Meat is naturally gluten free, of course, but contamination issues arise when that meat is processed. Here are four firms that will be of interest to celiacs who are concerned about safety:

  Applegate Farms states in its FAQ section that “We have a few products that contain gluten: antibiotic-free chicken nuggets and chicken pot pie. Besides these, all other products are gluten-free, as defined by fewer than 20ppm.” Click on the company name for pictures of all their products. Here is a list of retail outlets, and here are instructions for ordering on-line.

  All products of Ian’s Natural Foods have a red or a blue banner on the front of the package. Read their red banner guarantee: “Ian’s Red Banner guarantee is a testament to our devotion of delivering a certified allergen free product to our consumers. All products under the Red Banner are wheat free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free and soy free!  You can trust our Red Banner because all of Ian’s Wheat and Gluten Free products have passed through extensive internal testing as well as outside laboratory testing. Ian’s Red Banner guarantee is a promise that our food will be safe for those with food allergies and delicious to boot!” Here is their list of retail outlets.

  Hormel publishes a lengthy list of gluten free products on its FAQ page. As a former GI, I was interested to note that even Spam is gluten free. This link will enable you to find a local retailer.

  The Jennie-O Turkey Store has published this list of products that are gluten free. The site does not give any information about finding a local retailer.

published: 02/11/08