Gluten free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people choosing to avoid gluten for health, dietary, or personal reasons. For those following a gluten free diet, it’s important to check labels and ingredients lists carefully, as gluten can sneak into unexpected places.
One product that often raises questions is Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting. Betty Crocker is a ubiquitous brand in the baking aisle, but are its creamy frosting products safe for gluten free diets? Let’s take a detailed look at the ingredients and manufacturing process to find out.
What is gluten?
Before investigating Whether Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting is gluten free, it helps to understand what exactly gluten is.
Gluten is a group of proteins found naturally in grains like wheat, barley, and rye.[1] When flour from these grains is mixed with water, the gluten proteins bind together and create elastic strands that give breads and other baked goods their chewy texture.
For most people, gluten poses no issues. But for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten proteins trigger an abnormal immune response that damages the small intestine. This can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, fatigue, and more.[2] The only treatment is a strict lifelong gluten free diet.
Gluten can be tricky to avoid completely because it is used widely in foods and drinks, even ones that don’t obviously contain wheat. Salad dressings, soups, sauces, fried foods, beers, and flavorings can all contain gluten sources.[3] This makes it essential for gluten free diets to involve diligent label reading and thorough research into how foods are manufactured and processed.
Common sources of gluten
These ingredients contain gluten and are banned on a gluten free diet:[4]
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rye
- Triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid)
- Malt (usually from barley)
In addition, there are many ingredients that can be derived from gluten sources, including:
- Malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring, malt vinegar
- Wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat starch
- Couscous
- Durum
- Einkorn
- Emmer
- Farina
- Farro
- Fu
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Kamut®
- Seitan
- Semolina
- Spelt
While this may seem like a long list to avoid, the good news is that common gluten free grains and flours include:
- Rice
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Corn
- Soy
- Potato
- Tapioca
- Arrowroot
- Sorghum
- Millet
- Teff
- Amaranth
- Oats certified gluten free
These and many other gluten free options open up possibilities for delicious baking, cooking, and eating while avoiding gluten.
Betty Crocker’s gluten free claims
Betty Crocker, owned by General Mills, is a ubiquitous baking brand stocked in most grocery stores. Many of Betty Crocker’s baking mixes and frosting products are labeled as gluten free:
- Betty Crocker Gluten Free cake mixes
- Betty Crocker Gluten Free cookie mixes
- Betty Crocker Gluten Free brownie mixes
- Betty Crocker Creamy Delights frosting
General Mills states that any product labeled “gluten free” must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.[5] This threshold comes from the FDA’s gluten free labeling rule, which requires foods with this “gluten free” claim to meet the standard.
So in theory, any Betty Crocker product labeled explicitly as gluten free should be suitable for gluten free diets when consumed according to package directions. But what about Betty Crocker products without a clear gluten free claim on the label?
Ingredients in Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting
Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting is one product without a gluten free label on the container. Checking the ingredients list is the next step:
Ingredients: Sugar, Water, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm, Palm Kernel, Coconut And/Or Cottonseed), Contains 2% Or Less Of: Nonfat Milk, Corn Syrup, Fruit Juice (White Grape, Pear And/Or Apple), Food Starch-modified, Contains Less Than 2% Of Titanium Dioxide (Color), Salt, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Carrageenan, Mono And Diglycerides, Cellulose Gel Or Gum, Cellulose Gum, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Phosphoric Acid, Polysorbate 60, Xanthan Gum.[6]
Digging into this lengthy ingredients list reveals no obvious gluten sources like wheat, barley, rye or malt. The list does contain a few potential flags like “food starch-modified” and “natural flavor.” However, according to Betty Crocker, the food starch is corn-based and the natural flavors do not contain any gluten-based ingredients.[7]
Betty Crocker’s customer service also confirms that this Whipped Cream cheese frosting product is gluten free.[8]
So while the product does not bear an official “gluten free” label, all signs point to Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting being safe for gluten free diets. But as always, individuals should check with the manufacturer if they have any concerns. People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should be especially cautious.
Why isn’t it labeled gluten free?
This raises the question – if Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting is gluten free, why doesn’t it say “gluten free” on the label?
There are a few possible reasons a gluten free food may not be explicitly labeled as such:
- The product is made on shared equipment with gluten-containing foods. While the food itself contains no gluten, trace amounts from manufacturing may be present.
- The company wants flexibility to change ingredients down the road. A gluten free label has legal requirements.
- Not all consumers are looking for gluten free claims. The company doesn’t want to clutter the label.
- The company simply hasn’t gotten around to adding the label yet.
So while it’s always best to look for a gluten free label, the lack of one doesn’t necessarily mean the product is off limits. Contacting the manufacturer and verifying ingredients is key.
Cross-contamination risks
Even if all ingredients in a product are gluten free, cross-contamination during manufacturing can introduce small amounts of gluten.
General Mills notes that products made without wheat ingredients are produced in facilities that also handle wheat. They advise that individuals with celiac disease or extreme gluten sensitivities should use their own judgement on products without a gluten free label.[9]
So people with celiac disease or who are highly sensitive may want to avoid Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting to be extra safe, even though it likely contains very minimal or undetectable traces of gluten. People with less severe gluten issues can probably consume it, but individuals should make their own judgments based on their health needs and tolerance levels.
It’s also worth noting that General Mills does label some products as processed in a gluten free facility, including their Gluten Free Rice Chex cereal. So at least some of their facilities are able to produce foods with minimal cross-contamination.
Should it be avoided to be extra safe?
For people with celiac disease and extreme gluten sensitivity, avoiding any products not explicitly labeled gluten free is generally recommended. Even tiny traces of gluten can trigger issues.
The precautions needed for celiac disease versus non-celiac gluten sensitivity do differ somewhat.
For celiac disease, a strictly gluten free diet is considered a medical necessity. Consuming as little trace gluten as possible is important for controlling symptoms and intestinal damage. So most experts advise those with celiac to avoid any gray area products not marked gluten free.[10]
For non-celiac gluten sensitivity, occasional trace exposures may be tolerated better without returning symptoms. These individuals still need to avoid direct gluten intake through ingredients, but can often make more situational judgements on things like manufacturing practices based on how their body responds.[11]
No labeling system is foolproof, however, and everyone has their own health needs and risk tolerance. Some with celiac do feel comfortable consuming products made in shared facilities, while those with non-celiac issues may react strongly to even small gluten exposures.
Verdict
Based on its ingredients and confirmation from the manufacturer, Betty Crocker Whipped Cream cheese frosting can be considered gluten free, though it lacks an official “gluten free” label.
For most following a gluten free diet, consuming this product in moderation should not pose any issues. However, individuals with celiac disease or who are highly gluten sensitive may want to exercise extra caution or avoid it altogether given the minimal risk of trace gluten from manufacturing processes.
As with any product, it’s ultimately up to the individual to weigh factors like ingredients, manufacturing practices, and personal tolerance levels in deciding whether a food without a gluten free label aligns with their dietary needs and health goals. When in doubt, choosing a product with a clear gluten free label is the safest option for gluten free diets.
References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/
2. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes
3. https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/
4. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/gluten-free-food-labeling-final-rule
5. https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/gluten-free-faqs
6. https://www.bettycrocker.com/products/frosting/whipped-cream-cheese-frosting
7. https://www.bettycrocker.com/contact-us/faqs
8. https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/gluten-free-watchdog-updated-position-on-betty-crocker-whipped-cream-cheese-frosting/
9. https://www.generalmills.com/contact-us/faq
10. https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/cross-contact/
11. https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/tolerance-levels/
