided.
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However, some blue cheeses are injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media
There has been much debate over the safety of blue cheese for people with celiac disease. This is because blue cheese is sometimes injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media. However, it is important to note that the presence of gluten in blue cheese is unlikely to cause harm to individuals with celiac disease. The Canadian Celiac Association has tested blue cheeses and penicillium roqueforti cultures grown on various gluten-containing media, including wheat-based dextrose, barley malt extract, and wheat/rye flour mixtures. The results indicated that the gluten content in these products was below the limit of quantification, even when using sensitive detection methods such as the Sandwich R5 ELISA and the Competitive R5 ELISA.
The consensus is that it is improbable for blue cheese to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with celiac disease. This conclusion is supported by previous testing conducted by the Canadian Celiac Association. Nevertheless, it is always advisable to avoid blue cheeses that list wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt ingredients on their labels or are not explicitly labelled as gluten-free.
It is worth mentioning that the process of making blue cheese involves the use of blue mold spores, specifically penicillium roqueforti. These mold spores may be cultivated on different mediums, including bread made from rye flour or a combination of rye and wheat flours. However, the medium used to grow the spores is not always disclosed by manufacturers. If the spores were grown on a medium containing wheat, and the spores contained wheat protein, this information should be provided to consumers to make informed choices.
While mass-produced blue cheeses are typically gluten-free, it is worth noting that some traditional methods of making blue cheese involved using mold grown on regular gluten bread. However, this practice is not common nowadays, as manufacturers prefer using lab-grown mold as a starting agent. Even when blue cheese is started from bread mold, testing has shown no detectable levels of gluten in the finished product.
In conclusion, while some blue cheeses are injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media, the resulting product is unlikely to contain harmful levels of gluten for individuals with celiac disease. Nonetheless, it is always advisable to read labels carefully and make informed choices based on the ingredients listed and the gluten-free status of the product.
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The Canadian Celiac Association deems blue cheese safe for celiacs
The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) has deemed blue cheese safe for people with celiac disease. This is because, according to previous testing by the CCA, blue cheese is unlikely to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with celiac disease.
The consensus is that blue cheese is safe for celiacs unless the label lists wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt as ingredients, or the company states that their product is not gluten-free. Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free, and even when blue cheese is started from bread mould, testing of the finished product shows no detectable levels of gluten.
Blue cheese is a general term for veined cheeses made using blue mould spores called penicillium roqueforti. These mould spores may be grown on various mediums, including wheat-based dextrose, barley malt extract, and wheat/rye flour mixture. However, the CCA's study found that the gluten content in blue cheese is below the limit of quantification, even when grown on gluten-containing media.
Alexandria Anca, an advisor to the CCA Professional Advisory Board, has written an article in Celiac News entitled "Blue Cheese in the Gluten-Free Diet: A Research Update," which confirms that blue cheese is safe for people with celiac disease. Anca's report analysed blue cheese samples using three different commercial ELISA test kits and found no detectable levels of gluten, even when fermented with products containing gluten.
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Always check the label for ingredients like wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt
It is important to always check the label for ingredients like wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt when choosing blue cheese as a person with coeliac disease. While blue cheese is generally considered safe for people with coeliac disease, there has been much debate over the years in the coeliac community about the safety of blue cheese. This is because blue cheese is sometimes injected with mould strains grown on gluten-containing media, which may include wheat, barley, rye, or oats.
However, according to the Canadian Celiac Association, the gluten content in blue cheese is below the limit of quantification, and it is unlikely to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with coeliac disease. Nevertheless, it is always advisable to check the labels and look for a gluten-free label or avoid blue cheeses that list wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt ingredients.
Some blue cheeses, such as Rosenborg blue cheese, are made using mould cultures that are gluten-free, making them safe for everyone with gluten aversions, including those with coeliac disease. Mass-produced blue cheeses are also more likely to be gluten-free, as manufacturers typically use lab-grown moulds instead of mouldy bread.
In conclusion, while blue cheese is generally safe for people with coeliac disease, it is important to remain vigilant and check the labels to ensure that the product does not contain any gluten-containing ingredients. By being cautious and informed, individuals with coeliac disease can safely enjoy blue cheese as part of their diet.
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Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free
For a long time, blue cheese was considered unsafe for people on a gluten-free diet. This is because blue cheese is made using blue or green mould, which is often grown on bread or another gluten-containing grain. However, mass-produced blue cheeses are now gluten-free.
The mould used in blue cheese is called Penicillium Roqueforti. To make the cheese, the mould spores are injected into veined cheeses like Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Danish Blue. In the past, the mould was often grown on bread, which could be made from wheat, rye, or a mixture of the two. Nowadays, manufacturers tend to use a lab-grown mould, which is a more reliable starting agent.
The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) has confirmed that blue cheese is acceptable for people with celiac disease to consume. In 2009, the CCA tested three blue cheeses and two Penicillium Roqueforti cultures grown on gluten-containing media, including wheat-based dextrose, barley malt extract, and a wheat/rye flour mixture. The results showed that the gluten content was below the limit of quantification in these products.
However, it is important to always check the labels of any cheese you are consuming, as some may contain added ingredients like spices, seasoning, starches, thickeners, and anti-caking agents, which could contain gluten. If a blue cheese lists wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt in its ingredients, or the company states that its product is not gluten-free, it is best to avoid it.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is generally considered safe for people with celiac disease. However, it is essential to read the labels and avoid blue cheeses that list wheat, barley, rye, oats, or malt as ingredients. Mass-produced blue cheeses are typically gluten-free, and the Canadian Celiac Association has deemed blue cheese acceptable for those on a gluten-free diet.
Blue cheese is a general term for veined cheeses made using blue mold spores called penicillium roqueforti. Some blue cheeses, like Roquefort, were traditionally started with mold grown on regular gluten bread, leading to concerns about gluten content. However, most manufacturers now use lab-grown mold, and even when bread mold is used, testing shows no detectable gluten levels.
Yes, some common blue cheeses that are generally safe for people with celiac disease include:
- Gorgonzola (Italy)
- Stilton (England)
- Roquefort (France)
- Danish Blue (Denmark)
