I'm making gluten free brownies for the Youth Group Christmas party. I have some cute sprinkles, but want to be sure they are also gluten free before I use them on the brownies. Do you see anything on this list that might secretly be a problem for the gluten free kids in the group?
@KiwiMoose here in the US, gluten doesn't have to be listed as an allergen, which is really a shame, IMO. The mandatory allergens that must be listed on US food labels are:
milk
egg
fish, such as bass, flounder, or cod
Crustacean shellfish, such as crab, lobster, or shrimp
tree nuts, such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts
wheat
peanuts
soybeans
sesame
Also, gluten technically isn't an allergen for most people who avoid it. Rather, it is something that causes an autoimmune reaction. With a fair number of celiacs in my circle of family and friends, they all avoid "artificial flavors" unless the product is actually labeled "gluten-free." The same is true for "modified food starch" and a few other sneaky terms.
I will also add that another crazy bit of labeling law in the US is that something can be labeled as "dairy free," even if it contains caseinate, which is derived from milk. Exhibit A are all those "non-dairy" creamers by Coffee Mate. It's only recently that they had to start adding a statement at the bottom: Contains a milk derivative. But they still also say "non-dairy." So frustrating!
