Is Wheat Starch Celiac-Safe?

It's time to unpack a controversial ingredient.

You may be able to relate to the following scenario: You excitedly pick up a gluten-free product at the grocery store you’ve never had before—maybe a flour blend from the baking aisle or a package of croissants or bagels in the frozen section.

But when you get home and look a little more closely at the label, you realize that it contains wheat—and more specifically, something called “wheat starch.” What the heck? You think to yourself, “How can something that contains wheat be gluten-free?”

Well, it turns out that gluten and wheat aren’t the same thing—and wheat starch can actually be gluten-free in some cases. Ahead, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about the difference between wheat-free and gluten-free, what wheat starch is, and whether wheat starch is celiac-safe.

Note: The following information isn’t intended as medical advice for anyone with celiac disease. Please use your best judgment when consuming gluten-free products containing wheat starch and reach out to your healthcare provider to assess your individual needs if you have concerns.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat (pictured here), barley, and rye.

Wheat vs. gluten: What’s the difference?

First things first: Wheat is a grain that’s grown around the world. It’s used to make a variety of popular bread-based foods, like pizza crusts, pastas, and cakes. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, wheat has three main components—starch, protein, and cell wall polysaccharides.

Gluten, meanwhile, isn’t a grain. Per the Celiac Disease Foundation, gluten refers to the protein found in wheat (as well as in two other grains—barley and rye). It’s simply one of the main components of wheat.

That means there’s a difference between a product being gluten-free and wheat-free—and what’s more, just because something is gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wheat-free.

A gluten-free product won’t contain the protein (gluten) found in wheat—but it could still technically contain the starch. On the other hand, a wheat-free product won’t contain any components of wheat.

What is wheat starch?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines wheat starch as “an ingredient made from wheat that has been processed to remove gluten.” According to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), it’s difficult to fully remove the protein in a grain of wheat, so a small amount of gluten remains in wheat starch.

How much gluten remains in wheat starch varies widely depending on how the wheat is processed, per BIDMC. According to Schär—a gluten-free brand that uses wheat starch in some of its products—wheat starch “is likely processed by dissolving the water-soluble starch and then evaporating the water, the end result being a fine powdery starch.”

For a product containing wheat starch to be labeled gluten-free in the US, it must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten in the finished food, according to the FDA. Remember: 20 ppm is the threshold of gluten considered safe for someone with celiac to consume per day.

Why would a manufacturer bother using wheat starch in their gluten-free products, anyway? As Schär notes, it’s primilary used as a thickener, so you may notice that it helps improve the texture of bread-based gluten-free foods.

Is wheat starch celiac-safe?

It seems like every celiac on social media has a different opinion about wheat starch. If you’re in any celiac support groups online, you’ll see tons of posts from outraged celiacs who make blanket statements that wheat starch isn’t celiac-safe.

But just because random people on social media say wheat starch isn’t celiac-safe doesn’t mean it’s true. Let’s unpack what credible, trustworthy health sources have to say about this ingredient.

Wheat starch has been used for decades in gluten-free products in other countries.

In some countries, wheat starch has been used in gluten-free products since the 1940s, when Dutch pediatrician Willem Karel Dicke theorized that the protein in wheat (aka gluten) was what triggered celiac disease, according to Gluten-Free Watch Dog, an independent program run by Tricia Thompson, RD, that performs testing on gluten-free foods.

Chances are, if you’ve ever traveled to the UK or Europe, you’ve probably seen—or maybe even eaten—gluten-free bread or pizza made with wheat starch at some point, whether from the grocery store or at a restaurant.

As one of my UK-based readers shared with me, across the pond, some gluten-free products with wheat starch are labeled “suitable for coeliacs.” Per Cambridge University Hospitals, a “suitable for coeliacs” label means the product contains less than 20 ppm of gluten and “can therefore be eaten in unlimited amounts in those with coeliac disease.”

Wheat starch needs to be in a certified gluten-free product or labeled as gluten-free in the ingredients to be celiac-safe.

How can you tell if wheat starch in a product is celiac-safe in the US? Erin Kenny, RD, founder of The Celiac Space, explains in a recent Instagram video that wheat starch can be gluten-free and celiac-safe—so long as the product it’s in is either certified gluten-free or states “gluten-free wheat starch” in the ingredients. This will ensure the product is tested to fall below the FDA’s 20 ppm of gluten threshold.

the_celiac_space

A post shared by @the_celiac_space

Gluten-Free Watch Dog has tested many products with wheat starch for gluten and reiterates that you shouldn’t eat wheat starch-containing foods if they’re not labeled gluten-free.

Based on Gluten-Free Watch Dog’s testing, wheat starch that isn’t labeled gluten-free may contain more than 20 ppm of gluten, which would make it not safe for celiacs.

Testing wheat starch for gluten isn’t a perfect science.

“There are limitations around testing wheat starch for gluten,” notes BIDMC. “Current testing methods are not perfect.” Gluten-Free Watch Dog goes into detail about these testing methods on her website.

If you’re concerned about a product containing this ingredient, Gluten-Free Watch Dog suggests reaching out to the manufacturer for more information about how they process their wheat starch and how they test it for gluten so you can make an informed decision before eating. She also has manufacturer information from popular brands using wheat starch on her website.

Wheat starch shouldn’t be consumed by those with a wheat allergy.

Celiac disease and wheat allergy are two different medical conditions. Gluten—the protein component of wheat—is responsible for the immune reaction in celiacs, which is why it’s possible for someone with celiac disease to eat wheat starch.

However, to be completely safe, those with a wheat allergy should avoid products made with wheat starch, per the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. In some cases, allergies can cause anaphylaxis and be immediately life-threatening.

“Managing a wheat allergy—your own or someone else’s—includes strict avoidance of wheat ingredients in both food and nonfood products,” notes the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Schär Gluten-Free Croissants are a popular product containing wheat starch.

What are the best gluten-free products with wheat starch?

Here are some gluten-free products with wheat starch available in the US that may be considered celiac-safe, according to how they label the ingredient and how they claim to test their products for gluten.

• Schär Gluten-Free Croissants and Gluten-Free Pain Au Chocolate: This European brand has been using wheat starch for over 20 years and rigorously tests its gluten-free products containing this ingredient.

• King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour and Gluten-Free Pizza Flour: This gluten-free bread flour clearly lists “gluten-free wheat starch” on its ingredient list and is transparent about its testing methods for gluten.

• Original Sunshine Gluten-Free Bagels: The bagels list “gluten-free wheat starch” in the ingredient list. The brand states that its products fall under the FDA’s threshold of 20 ppm of gluten and are produced in dedicated gluten-free facilities.

The bottom line on wheat starch

It’s up to you to decide whether you feel comfortable eating wheat starch if you have celiac disease. I eat the Schär croissants and enjoy them, however, I know not everyone with celiac disease may have the same comfort level as me.

Luckily, there are many gluten-free products in the US without wheat starch, so it’s not hard to avoid. That said, it’s always a good idea to look at the ingredient list—even if a product is labeled gluten-free—to make sure the product meets your needs as a celiac.

What are your thoughts on wheat starch? Have you tried any gluten-free products with this ingredient? Drop a comment and let me know!

---

Disclaimer: If you click on a link, I may get a small commission. This helps support this newsletter so I can keep writing it.