Researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) have discovered that many supposedly low or reduced gluten beers contain equal or higher levels of gluten proteins compared to regular beers, which could pose risks for individuals with celiac disease (CD).
Celiac disease is an immune-based condition triggered by gluten, where the body’s immune system reacts to gluten by attacking itself, leading to inflammation and various symptoms.
In Australia, an estimated 1 in 70 people live with CD, with only 20% being diagnosed, resulting in a growing customer base for gluten-free food and beverage producers.
Professor Michelle Colgrave and post-doctoral research fellow Dr. Mitchell Nye-Wood at ECU conducted a survey to investigate gluten content in various beers. While some regular and gluten-reduced beers had very low levels of gluten proteins, others did not fare as well.
Gluten detection typically relies on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, which can yield variable results in foods or beverages containing barley due to gluten proteins breaking down into fragments that may not be detectable by ELISA antibodies during fermentation.
Beer production involves multiple steps that can modify, degrade, or precipitate gluten proteins.
The remaining gluten concentrations are typically above CD regulatory thresholds but can be further reduced by treatments to precipitate and filter out the gluten, or by adding enzymes to digest gluten proteins.
Professor Colgrave noted that while some beers contain very low levels of gluten protein, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency and avoiding contamination remains challenging.
An exception is Kebari barley, which does not contain appreciable levels of gluten and can be used to make safe beer for individuals with CD, although it is not commercially available in Australia.
Those with CD can consider beer made from non-gluten grains like millet, sorghum, buckwheat, or corn instead of barley malt.
To ensure safety, individuals with CD should avoid beer made using cereal grains regardless of gluten reduction methods, as there is a risk that it may contain gluten protein fragments that can trigger a reaction.
For brewers, Professor Colgrave recommended using the sandwich ELISA method for gluten quantitation in raw ingredients used for gluten-free beers to detect contaminants.
However, for beers produced with gluten-reduction strategies, competitive ELISA may deliver variable results. Techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) can offer an alternative for quality control assessment.
The study highlights the importance of accurate gluten detection in beers, especially for those with CD or gluten sensitivities, and the need for clear labeling and standardized testing methods in the industry.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about why vitamin K is so important for older people, and this snack food may harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about vitamin that may protect you from type 2 diabetes, and results showing this common chemical in food may harm your blood pressure.
The research findings can be found in Foods.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
