Gluten Contamination in Naturally or Labeled Gluten-Free Products Marketed in Italy.
BACKGROUND
A strict and lifelong gluten-free diet is the only treatment of celiac disease. Gluten contamination has been frequently reported in nominally gluten-free products. The aim of this study was to test the level of gluten contamination in gluten-free products currently available in the Italian market.


METHODS
A total of 200 commercially available gluten-free products (including both naturally and certified gluten-free products) were randomly collected from different Italian supermarkets. The gluten content was determined by the R5 ELISA Kit approved by EU regulations.


RESULTS
Gluten level was lower than 10 part per million (ppm) in 173 products (86.5%), between 10 and 20 ppm in 9 (4.5%), and higher than 20 ppm in 18 (9%), respectively. In contaminated foodstuff (gluten > 20 ppm) the amount of gluten was almost exclusively in the range of a very low gluten content. Contaminated products most commonly belonged to oats-, buckwheat-, and lentils-based items. Certified and higher cost gluten-free products were less commonly contaminated by gluten.


CONCLUSIONS
Gluten contamination in either naturally or labeled gluten-free products marketed in Italy is nowadays uncommon and usually mild on a quantitative basis. A program of systematic sampling of gluten-free food is needed to promptly disclose at-risk products.
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. anilkrvermaa@gmail.com.
Anil K
AK
Verma
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. simona.gatti@hotmail.it.|Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. simona.gatti@hotmail.it.
Simona
S
Gatti
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. t.galeazzi@univpm.it.
Tiziana
T
Galeazzi
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. chiara.monachesi28@gmail.com.
Chiara
C
Monachesi
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. luciapadella@libero.it.
Lucia
L
Padella
Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. giadadelbaldo@gmail.com.
Giada Del
GD
Baldo
Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. robertannibali@hotmail.it.
Roberta
R
Annibali
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. mariaelenalionetti@gmail.com.|Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. mariaelenalionetti@gmail.com.
Elena
E
Lionetti
Celiac Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. c.catassi@univpm.it.|Department of Pediatrics, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60123 Ancona, Italy. c.catassi@univpm.it.
Carlo
C
Catassi
D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005504:Food Analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005983:Glutens / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D011786:Quality Control
D005983:Glutens
R5 ELISA; buckwheat; celiac disease; gluten-free products; lentils; naturally gluten-free; oats