Gluten-free

Gluten-free food contains no wheat, rye, barley or oats (unless the oats are labeled gluten-free), or so little gluten that it is below a legal limit. In the EU, the UK and the US, a product labeled gluten-free must contain less than 20 parts per million (20 mg per kg) of gluten. Most people with celiac disease can tolerate that level. The EU also allows "very low gluten" for some products with up to 100 mg per kg.

How to do it

Cooking gluten-free at home is mostly about keeping gluten out:

1. Read every label, every time. Recipes change.
2. Clean counters, boards and pans before you start.
3. Use a separate toaster, colander and wooden spoons, because gluten clings to crumbs and scratches.
4. Cook the gluten-free food first if you are making two versions.
5. Keep gluten-free flour sealed and labeled, away from wheat flour, which drifts in the air.
6. Use fresh oil for frying. Oil used for breaded food carries gluten.

Substitutes

• Flour: a gluten-free flour blend. Many include xanthan gum, which helps baked goods hold together.
• Thickening: cornstarch or potato starch instead of a flour roux.
• Soy sauce: tamari or soy sauce labeled gluten-free.
• Breadcrumbs: gluten-free crumbs, crushed rice crackers or polenta.
• Pasta and grains: rice, rice noodles, buckwheat noodles that are 100 percent buckwheat, quinoa and millet.

Common mistakes

• Treating "wheat-free" as gluten-free. Rye and barley still contain gluten.
• Using regular oats. They are often contaminated with wheat. Choose oats labeled gluten-free, and if you have celiac disease, check with your doctor first.
• Assuming gluten-free means wheat-free. In the EU and the UK, gluten-free food can contain wheat starch processed to remove the gluten. That matters for people with a wheat allergy.
• Trusting "gluten-friendly" on a menu. It usually means the kitchen cannot rule out cross-contamination.

In recipes

A gluten-free recipe uses no ingredient that contains wheat, rye or barley, and no oats unless they are labeled gluten-free. It still depends on the products you buy, so check that your stock cubes, sauces and spice mixes are labeled gluten-free. If you have celiac disease or another medical reason to avoid gluten, a dietitian can help you plan.