Gluten-free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people adopting a gluten-free lifestyle for health or personal reasons. For those who need to avoid gluten, checking labels and researching products ahead of time is an important part of maintaining the diet. Frito-Lay is one of the largest snack food companies in America, producing popular crispy snack foods like Fritos, Cheetos, Doritos, and more. But when it comes to their twists products, many consumers wonder: are Frito-Lay twists gluten-free?
What is Gluten?
Before exploring whether Frito-Lay twists contain gluten, it’s helpful to understand what exactly gluten is. Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and other related cereal grains. The two specific gluten proteins are called gliadin and glutenin. When flour and water are mixed together and heated, these proteins form elastic bonds that give breads, baked goods and other products their chewy texture.
For most people, gluten poses no health problems and can be consumed without issue. But for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten triggers an abnormal immune response that damages the small intestine. This can cause a variety of gastrointestinal and other symptoms. The only treatment for celiac disease is strictly adhering to a 100% gluten-free diet. People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity may also need to avoid gluten as much as possible to manage symptoms.
Gluten in the Frito-Lay Product Line
When assessing whether Frito-Lay twists are gluten-free, it’s important to note that Frito-Lay uses shared equipment and facilities to manufacture their various snack products. So even snacks that don’t contain gluten ingredients can be subject to cross-contamination if made alongside gluten-containing products.
Frito-Lay maintains an allergen guide on their website that lists which of their products contain gluten ingredients and may be subject to cross-contamination. According to the guide:
- Most core Frito-Lay products do NOT contain gluten ingredients, including Original Fritos corn chips, Lay’s Classic potato chips, Cheetos, Doritos, Tostitos, and more.
- A few products DO contain gluten, such as Rold Gold pretzels, Stacy’s pita chips, and Ruffles potato chips with flavors like sour cream & cheddar or bacon & cheddar.
- Because of shared facilities, Frito-Lay states that none of their products can be considered gluten-free.
So while the corn and potato ingredients in Fritos and Lay’s chips are naturally gluten-free, cross-contamination means these products are technically not gluten-free.
Are Fritos Twists Gluten-Free?
Fritos Twists are one of Frito-Lay’s core products made from corn. According to the ingredients list, Fritos Twists only contain corn, corn oil, and salt. None of these ingredients contains gluten. So in terms of the ingredients themselves, Fritos Twists do not contain gluten.
However, since Fritos Twists are produced on shared equipment alongside gluten-containing products, Frito-Lay cannot guarantee that Fritos Twists are 100% gluten-free. Some level of gluten cross-contamination may occur during manufacturing.
For these reasons, Frito-Lay classifies Fritos Twists as NOT gluten-free. Their allergen guide states that while Fritos Twists do not contain gluten ingredients, they are produced in facilities that also handle wheat and cannot be considered gluten-free.
Are Any Frito-Lay Products Gluten-Free?
Unfortunately, according to Frito-Lay, none of their products can be considered gluten-free due to the risk of cross-contamination. On their website FAQ page, they state: “We do not label any Frito-Lay product as gluten free due to the potential for cross-contact with other gluten containing ingredients.”
So even snacks without gluten ingredients, like Fritos Twists, Lay’s Classic chips, and Cheetos, are still considered at risk for containing traces of gluten from manufacturing processes. Frito-Lay does not currently offer any snacks labelled as “gluten-free.”
Gluten-Free Status of Specific Frito-Lay Twists Flavors
While the original Fritos Twists contain no gluten ingredients, some of the flavored twists DO contain additional ingredients that include gluten. Here is the gluten status of specific Frito Twists flavors:
Fritos Chili Cheese Twists
Contain wheat ingredients. NOT gluten-free.
Fritos Honey Twists
No gluten ingredients, but NOT labelled gluten-free due to cross-contamination risks.
Fritos Jalapeno Cheddar Twists
Contain wheat ingredients. NOT gluten-free.
Fritos Hot Sauce Twists
No gluten ingredients, but NOT labelled gluten-free due to cross-contamination risks.
Can Celiacs Safely Eat Fritos Twists?
For those with celiac disease or who are highly sensitive to gluten, Frito-Lay does not consider any level of gluten cross-contamination to be acceptable or safe. For celiacs, even tiny amounts of gluten can trigger health issues and damage to the small intestine.
Some celiacs do opt to eat Fritos Twists and other Frito-Lay products made with gluten-free ingredients, judging the risk of cross-contamination to be low. However, it’s impossible to know the actual levels of gluten that may be present so this is a personal choice.
The Celiac Disease Foundation states that while the likelihood of gluten exposure in corn and potato chips is fairly low, those who are highly sensitive or have newly diagnosed celiac disease may want to avoid them until their health stabilizes on a strict gluten-free diet.
Celiacs should also use caution when consuming any flavored Fritos products, even twists, as seasonings may introduce gluten from wheat-based ingredients.
Frito-Lay Precautions Against Gluten Cross-Contamination
While Frito-Lay does not label any products gluten-free or make guarantees about gluten levels, the company states that they do take some precautions to avoid cross-contamination of products that do not contain gluten ingredients. These precautions include:
- Maintaining separate cooking equipment and utensils for preparing gluten-containing and non-gluten-containing products.
- Scheduling production of non-gluten-containing products first thing in the morning, before gluten-containing products are run.
- Running allergen-free products like Fritos corn chips on dedicated production lines separate from other products.
- Extensive cleaning procedures between product runs.
However, Frito-Lay emphasizes that these procedures do not completely eliminate the possibility of cross-contact with allergens like gluten. Some residual contamination may still occur, which is why they consider all their products as NOT gluten-free.
Alternatives to Fritos Twists
For those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity who wish to avoid the uncertainty around gluten and Frito-Lay products, there are some other snack options to consider instead of Fritos Twists:
Corn Tortilla Chips
Look for brands of corn tortilla chips that are certified gluten-free and made in dedicated gluten-free facilities, like Food Should Taste Good, Que Pasa, and Tostitos gluten-free.
Popcorn
Air-popped or stovetop popcorn, without seasoning, is a naturally gluten-free alternative to snack chips. Look for kernels that are certified gluten-free.
Legume-Based Snacks
Snacks made from lentils, beans or chickpeas, like those from Biena Foods or Stonewall Kitchen, offer crispy texture and flavors without gluten ingredients.
Nut Thins
Gluten-free crackers made from nuts and rice/corn, like Blue Diamond Nut Thins or Mary’s Gone Crackers, can provide crunch. Check labels to ensure gluten-free status.
Should You Contact Frito-Lay About Gluten?
Those seeking additional information about gluten and specific Frito-Lay products can contact the company:
- By phone: 1-800-352-4477
- By mail: Frito-Lay Consumer Relations, P.O. Box 660634, Dallas, TX 75266-0634
- Through their contact form online
Frito-Lay customer service representatives can provide details about manufacturing processes and ingredients for different snacks. However, no Frito-Lay products are endorsed as gluten-free.
The Bottom Line
Fritos Twists corn chips do not contain gluten ingredients. However, due to manufacturing on shared lines with gluten products, Frito-Lay cannot guarantee Fritos Twists are 100% gluten-free. While the risk of cross-contamination may be low, Frito-Lay considers all their products, including Fritos Twists, to be NOT gluten-free. Celiacs and those highly sensitive should use caution and consider choosing alternative snacks that are certified gluten-free.