Fact : Oat Processors Have Different Methods To Make Sure That Their Oats Are Gluten
There are two main ways that oat processors currently avoid or remove potential agricultural co-mingling with gluten grains. Both ways can be used to produce gluten-free oat products, and the two methods are often combined:
1. Purity Protocol takes place during the growing, harvesting, transporting, storage, processing, and manufacturing of oats. This process consists of a non-regulated set of steps to address the early stages of oat production.
2. Mechanical sorting takes place during the processing of the oats. A set of machines are used to sort oats to ensure proper size, shape, and color and to eliminate mold and other unwanted particles, including errant grains. Sorting happens after oats arrive at an oat processing facility, but in most cases the processor has limits on what level of gluten presence can be tolerated when the oats are received, and will reject oats with high levels of gluten grains.
Some oat processors use Purity Protocol alone as an assurance their oats are gluten-free. Some processors use a combination of Purity Protocol followed by mechanical sorting. Others rely on mechanical sorting to rid their oats of gluten grains.
While there is still no consistency in producing gluten-free oats, more consumers are demanding transparency in oat processing methods to feel confident the oats they are purchasing are safe to consume. Lets dig into both of these methods of oat processing that take place prior to packaging.
Choose Nuts And Seeds
On a no-sugar, no-flour diet, nuts and seeds make a good snack, providing protein and fiber, the two nutrients most associated with satiety in other words, they help fill you up so you eat less. According to Harvard Health, adding more nuts and seeds to your diet may lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Almost all nuts, seeds and their butters contain less than 10 grams of natural sugar per 100 grams, and they have no flour. The lowest in natural sugar are sesame seeds and paste, black or English walnuts, sunflower seeds and paste, flax seed, hemp seed, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamia nuts and pistachios, with less than 5 grams per 100 grams.
When buying nuts, seeds and their butters, make sure you opt for raw or dry roasted varieties without added flavors like honey or barbecue.
Produce: No Sugar Or Flour
Although fruits and some vegetables provide natural sugar, they have no added sugar and no flour and should top your diet food list. The sugar in produce differs from added sugar because it occurs naturally and is not inserted during the manufacturing process to “improve” the taste of a product.
Foods that contain natural sugar supply needed vitamins, minerals and fiber, which supports overall health, according to the University of California at San Francisco. These natural sugars also help fuel your brain. That said, some fruits are higher in natural sugars than others, such as dried fruits and many fruit juices.
On a no-sugar diet, you may want to choose the fruits containing the lowest amounts of natural sugar, including avocados, rhubarb, lemons and limes, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapefruit, papayas, cantaloupe, nectarines, honeydew melon, peaches, blueberries, oranges, clementines, guavas, and plums and pineapple. All of these have less than 10 grams of natural sugar per 100-gram serving, according to date from the USDA.
Vegetables with the least amount of natural sugar include mushrooms, watercress, endive, spinach and other leafy greens, cauliflower, yams, radicchio, snap beans, potatoes, different types of cabbage, artichokes, asparagus, kale and Swiss chard, celery, broccoli, summer squash, okra, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, and winter squash. All have less than 2 grams of natural sugar in 100 grams, according to nutritional data from the USDA.
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Fact : A Thorough Third
The best way to know oats are gluten-free is to look for a third-party gluten-free certification mark, like the one used by GFCO. The requirements of certification are intended to help processors identify and remove potential risks of cross-contact with gluten. Many processors of Purity Protocol and mechanically sorted oats come to GFCO to have their oats certified.
During GFCO certification, all procedures involved in oat processing are audited and oats are tested multiple times to verify that they are gluten-free. Testing alone does not guarantee oats are gluten-free because there are many steps before and after testing where cross-contact could happen if proper procedures arent followed.
The GFCO certification process includes 80 requirements for product certification that apply to any product, including oats and foods containing oats. These requirements include:
Fact : Oats Are Not Considered A Gluten Source In Many Countries
As we mentioned above, oats are not typically placed in the same category as wheat, barley, or rye when it comes to gluten regulations.
Canada, Europe, and many other countries follow a uniform set of guidelines to ensure food safety called Codex Alimentarius Standard_118-1979. The Codex includes oats in its definition of gluten grains. However, in a footnote, the Codex standard states:
Oats can be tolerated by most, but not all, people who are intolerant to gluten. Therefore, the allowance of oats that are not contaminated with wheat, rye or barley in foods covered by this standard may be determined at the national level.
Most European countries allow oats in products labeled gluten-free. Canada issued a Marketing Authorization in 2015 that allows the use of gluten-free claims for gluten-free oats, and foods that contain them, as ingredients. In this case, the oats must be specially grown or processed to ensure that they are gluten-free and are tested to have no more than 20 ppm of gluten grains.
In Canada, the term gluten-free oats must clearly identify the oats wherever they are referenced, including in the list of ingredients. Note that in the U.S., the FDA does not allow any descriptions in the ingredient lists on packaged food labels.
Exceptions to this rule are Australia and New Zealand, two countries that include oats as a restricted grain along with wheat, barley, and rye in any gluten-free products produced or sold in those countries.
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Pamela’s Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Pamela, whoever you are, wherever you are THANK YOU. This brand quite literally has it all. Cookies, pancakes, flours, protein bars, ramen, graham crackers, and PASTA. I found this brand when I was looking for graham crackers for a s’mores night with my friends, and I was excited to find out they taste almost exactly like the delicious original honey made crackers. Oh, and the Lemon Shortbread cookies… let’s just say they’re Girl Scout cookies’ biggest competitor.
What About Oat Flour
Some people are concerned about oat flour and the chances of cross-contact taking place during the milling of the flour. Oat flour, like any processed and packaged product, can be tested for gluten.
In fact, it is much easier to test for gluten in oat flour than in whole, unprocessed oat groats because if there are gluten grains present, they have been more evenly distributed throughout the flour. More even distribution means it is easier to detect gluten in much smaller samples taken for testing.
GFCO recognizes that the distribution of gluten in a milled oat flour is not 100% uniform and requires manufacturers to test all oat ingredients multiple times as part of certification.
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Buy In Bulk For Better Value
You can buy gluten-free all-purpose flour in an individual package, or in bulk quantities. Individual packages are anywhere from 8 to 32 ounces apiece. Its a good idea to stick with individual bags if you dont plan on using gluten-free flour often, especially since gluten-free flour is only shelf-stable for a few months.
If you expect to use a lot of it on a regular basis for daily cooking and baking, youll save big if you buy gluten-free all-purpose flour in bulk. This usually entails buying three to ten packages at a time from a store or seller. The initial cash outlay may make it seem costly, but in the long run, you can end up saving a few dollars per pound.
Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour 22 Oz
Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Offers are specific to store listed above and limited to in-store. Promotions, discounts, and offers available in stores may not be available for online orders. The information provided on this website, including special diets and nutritional information, is for reference purposes and not intended as medical or healthcare information or advice. Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and/or different information than shown on our website. You should not rely solely on the information presented here and you should always read labels, warnings, and directions before using or consuming a product. The information provided on this website should not be relied upon to make health-related decisions.
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Terms Used In This Article
Agricultural Comingling The inadvertent mixing of different grains due to shared planting and harvesting equipment, shared transportation and storage facilities, and other things like the activities of birds, wind, and weather.
Cross-Contact The proper term for gluten getting into non-gluten foods during processing is cross-contact .
Purity Protocol Developed by Montana Gluten Free Processors and later adopted by some U.S. and Canadian oat companies as a way to differentiate their oats from their competitors. Purity Protocol takes place during the growing, harvesting, transporting, storage, processing, and manufacturing of oats.
Mechanical sorting A specialized process involving a complex system of machines calibrated to find and remove gluten grains. Mechanical sorting takes place in the latter part of oat processing.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for educational purposes only. Consult your healthcare team when considering this information.
Whole Grains For The Whole Body
A diet rich in whole grains can help prevent chronic diseases. A 2016 review of 14 studies published in the journal Circulation showed that those who ate the most whole grains had lower risk of overall death, death from heart disease and death from cancer than those who ate the fewest. However, only those who ate at least 30 grams of whole grains per dayfor example, a half-cup of cooked brown rice or one-third cup of gluten-free oatmealexhibited the reduced risk of cancer death. Researchers also noted an even further reduced risk of death for those who ate more than 30 grams per day. A 2016 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that among 55,000 Danish adults, those who ate the most whole grains every day had the lowest risk of a heart attack, with oats being particularly protective against heart disease. Whole grains may even protect your brain, as a 2016 study in Clinical Nutrition found that increased consumption of whole grains reduced inflammation in the brain.
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Buying Guide For Best Gluten
Gluten is a catch-all name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. For those who choose to follow gluten-free diets, either by choice or for health reasons, it can be challenging to find a suitable alternative to wheat flour, which is present in many foods. Thankfully, gluten-free all-purpose flour reopens the door to home cooking and baking.
Gluten-free all-purpose flour is typically made from a creative mixture of ingredients, including tapioca, rice, or sorghum flour. While theres no official combination recipe for these flours as recipes vary widely among manufacturers they all aim not only to be gluten-free but also to be produced on gluten-free equipment.
Of course, cooking with gluten-free all-purpose flour comes with a different set of rules. Recipe balancing, substitution ratios, and trying out different combinations all come into play.
Why Buy Our Oat Flour
- Stone-Ground, thus retaining more nutrition than any other milling techniques.
- Made from pure oats. Our Oat Flour has a subtle, sweet whole grain flavour. This whole grain flour is excellent for adding to gluten free baked goods to impart a true oat flavour and wholesome nutrition.
- Not only are oats an excellent source of dietary fiber, they also reduce serum cholesterol levels in the body. Oats are higher in protein and healthy fats, and lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains. They contain more soluble fiber than any other grain.
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The Bottom Line About Gluten
When in doubt about the safety of oats, look for a mark on the packaging that says Certified Gluten-Free for peace of mind or look for the new GFCO certification mark:
Gluten-free consumers should be cautious of oat products that are not labeled or certified gluten-free. If an oat product is certified gluten-free, the certification mark verifies that the product is safe to eat.
If someone believes they are sensitive to oats, they should consult with their physician before adding oats to their diet. If someone is sensitive to gluten or has been diagnosed with celiac disease, looking for a reliable certification on an oat product will offer the best assurances available that the product is safe. When ones health is on the line, erring on the side of caution can be the best route, but understanding the science and the facts around gluten-free oats can help put their safety into perspective.
Are Oats And Oat Flour Gluten
Oats are a hot button topic within the celiac and gluten-free communities. Oats are not considered a top allergen, and in their pure form, oats are safe for the majority of people with celiac disease. Unlike wheat, barley, and rye, oats are not considered a source of gluten in many countries.
The concern with oats is that they come into contact with gluten grains from the field to processing. The term for gluten grains getting into non-gluten grains during growth, harvest, transport, or storage is agricultural comingling and the proper term for gluten getting into non-gluten foods during processing is cross-contact . Read more about agricultural commingling in our article, Gluten in Your Food: Cross-Contact or Cross-Contamination?
Agricultural comingling and cross-contact with gluten are valid concerns with oats, leading to the question Are these oats really gluten-free?
Heres a breakdown of oats and oat processing to help clear up widespread confusion about the safety of oats as well as oat flour.
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What Measure For Measure Means
Gluten-free all-purpose flour has a totally different formula than regular flour. Since cooking and baking boils down to basic chemistry, its no surprise that a certain amount of recipe adjustment or balancing is required when it comes to gluten-free cooking. If youre not thrilled at the thought of measuring, weighing, and figuring out ratios, opt for gluten-free all-purpose flour that is marked measure for measure.
Measure-for-measure flour means you wont need to deal with the headache of balancing or substitutions. Instead, these flours have unique combinations of ingredients that mimic the cooking qualities of regular flour. As a result, if a regular recipe calls for one cup of flour, you can use one cup of gluten-free flour. While it sometimes makes the flour more expensive, its a real time-saver when it comes to food preparation.
Our Organic Brown Rice Flour Is Gluten Free Making It The Perfect Baking Alternative
Our gluten free organic brown rice flour is both light and nutritious, meaning that it is a great substitute in many baking and cooking recipes for gluten-containing flours. Be aware however that baked goods such as cookies and cakes will bake faster when using brown rice flour. Alternatively, this flour can be used in combination with other flours, such as all purpose varieties, or used to thicken sauces in both sweet and savoury recipes. This brown rice flour contains all the goodness of the whole grain, with only the outer, inedible husk removed before the rice is then milled. The resulting flavour is mildly nutty and earthy, meaning that it does not overpower the dishes that it is then used within.
Originating from the Oryza sativa plant, native to Asia, brown rice flour has become a staple in many countries such as China and Indonesia, as well as other parts of the world including South America and Africa. Because of its gluten-free properties, brown rice flour is often used in bread making, resulting in wheaty tasting loaves, though many people choose to also make biscuits and puddings with it.
Brown rice flour is a great source of fibre and vitamins B1 and B6 and in addition to this, just one serving of brown rice flour contains 130% of the recommended daily allowance of manganese, a powerful antioxidant.
If you are looking for another tasty gluten-free flour, try our organic tiger nut flour.
Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice
Method:
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