Most vinegars are gluten-free, but not all.
How is vinegar made? Vinegar is made when an ingredient such as apple cider, wine, rice, wheat, etc. is fermented.
Oxford University Press dictionary states: "To ferment something is to cause the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts or other micro-organisms." Once the fermentation has taken place, the resulting liquid is distilled. Distillation is defined as: "...the process of purifying a liquid by heating it so that it vaporizes then cooling and condensing the vapor and collecting the resulting liquid." 1
Distilled vinegar can be distilled from a variety of sources including but not limited to wheat, corn, potatoes, beets, wood and apples. In the United States, the majority of distilled vinegars are not derived from wheat but from corn, potatoes or wood, making them all gluten-free. Even a U.S. vinegar that is distilled with wheat should be acceptable for the celiac diet based upon the concept that gluten molecules do not turn into steam and cross over into the end product.
In the United States when the terms Vinegar, Cider Vinegar and Apple Vinegar are on a food label they must be made from apples (Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21, Sec. 525.825 revised March 1995). 2
What does this process have to do with whether or not vinegar is gluten-free? "Scientists say gluten molecules are heavy and non-volatile. They will not turn into steam and cross over into the end product. So, they should remain in the residue". 3
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