Some Compostable Dishes Contain Gluten and Can Transfer It into Food
The holidays are fast approaching and some of us who are environmentally conscious might resort to using biodegradable tableware instead of plastic. But be careful: the natural ingredients used to make compostable tableware may contain allergens that could be transferred to food.
After detecting gluten derived from biodegradable plates in otherwise gluten-free foods, as reported in a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food ChemistryResearchers are warning consumers to be careful if they suffer from gluten-related disorders and urging manufacturers to add allergen labels to their products accordingly.
Learn more: Mental health issues and celiac disease are linked – a gluten-free diet can help
What does biodegradable tableware contain?
Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in several grains, including wheat, rye, barley and oats. It is the compound that makes dough sticky and elastic, a desirable characteristic for a perfect loaf of bread. Due to these natural properties, gluten is also used beyond the food industry and can be present in cosmetics or as biopolymers in packaging.
The current trend of avoiding single-use plastic items has led to the reuse of natural ingredients, such as bamboo fibers, algae, soy and even gluten, in compostable tableware.
However, this is not good news for everyone. People suffering from gluten-related disorders, such as celiac disease, are already constantly examining food labels, hoping to avoid the adverse effects of this particular allergen. With these gluten-containing tableware alternatives available on the market, consumers might wonder if they could pose a risk.
Gluten can transfer from compostable plates to food
Although it is known that gluten can be a component of biodegradable dishes, it is still unclear whether it can be transferred into the foods they carry. To answer this question, researchers at the University of Seville in Spain measured the gluten content of eight different compostable items, including dishes, cups and straws, identifying one plate with detectable gluten.
They then measured the gluten content of various gluten-free foods after leaving them on a plate for 30 minutes at room temperature. Even though gluten could be detected in solid foods like rice and omelets, levels remained below regulatory thresholds set by the European Union and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a press release.
Liquid foods stood out. Plant-based milk and cream exceeded the threshold of 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, with values of 240 ppm and 2,100 ppm, respectively, highlighting the potential for gluten transfer from biodegradable tableware to food.
Allergen labeling on biodegradable dishes should be mandatory
These experiments highlight a critical regulatory gap, with the research team calling on manufacturers to label their tableware with gluten warnings as a mandatory step. Although some manufacturing processes may remove gluten, testing final products to determine their potential to transfer gluten should be standard practice.
For now, researchers advise consumers to check the components of compostable items before purchasing them. Another possible strategy is to microwave questionable foods, as heat can destroy gluten proteins, as the team mentioned in the press release.
In the future, the team recommends testing biodegradable tableware for other common allergens, such as milk, soy and nuts, and evaluating their potential to contaminate food, helping consumers avoid potentially harmful products.
This article does not offer medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Learn more: For people with celiac disease, you can kiss your partner after eating gluten
Article sources
Our Discovermagazine.com editors use peer-reviewed research and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review the articles for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. See the sources used below for this article:
