Frederic Melton
Blue cheese has long been considered unsafe for people with celiac disease due to the belief that it is started with mold grown on regular gluten bread. However, this notion has been challenged in recent years, with the Canadian Celiac Association finding that very few blue cheeses are made using bread mold, and when they are, tests show no detectable levels of gluten in the final product. As a result, blue cheese is now considered gluten-free and safe for consumption by those with celiac disease. This is true for all plain hard cheeses, unless ingredients like spices, starches, or thickeners are added, which may contain gluten.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Safety for Celiac Patients | Bleu cheese is considered safe for people with celiac disease |
| Gluten Content | Bleu cheese contains no detectable levels of gluten |
| Bread Mold | Some bleu cheeses are started from bread mold, but this does not make them unsafe for celiac patients |
| Added Ingredients | Plain hard cheeses are safe for celiac patients unless they have added ingredients like spices, starches, thickeners, or anti-caking agents, which may contain gluten |
| Mass-Produced Bleu Cheese | Mass-produced bleu cheese is gluten-free |
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What You'll Learn
- Most cheeses are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease
- Blue cheese is sometimes injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media
- Testing of finished blue cheese products shows no detectable levels of gluten
- Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free
- Plain hard cheeses are fine for celiac disease unless they have added ingredients like spices, starches, etc
Most cheeses are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease
Blue cheese has been a subject of debate in the celiac community. Traditionally, blue cheese was considered unsafe for gluten-free diets because the mold was grown on regular gluten bread. However, today, most manufacturers use a lab-grown mold, and even when bread mold is used, testing of the finished product shows no detectable levels of gluten. The Canadian Celiac Association's previous testing concluded that it is unlikely for blue cheese to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with celiac disease. Nonetheless, it is advisable to avoid blue cheeses that list wheat, barley, or rye ingredients on the label.
In general, unless a gluten-free label is present, it is essential to check the ingredients list for wheat, barley, rye, oat, or brewer's yeast. Additionally, watch out for wheat starch or modified food starch made from wheat, which may be present in some cheeses. Cross-contamination is also a concern, especially when the same tools or equipment are used to process gluten-containing products.
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Blue cheese is sometimes injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media
Blue cheese has long been a topic of debate in the celiac community. While it is often injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media, it is unlikely to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered safe for people with celiac disease. This conclusion is based on previous testing by the Canadian Celiac Association.
However, it is important to note that some blue cheeses may still list wheat, barley, or rye in their ingredients, which are not safe for people with celiac disease. Therefore, it is crucial to always read the labels carefully and choose blue cheeses that do not contain these ingredients.
Mass-produced blue cheeses are typically gluten-free, as manufacturers now commonly use lab-grown mold as a starting agent instead of moldy bread. Even when blue cheese is started from bread mold, testing has shown no detectable levels of gluten in the finished product.
While plain hard cheeses are generally safe for people with celiac disease, processed cheeses, soft spreadable cheeses, cheese dips, and shredded cheeses may contain added ingredients such as spices, seasoning, starches, thickeners, or anti-caking agents, which could potentially contain gluten. Therefore, it is always recommended to look for gluten-free labels or avoid ingredients such as wheat, barley/malt, rye, oat, and brewer's yeast.
In summary, while blue cheese injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media is unlikely to contain unsafe levels of gluten for people with celiac disease, it is important to be vigilant about checking ingredient labels and choosing blue cheeses without wheat, barley, or rye.
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Testing of finished blue cheese products shows no detectable levels of gluten
There has been much debate over the consumption of blue cheese by people with celiac disease. Blue cheese is sometimes injected with mould strains grown on gluten-containing media. However, testing of finished blue cheese products shows no detectable levels of gluten. The consensus is that it is unlikely that this would cause 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 based on previous testing by the Canadian Celiac Association.
Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free. For many years, blue cheese was considered unsafe for those on a gluten-free diet because it was traditionally started with mould grown on regular gluten bread. However, very few blue cheeses are made this way now, as manufacturers use a far more reliable lab-grown mould as a starting agent instead of mouldy bread.
Even when blue cheese is started from bread mould, testing of the finished product shows no detectable levels of gluten. People with celiac disease can, therefore, consume blue cheese without worrying about gluten contamination. However, it is always advisable to read the labels and avoid blue cheeses that list wheat, barley, or rye ingredients.
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Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free
For a long time, blue cheese was considered unsafe for people with celiac disease. This is because blue cheese is sometimes injected with mold strains grown on gluten-containing media. However, mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free. Manufacturers now use a lab-grown mold as a starting agent instead of moldy bread, which was traditionally used. Even when blue cheese is started from bread mold, testing of the finished product shows no detectable levels of gluten.
The consensus is that it is unlikely that the mold strains would cause 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 based on previous testing by the Canadian Celiac Association. Nevertheless, it is important to read labels carefully and avoid blue cheeses that list wheat, barley, or rye ingredients.
Most cheeses are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease unless wheat or gluten ingredients are added during or after processing. Examples of common cheeses that are gluten-free in their natural state include Brie, Cheddar, Colby, Gouda, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Muenster, Goat cheese, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and Feta. Soft spreadable cheeses, cheese dips, and shredded cheeses may contain added ingredients like spices, seasoning, starches, thickeners, and anti-caking agents, which could potentially contain gluten. Therefore, it is important to always check the label and look for a gluten-free label when purchasing cheese.
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Plain hard cheeses are fine for celiac disease unless they have added ingredients like spices, starches, etc
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 mould strains grown on gluten-containing media. However, the consensus is that it is unlikely for blue cheese to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with celiac disease. Mass-produced blue cheeses are gluten-free, and very few blue cheeses are made with bread mould today. Even when blue cheese is started from bread mould, testing of the finished product shows no detectable levels of gluten.
Plain hard cheeses are usually fine for people with celiac disease, unless they have added ingredients like spices, starches, thickeners, or anti-caking agents, which may contain gluten. These added ingredients can often be found in processed cheeses, soft spreadable cheeses, cheese dips, or shredded cheeses. To be sure, always check the label for a gluten-free label, and if there isn't one, check for ingredients like wheat, barley/malt, rye, oat, and brewer's yeast.
Some common cheeses that are gluten-free in their natural state include Brie, Cheddar, Colby, Gouda, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Muenster, Goat cheese, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Feta, and Swiss cheese. Ricotta, cottage cheese, cream cheeses, and shredded cheeses are usually gluten-free as well, but some may have additives, so always check the ingredient label.
Overall, while blue cheese was once considered unsafe for people with celiac disease, it is now generally agreed to be safe due to the absence of detectable gluten in the finished product. Similarly, plain hard cheeses without added ingredients are also safe for people with celiac disease.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is not considered bad for celiac disease because it is unlikely to contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is the threshold for a substance to be considered gluten-free.
Blue cheese contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe concentration for people with celiac disease.
Yes, some blue cheeses may contain wheat, barley, or rye ingredients, so it is important to read the labels carefully and avoid these types of blue cheeses if you have celiac disease.
