Eating Gluten Free - Is Mustard OK?

Is mustard gluten free? In its raw seed form,fine powder or left whole. Prepared mustards
yes, but when it is mixed into prepared mustardmay be thick or quite thin.
paste, flour, beer, or malt vinegar is sometimesDry mustard, mustard flour or mustard powder is
added. This is a "read the label every time"very finely ground mustard seeds. It has a
products but if the ingredient list doesn't includeflour-like texture but it does not contain wheat
flour, beer or malt vinegar, go ahead an enjoy it.flour. Mustard powder is often added as an
Commercial mustard comes in many forms fromingredient in other commercially prepared foods as
raw seeds to powdered mustard flour to richa flavoring agent.
creamy or oily spreads that go well with roastedWheat flour is sometimes added to prepared
meat and in sandwiches.mustards to adjust the texture, taste, and cost
Mustard seeds are tiny round seeds - about 2mmof the product. If wheat flour is added, it must be
or less than one eighth of an inch in diameter. Thelisted on the ingredient list. Beer is occasionally
seed color ranges from almost white to black.added to specialty mustard, making the product
These seeds are naturally gluten free and arenot gluten free it must also be included on the
vastly different in size from any gluten containinglabel. Malt vinegar does not seem to be used in
grain. When the seeds are separated from thecommercial prepared mustards, but it often
pods and stems, a sieve with very small holes willappears in recipes for home made mustards. If
also separate out any volunteer gluten-containingso, the mustard will not be gluten free.
seeds. Most commercially exported mustard seedAs a summary, mustard has a very low risk for
comes from Canada, the Russian Federation andcross contamination at planting and harvesting. A
Ukraine.few commercial prepared mustards use flour or
Mustard seeds are mixed with water, vinegar, oils,beer as an ingredient. Homemade prepared
and other spices and flavourings to make themustard may use beer or malt vinegar. Don't
spreadable prepared mustard pastes. Dependingworry about mustard powder or seeds used as
on the type of seed and the processing traditions,an ingredient in other condiments like mayonnaise
the final product ranges from white to brightor salad dressing.
yellow to black. The seeds may be crushed into a