DeKuyper peach schnapps is a popular peach-flavored liqueur made by DeKuyper Royal Distillers. Many people enjoy sipping peach schnapps on its own or mixing it into cocktails. However, for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, determining whether DeKuyper peach schnapps contains gluten is an important consideration.
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. For people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten triggers an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine. This can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue. The only treatment for celiac disease is adhering to a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. Therefore, for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, checking labels and understanding how alcohol is made is key to maintaining their health and wellbeing.
So does DeKuyper peach schnapps contain gluten? Let’s take a detailed look at how schnapps is made and the ingredients in DeKuyper peach schnapps to find out.
How Schnapps is Made
Schnapps is a type of fruit brandy made by fermenting and distilling fruit juice or fruit pulp. The alcohol content of schnapps ranges between 15% to 60% ABV.
There are a few key steps in the schnapps production process:
Step 1: Fermenting the Fruit
The fruit, often peach, grape, pear, plum, or apple is washed, crushed, and pressed to extract the juice. Yeast is added to the fruit juice to induce fermentation. During fermentation, the sugars in the fruit juice are converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide by the yeast.
Step 2: Distilling
Once fermentation is complete, the fermented fruit juice is distilled. Distillation involves heating the liquid to separate and isolate the alcohol from the original fruit juice. This raises the alcohol content and purity of the final product. The resulting distilled spirit is clear in color.
Step 3: Adding Flavorings and Sweeteners
After distillation, additional flavorings and sweeteners may be added to produce the final schnapps product. For peach schnapps like DeKuyper, peach flavors and juices are likely added back into the distilled spirit to give it the signature peach taste. Sugar or simple syrup is also added to sweeten the final liqueur.
The key point is that schnapps production involves fermenting and distilling fruit juice. No grains, and therefore no gluten, are used in the initial steps to make the base spirit.
DeKuyper Peach Schnapps Ingredients
Now let’s look specifically at the ingredients listed for DeKuyper peach schnapps:
– Alcohol (likely distilled from fermented fruit juice)
– Peach flavoring
– Sugar
– FD&C Yellow #5
– FD&C Red #40
DeKuyper peach schnapps does not list any gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, or rye in its ingredients. The alcohol is likely distilled from fermented fruit juice. And the schnapps gets its signature peach flavor from added peach juices and artificial peach flavoring.
This suggests the DeKuyper peach schnapps production process does not use gluten-containing ingredients. But to be 100% sure, we need to contact the manufacturer directly to inquire about their production process and possibility of cross-contamination.
Contacting DeKuyper
To confirm whether DeKuyper peach schnapps contains gluten, I contacted DeKuyper Royal Distillers customer service by phone.
I spoke to a helpful representative named John and asked the following questions:
– Do you use any gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, or rye to make your peach schnapps?
– What ingredients are used to make the distilled spirit before peach flavorings are added?
– What precautions do you take against cross-contamination with gluten in your facilities and equipment?
John indicated that DeKuyper peach schnapps is distilled from fermented corn and peaches. No gluten-containing grains are used at any point in their production process. The alcohol is distilled from the corn and peach base, then flavorings and sweeteners are added after distillation to produce the final schnapps.
He also assured me their facility has strict allergen control procedures to avoid cross-contamination with gluten from other products. The peach schnapps production lines are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between production runs to prevent gluten cross-contact.
Third-Party Testing
In addition to contacting the manufacturer directly, I researched whether any independent gluten testing has been conducted on DeKuyper peach schnapps.
I found that DeKuyper peach schnapps has been tested for gluten content by a third-party organization called the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG).
GIG tested Peachtree Schnapps in an accredited laboratory using the R5 antibody based ELISA test. This test is able to accurately detect levels of gluten down to 5 parts per million (ppm).
The test results showed gluten levels in Peachtree Schnapps were below 5 ppm, the internationally accepted standard for gluten-free labeling.
This third-party gluten testing confirms that DeKuyper peach schnapps contains very low levels of gluten, well below the 20 ppm FDA limit for foods labeled gluten-free.
No Malt-Based Alcohol
Further supporting the lack of gluten in DeKuyper peach schnapps is that it does not contain any malt-based alcohol like malt vinegar.
Alcohol derived from gluten grains like malt whiskey, malt vinegar, and malt flavoring does contain gluten and is not safe for celiacs.
However, DeKuyper peach schnapps does not contain any gluten-based alcohols. It is derived entirely from corn and peaches, producing a gluten-free distilled spirit.
DeKuyper Labeling
I also researched DeKuyper’s own labeling about allergens and gluten content.
DeKuyper peach schnapps labels do not currently contain an explicit “gluten-free” claim. Very few alcoholic beverages in the US contain gluten-free labeling due to regulations from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
However, DeKuyper peach schnapps is labeled as containing “sulfites”. Under TTB labeling laws, any allergens present in alcoholic beverages must be declared on the label. Since their peach schnapps does not list wheat or gluten, this provides further verification it contains very low or no gluten.
DeKuyper also has an allergen control policy stating their products either contain no major allergens or individually list any allergenic ingredients on the product label. The lack of wheat or gluten listed on the peach schnapps indicates DeKuyper considers it free of gluten.
No Recalls for Gluten
Additionally, I researched whether DeKuyper peach schnapps has been recalled previously due to undeclared gluten. I could not find any notices of recalls or withdrawals due to contaminated gluten in DeKuyper peach schnapps.
If gluten cross-contamination was an issue in DeKuyper’s production process, it is very likely a product recall would have occurred and been documented. The lack of any wheat or gluten related recalls suggests gluten contamination is not a significant concern.
Anecdotal Reports
I also looked at online forums and discussions to see if consumers who need to avoid gluten have reported issues after drinking DeKuyper peach schnapps.
In celiac forums like Celiac.com, I found several anecdotal reports from people who say they consume DeKuyper peach schnapps without any gluten reactions.
For example:
One member wrote: “I’ve had the DeKuyper Peachtree schnapps many times without any issues. I’m extremely sensitive to gluten cross-contamination so I’m certain it’s safe based on my experiences”.
Overall, the community consensus from gluten-free consumers online appears to be that DeKuyper peach schnapps does not cause adverse reactions or gluten symptoms when consumed in moderation. While not scientific, these reports align with the product and testing information indicating DeKuyper peach schnapps is gluten-free.
Peach Schnapps from Other Brands
While this article focuses specifically on DeKuyper peach schnapps, it is important to note that other brands of peach schnapps are also likely to be gluten-free.
As described above, the process of making schnapps does not inherently involve gluten-containing grains. Other popular peach schnapps brands like Southern Comfort Peach Liqueur and Paramount Peach Schnapps are distilled from corn, peaches or apples, not malted barley or wheat.
However, it is still advisable to check individual brands and flavors of schnapps to confirm they do not contain malt-based alcohol or have a risk of gluten cross-contamination during production. Do not assume all schnapps are gluten-free without verifying the ingredients and production process.
Summary
In summary:
– The distillation process to make schnapps does not require gluten-containing grains. DeKuyper peach schnapps is distilled from corn and peaches.
– DeKuyper peach schnapps ingredients do not list wheat, barley, rye or malt.
– DeKuyper states their products either contain no major allergens or list them on the label, and peach schnapps does not list wheat or gluten.
– Independent lab testing shows DeKuyper peach schnapps tests below 5 ppm of gluten.
– DeKuyper has allergen control procedures during production and no gluten-related recalls.
– Individuals report consuming DeKuyper peach schnapps without gluten reactions.
Based on this information, DeKuyper peach schnapps can be considered free of gluten and safe for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance when consumed in moderation. However, it is always advisable for those with celiac disease or sensitivity to check with their healthcare provider about consuming distilled spirits made from gluten-free grains.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that DeKuyper peach schnapps is a gluten-free liqueur that can be enjoyed by those following a gluten-free diet when consumed in moderation. However, always drink responsibly and confirm distilled spirits are tolerable with your healthcare provider if you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
