Ultimate List of Gluten in Cosmetic Ingredients and 4 Things You Need to Know

1- Can gluten in cosmetic products affect you?

Celiac disease has been a growing concern. Trying to find foods that are gluten-free could be hard. For food to be labeled as “gluten-free”, a products should contain total of 0.002% gluten (20 parts per million) or less [1]. Another concern for gluten-intolerant people especially women is gluten-free cosmetics. Some ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products could have gluten due to their source or cross contamination, which might potentially affect people not through skin absorption but more so via ingestion (i.e. lipstick). A recent study states that gluten intolerant individuals may be affected through skin if they have skin lesions which could allow the systematic absorption of gluten in products in high levels [2].

2- What about oils derived from wheat or oat kernel? Do they have gluten?

Any oils obtained from gluten containing ingredients such as wheat germ oil has a possibility of containing gluten based on the refining process. For example, highly refined wheat germ oil or any derived products made from highly refined oil are considered as to be safe for food allergic or intolerant people to consume. On the other hand, oils (i.e. wheat germ oil) that are cold or mechanical pressed ( not highly refined) may contain residual amount of gluten, which should be avoided by gluten-intolerant people. In the case of oat kernel oil, cross contamination of gluten can occur from wheat, rye or other gluten containing products.

3- Oats and oat derived products are gluten-free, right?

Oats are gluten free, but they may be cross contaminated with wheat, barley or rye [3]. Cross contamination can occur in the field, during transportation or even at the processing facility. So look for gluten-free label on food or cosmetic products with oats or ask the producers.

4-Do hydrolyzed wheat or flour contain gluten?

Sadly, they might. Interestingly, a recent study showed that most of the gluten is removed in fully hydrolyzed wheat flour as low as 8 parts per million (ppm), 5 patients who consumed baked goods made with fully hydrolyzed flour for 60 days did not exhibit clinical problems [4]. Although the results are promising, given the low number of the patients and short time period of exposure in this study it is too early to reach to a conclusion. More detailed studies should be conducted with larger groups of gluten-intolerant patients for a longer period of time.

Please use this list as a guide. If you have any doubt or questions about a particular ingredient, please contact your doctor or the product manufacturer.

References

1-FDA. Questions and Answers Regarding Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods

2-Gluten in cosmetics: is there a reason for concern? Thompson T, Grace T. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 Sep;112(9):1316-23.

3-Measurement of wheat gluten and barley hordeins in contaminated oats from Europe, the United States and Canada by Sandwich R5 ELISA. Hernando A, Mujico JR, Mena MC, Lombardía M, Méndez E. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 Jun;20(6):545-54.

4-Safety for patients with celiac disease of baked goods made of wheat flour hydrolyzed during food processing. Greco L, Gobbetti M, Auricchio R, Di Mase R, Landolfo F, Paparo F, Di Cagno R, De Angelis M, Rizzello CG, Cassone A, Terrone G, Timpone L, D’Aniello M, Maglio M, Troncone R, Auricchio S. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2011 Jan;9(1):24-9.