Gluten-free
Gluten intolerance is an autoimmune disease that is very common in this country. The human immune system recognises the normally harmless gluten protein (gluten) as an enemy and attacks it like bacteria or viruses. Unfortunately, the antibodies are not only directed against gluten, but also against the body’s own substances and, in particular, against the intestinal mucosa. The intestinal villi, which are so important for the absorption of all important nutrients, disappear over time as a result of gluten intolerance, so that fats, vitamins and minerals can hardly be utilised, if at all. In almost all cases, this leads to diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain and sometimes deficiency symptoms. People with coeliac condition have to switch to a gluten-free diet. Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in many types of cereal. Whether it is flour, pasta, biscuits or muesli, there are now more and more gluten-free alternatives. A diagnosis of gluten intolerance no longer has to affect your quality of life.
Gluten-free: living without gluten
If you have to live gluten-free, you can eat foods such as fish, meat, eggs and vegetables with confidence. All these foods are naturally gluten-free. However, wheat, spelt, oats, rye, barley and buckwheat, and all foods made from them, are particularly high in gluten, unless they are specifically labelled as gluten-free.
Gluten is not only found in food, but also in some cosmetics. Gluten-containing fillers are also often used in medicines, vitamin preparations and food supplements: For people with a gluten intolerance, these products can also be a problem. Cosmetic products such as lip balms or toothpastes, unless they are completely gluten-free, are also a concern for people with gluten intolerance, as they automatically contain gluten.
It is now known exactly which allergens trigger gluten intolerance. These are the alcohol-soluble fractions of gluten, known as prolamins. Their composition varies from cereal to cereal. Gluten is now an allergen that must be labelled. As part of a special EC regulation (41/2009 of 20.01.2009) on the basic regulation for the labelling of the allergen gluten in food, threshold values have been set by law for the first time. Foods may only be labelled as gluten-free if they contain a maximum of 20 ppm (parts per million) of gluten. In addition, there is the labelling “very low gluten content”. This is reserved for products that contain cereals with a maximum gluten content of 100 ppm and have been processed in a very specific way to reduce the gluten content.
Gluten in cosmetics
Gluten is not usually a major ingredient in cosmetic products, but may be present in some formulations, particularly in hair, skin and lip care products. For example, lip balms and toothpastes may contain gluten, although you can always check the ingredients list. If it contains ingredients such as “Triticum aestivum” or “Triticum vulgare”, for example, it is wheat. “Hordeum” means barley and “Avena” means oats.
It is important for people with a gluten sensitivity to be careful with gluten-containing ingredients in cosmetics. Gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin in the same way as through the digestive tract, but some people may still experience skin reactions or other sensitivities.
To find out if a cosmetic product contains gluten, do the following:
- Read the list of ingredients: look to see if wheat, barley, rye or derivatives of these grains are on the list of ingredients. These may include ingredients such as wheat germ oil, hydrolysed wheat protein or barley extract.
- Check with the manufacturer: If the ingredients list is unclear or you have specific concerns, contact the manufacturer for more information. Many companies will provide information about the ingredients in their products on request.
- Look for gluten-free products: Some cosmetic brands specifically label their products as gluten-free, making it easier for people with gluten sensitivity to choose suitable products.
- Patch test: If you have a known gluten sensitivity, it is advisable to patch test new cosmetic products before using them intensively. This involves applying a small amount of the product to a small area of skin to see if any adverse reactions occur.
- However, it is very time-consuming for a cosmetic manufacturer to claim that a product is gluten-free. Not only must gluten-free raw materials be used, but each batch produced must be analysed for gluten. Only if the results are negative can the products be filled.
Gluten-free – challenges and significance in the cosmetics industry
To summarise, it can be said that the consistent avoidance of gluten-containing products is not only limited to the diet, but can also include the selection of cosmetic products. Gluten intolerance may therefore require close scrutiny of ingredients, even in seemingly unrelated areas such as cosmetics. Although “gluten-free” labelling is important in the cosmetics industry, it represents a considerable effort for manufacturers. The use of gluten-free raw materials and rigorous analytical testing for each product batch are necessary to ensure safety for people with gluten intolerance. If you have any further questions or require more information, please do not hesitate to contact us: Contact us without obligation for in-depth insights and personalised advice!
Sources:
Gluten-Associated Medical Problems.; 2022 Oct 31. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan
Safety Assessment of Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein and Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten as Used in Cosmetics.; Int J Toxicol. 2018 May/Jun;37(1_suppl):55S-66S.
Contribution of Oral Hygiene and Cosmetics on Contamination of Gluten-free Diet: Do Celiac Customers Need to Worry About?; J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2019 Jan;68(1):26-29.
Food Safety and Cross-Contamination of Gluten-Free Products: A Narrative Review.; Nutrients. 2021 Jun 29;13(7):2244.