Spices came up recently in another topic here as well.
Many people are concerned that prepared (ground) spices will contain wheat as an anti-caking agent. Apparently this practice has been common in some parts of the world.
Here in the USA, under recently changed FDA rules, manufacturers are strictly required to indicate the presence of certain common allergens, even if only as an additive in small amounts. Wheat is one of the listed common allergens.
So, if a manufacturer is obeying the law, then any recently packaged spices that contain wheat should say so on the label. This raises the question of how much we trust a specific company to fully disclose ingredients, law or no law.
One way that some people use to completely bypass the issue of possibly contaminated spices is to buy whole spices only, and grind them yourself when ready to use them. I use an electric coffee grinder for this purpose, one that I use only for spices (I don't want to have curry flavored coffee in the morning).
You can extend this sort of a concept to your supermarket shopping too. The more you buy whole, basic ingredients, the more you can be sure that the food you are eating is really gluten free. You get a health benefit too if you eat fewer prepared foods and more foods cooked from scratch.
I realize this is easier said than done for some people, but as I have gotten older I've also begun to realize that I don't have to rush, or feel pressured for time, when it is mealtime.
For what it's worth....
Steve
