If you have celiac disease or are extremely sensitive to gluten, you're probably wondering about the gluten status of oatmeal (Quaker Oats, specifically). As you may already know, oats are naturally gluten-free but can be cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains, such as barley, rye, and wheat, during processing. Quaker has developed a unique cleaning system that they use in the manufacturing process to ensure that some of its oat products are, in fact, gluten-free.
Which Quaker Oats Products Are Gluten-Free?
Some, but not all, Quaker Oat products are considered to be gluten-free. The ones that are gluten-free are clearly labeled on the front of the package. According to the Quaker Oats website, the gluten-free items in their oat product line are:
- Quaker® Gluten-Free - Quick 1-Minute Oats
- Original Quaker® Gluten-Free Instant Oatmeal - Maple and Brown Sugar
- Original Quaker® Gluten-Free Instant Oatmeal - Original
- Quaker® Oats Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats
You should be aware that only Quaker products marked with gluten-free on the label meet the legal standard for gluten-free labeling. Products not labeled as gluten-free may cause issues for people sensitive to gluten.
What Does Gluten-Free Mean?
Products containing the term gluten-free on the label are supposed to abide by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gluten-free food labeling practices. The FDA says gluten-free foods must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten to be labeled as gluten-free. This amount is so small that most people with celiac disease can tolerate such foods.
Quaker Oat products labeled as gluten-free must meet FDA gluten-free labeling requirements. They may contain no more than 20 ppm of gluten, the minimal amount that is not expected to be problematic for most people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity.
However, it's important to note that you may not be getting a product that's entirely gluten-free when you choose these products or, really, any oat products processed in a facility where other grains are processed.
