If you have recently decided to cut out gluten from your diet, you know the main things to avoid: bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, all those kinds of foods.
However, what about maltodextrin and citric acid? Are they okay to eat on a gluten-free diet? Maltodextrin is created from corn.
It is essentially just starch that has been broken down into smaller molecules, making it easier to digest.
It does not contain any malt.
It is used as an ingredient added to foods in order to enhance the texture and flavour.
It is also used in many nutritional supplements.
Often it is free from gluten, but not always.
You see, it all depends on which type of starch it comes from.
For example, if it comes from corn, potato or rice then yes it will be gluten free.
If on the other hand it comes from wheat or rye, then no, it will not be free from gluten.
Citric Acid - More than 90% of the citric acid made in the United States is made by fermenting corn-derived glucose or dextrose.
In other countries, it can be made from other things including wheat-derived sugars, cane sugar, sugar beets and molasses.
In conclusion, it is probably best to avoid these ingredients if you have been diagnosed with a severe form of gluten intolerance such as celiac disease.
If however you are more mildly intolerant to gluten and can handle small amounts of it, then I shouldn't worry about it, as you'll probably be okay.