Eating gluten-free: is mustard okay?

Sports

Is mustard gluten free? In its raw seed form, yes, but when mixed with prepared mustard paste, flour, beer, or malt vinegar is sometimes added. This is an “always read the label” product, but if the ingredient list doesn’t include flour, beer, or malt vinegar, enjoy it.

Commercial mustard comes in many forms, from raw seeds to powdered mustard flour and creamy creamy or creamy spreads that pair well with roast beef and on sandwiches.

Mustard seeds are small round seeds, about 2mm or less than one-eighth of an inch in diameter. The color of the seed varies from almost white to black. These seeds are naturally gluten-free and are very different in size from any grain that contains gluten. When seeds are separated from pods and stems, a strainer with very small holes will also separate voluntary gluten-containing seeds. Most commercially exported mustard seeds come from Canada, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

Mustard seeds are mixed with water, vinegar, oils, and other spices and flavors to make ready-made mustard spreads. Depending on the type of seed and processing traditions, the final product ranges from white to bright yellow to black. The seeds can be crushed to a fine powder or left whole. Prepared mustards can be thick or quite thin.

Dry mustard, mustard flour, or mustard powder are very finely ground mustard seeds. It has a texture similar to flour but does not contain wheat flour. Mustard powder is often added as an ingredient in other commercially prepared foods as a flavoring agent.

Wheat flour is sometimes added to prepared mustards to adjust the texture, flavor, and cost of the product. If wheat flour is added, it should be on the ingredient list. Beer is occasionally added to specialty mustard, so the product is not gluten-free and must be listed on the label as well. Malt vinegar does not appear to be used in commercially prepared mustards, but it does appear in recipes for homemade mustards. If so, the mustard will not be gluten-free.

In summary, mustard has a very low risk of cross contamination during planting and harvesting. Some commercially prepared mustards use flour or beer as an ingredient. Homemade mustard can use beer or malt vinegar. Don’t worry about mustard powder or seeds that are used as an ingredient in other condiments like mayonnaise or salad dressing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *