Is corn gluten-free? Yes, but watch cornflakes and tortillas

Yes. Corn (maize) is naturally gluten-free: fresh corn, polenta, cornmeal, cornflour and corn starch. It’s one of the most useful gluten-free staples in the world.

The false friend: “corn gluten”

You’ll sometimes see “corn gluten” or “corn gluten meal”. Despite the name, this is a different protein (zein) and it doesn’t trigger coeliac disease. The word gluten is used loosely in agriculture; for coeliac purposes, only wheat, barley and rye (and their relatives) count.

What to check

• Cornflakes and corn cereals. Many are flavoured with barley malt, so they aren’t gluten-free even though they’re made from corn. Look for malt or malt extract on the ingredient list, or choose a cereal labelled gluten-free.
• Tortillas. Corn tortillas are traditionally 100% maize; flour tortillas are wheat. Some “corn” tortillas are blended with wheat, and both kinds are often heated on the same griddle (comal).
• Corn chips and fried snacks. The corn is fine; a shared fryer with breaded food isn’t.
• Cornbread and corn muffins. Usually made with wheat flour as well as cornmeal.
• “Cornflour” in the UK. In British English, cornflour means corn starch, which is gluten-free. Some older “cornflour” was made from wheat, so check the ingredient list says maize.

Corn is gluten-free and gives you polenta, arepas, tamales and tacos. Check the cereal for malt, the tortilla for wheat, and the fryer for everything else.

Keep reading

• The Hidden-Gluten Watchlist: the 15 forbidden names and the ones to check
• Corn tortillas in Mexico: cross-contact explained
• Corn starch in the Flour Library
• Shared fryers and gluten
• Is malt extract gluten-free?

Sources: Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less), EU Regulation 828/2014, Coeliac UK, NHS. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.