Is Cheese Gluten Free? - Gluten Free 4 Beginners

Cheese – Is It Gluten Free?

In the “is it gluten free?” series, we answer questions and provide pointers on how to enjoy different ingredients. Starting a gluten free diet can be overwhelming with the feeling that you are constantly asking, Is it gluten free? While it can be annoying to constantly question everything that you eat, it does get easier.

In the perfect world the question of is cheese gluten free, would be a simple yes or no. However, as with many common foods the answer is yes, but… Most cheese is gluten free, and it is very easy to find a wide variety of cheeses that are gluten free. There is no need to search for special gluten free cheese. The biggest challenge for someone eating a gluten free diet is the hidden sources of cross contamination that can occur. In this article we will help you to understand the things and places to avoid to maintain a gluten free diet.

Sources of Cross Contamination

With the large number of uses for cheese and the wide variety available, cheese can be great gluten free food to look for. To keep cheese gluten free takes an awareness of potential sources of gluten contamination

Knives and Cutting boards

Knives and cutting boards are one of the most common places where inadvertent gluten contamination may take place. At home, this can be avoided by using a dedicated cutting board and knife for food preparation. However, it is not just the cheese that is being cut for the gluten free meal but the entire piece of cheese that can be contaminated by being set on a few crumbs on a cutting board.

Deli slicers

Similar to the knives and cutting boards, the deli slicer in a deli presents a possible source of gluten contamination.

Being packaged with crackers

Cheese and crackers make a great snack and are often packaged together. Cheese that is packaged with non-gluten free crackers has a high likelihood of being contaminated with crumbs from the crackers. To avoid the look for packages that have the cheese and crackers packaged separately.

Preparation of other dishes that contain gluten or are potential hidden sources of gluten

Preparation of other dishes in the kitchen is another common point of gluten contamination of cheese. Good kitchen hygiene and dedicated gluten free cooking tools go a long ways to keeping your cheese gluten free.

Shredded Cheese – starch or cellulose to keep it from clumping

This is a hidden source of gluten that I fell victim to when I was beginning my gluten free journey. Some manufacturers of pre-shredded cheese will add food starch to prevent clumping of the shredded cheese. This food starch may be derived from wheat making the shredded cheese no longer gluten free.

Cheese sauces that are prepared with a roux

Many cheese or cream sauces are thickened using a roux, if the ingredients that were used to prepare the cheese sauce are unavailable, therefore, it is best to assume that the cheese sauce is not gluten free.

Dairy free cheese may not be gluten free

For those following a vegan diet, dairy free cheese alternatives present a whole new set of challenges to maintaining a gluten free diet. There are dairy free, gluten free cheese alternatives available but the ingredient vary greatly between brands and styles. For these products the labels must be read to determine if the product is gluten free.

Cheese spreads

Most cheese spreads are gluten free but ingredients can vary by brand and flavor. For cheese spreads the only way to ensure gluten free status is to read the packaging label.

Processed cheese

Like cheese spreads most processed cheese is gluten free but this too is dependent on the brand.

Cottage cheese

This is one place that is shocking to even those who have been eating gluten free for a long time. Some brands of cottage cheese may contain wheat starch or modified food starch.

Blue cheese

This is another shocking hiding place for gluten. The mold spores that are added to the cheese to give the characteristic blue veins are occasionally grown on wheat or rye bread. Even when the mold spores are grown on wheat bread the cheese will typically contain less than 20 ppm of gluten.

Beer cheese or any cheese made with beer is likely to contain gluten

Beer is generally brewed using malted barley which is a gluten containing grain. As a result, foods including cheese that include beer as an ingredient are not gluten free.