Gluten Free Beers

[grandpaboo]

Under the new findings of the FDA and TTB, are ALL beers now considered gluten free?

[trents]

What findings do you refer to? As far as I know, most beers are not gluten free since 1. Most beers are made from gluten containing grains and 2. Beer is not a distilled alcoholic beverage.

[grandpaboo]

  On 12/2/2020 at 3:29 PM, trents said:

What findings do you refer to? As far as I know, most beers are not gluten free since 1. Most beers are made from gluten containing grains and 2. Beer is not a distilled alcoholic beverage.

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I understand that, however, it is my understanding that the findings cover distilled AND fermented products.  Thus, beer.

[psawyer]

Please provide sources (links) to the findings.

[grandpaboo]

  On 12/2/2020 at 3:48 PM, psawyer said:

Please provide sources (links) to the findings.

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https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-gluten-free-food-labeling-final-rule

 

[trents]

From the link you provided:

"A fermented food is one that has undergone a process that typically involves the conversion of complex organic compounds, especially sugars and other carbohydrates, to simpler compounds such as lactic acid and ethyl alcohol. This process is referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, proteins are broken apart into smaller groups of amino acids known as peptides. Although conventional analytical methods may not accurately detect and quantify gluten in fermented foods, fermentation is not considered as a process to remove gluten. Examples of fermented foods include beer and yogurt."

[grandpaboo]

  On 12/2/2020 at 4:22 PM, trents said:

From the link you provided:

"A fermented food is one that has undergone a process that typically involves the conversion of complex organic compounds, especially sugars and other carbohydrates, to simpler compounds such as lactic acid and ethyl alcohol. This process is referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, proteins are broken apart into smaller groups of amino acids known as peptides. Although conventional analytical methods may not accurately detect and quantify gluten in fermented foods, fermentation is not considered as a process to remove gluten. Examples of fermented foods include beer and yogurt."

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Thank you for pointing this out.  I must have read it wrong.  I appreciate the correction.

[trents]

Grandpaboo, the real controversy is actually with regard to distilled liquors. The FDA says the distillation process removes gluten but there are many on this forum who say they get "glutened" when they use whiskey. So maybe there are very small protein fractions from gluten that pass through the distillation process and can cause a reaction, at least for some.

[Scott Adams]

The important part seems to be here. I am aware of "low gluten" beers that use barley as an ingredient, but add special enzymes DURING the fermentation process, but I am not aware of any regular beers that use barley or wheat and remove gluten BEFORE the fermentation process, so this new ruling doesn't cover the regular beers that use barley or wheat as far as I can tell:

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Beers that are not made from gluten-containing grains or that are made from gluten-containing grains that have been processed to remove gluten in accordance with the definition of "gluten-free" before the fermentation process may bear the term “gluten-free” if they meet the applicable requirements in 21 CFR 101.91. (See question 6.)

How is "gluten-free" defined in 21 CFR 101.91?

The regulation defines "gluten-free" as meaning that the food either is inherently gluten free; or does not contain an ingredient that is: 1) a gluten-containing grain (e.g., spelt wheat); 2) derived from a gluten-containing grain that has not been processed to remove gluten (e.g., wheat flour); or 3) derived from a gluten-containing grain that has been processed to remove gluten (e.g., wheat starch), if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten in the food. Also, any unavoidable presence of gluten in the food must be less than 20 ppm.

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