If you're following a strict gluten-free diet, you're probably wondering if some of your favorite foods -- including chocolate -- are indeed gluten-free as you thought. Nestle's chocolate chips are often a favorite, especially if you do a lot of baking. Knowing if these sweet treats can be included in gluten-free diets is crucial, especially if you have celiac disease.
Are Nestle Chocolate Chips Gluten Free?
According to Nestle's website, regular semi-sweet chocolate chips are indeed gluten-free. To make this claim, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says foods that carry "gluten-free" labels must contain a gluten limit of less than 20 parts per million (ppm), which is the lowest amount that can be detected in foods using scientific methods. The FDA goes on to say that most people with celiac disease can tolerate this very small amount of gluten in foods.
Which Nestle Chips Are and Aren't Gluten Free?
The majority of Nestle chocolate morsels (including semi-sweet, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate peanut butter chips) are labeled "gluten-free" by the manufacturer. However, Nestle butterscotch chips are not labeled "gluten-free," as these morsels contain artificial flavor barley protein as part of the ingredient list.
Alternatives
If you're set on eating or baking with butterscotch chips but need to steer clear of gluten, consider gluten-free butterscotch chips made from other manufacturers, such as Hershey's gluten-free butterscotch chips. Regardless of which type of chocolate or butterscotch chips you choose, look for "gluten-free" on the package and be on the lookout for gluten-containing wheat, barley, or rye products on ingredients lists.
