Quick Answer
Yes, Blue Diamond almonds are certified gluten-free. Blue Diamond states on their website that all their almond products, including flavored almonds, almond butter, almond flour, and almond milk, are gluten-free. This makes Blue Diamond a safe option for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a group of proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. For people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine. This can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, fatigue, headaches, and more. The only treatment for celiac disease is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet.
Why almonds are naturally gluten-free
Almonds are naturally gluten-free because they do not contain any grains. Gluten is only found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. Nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and dairy products are naturally gluten-free unless they are contaminated with gluten during processing.
As a tree nut, almonds grow on trees and do not contain any gluten proteins. This makes products made from pure almonds, like Blue Diamond’s almonds, almond butter, almond flour, and almond milk, safe for gluten-free diets as long as they avoid cross-contamination.
Blue Diamond’s gluten-free certification
According to Blue Diamond’s website, all of their almond products are certified gluten-free to less than 10 parts per million (ppm):
“All Blue Diamond Almonds, Almond Breeze, Nut-Thins, Almond Flour and Almond Butter are certified gluten free to less than 10 parts per million.”
This very low gluten threshold meets the requirements for the gluten-free certification set by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), which is one of the major gluten-free certifiers in North America.
To receive certification from GIG, products must test at less than 10 ppm of gluten. For comparison, the FDA sets the gluten-free labeling standard at less than 20 ppm.
By certifying their products to less than 10 ppm gluten, Blue Diamond goes above and beyond the FDA standard to ensure the safety of their almonds for gluten-free diets.
How Blue Diamond avoids cross-contamination
In addition to testing their products, Blue Diamond avoids gluten cross-contamination in their facilities through several methods:
– Separate processing lines and equipment for gluten-free products
– Thorough cleaning procedures
– Dedicated gluten-free storage areas
– Employee training on gluten-free protocols
– Supplier control for raw ingredients
Their website states:
“We also take steps to avoid cross-contamination through our manufacturing process, including separated processing lines and thorough cleaning procedures.”
By using dedicated facilities and equipment for their gluten-free almond products, Blue Diamond minimizes the risk of their almonds and other products being contaminated by gluten-containing grains.
Third-party audits of facilities
Blue Diamond undergoes regular third-party audits to ensure their facilities remain gluten-free:
“Our manufacturing facilities undergo extensive cleaning and inspection and are frequently audited by third-party auditors.”
These rigorous third-party audits verify that Blue Diamond’s gluten-free practices are being properly implemented and enforced at their processing facilities. Auditors will check for things like:
– Proper employee training
– Adequate cleaning procedures
– Effective separation of gluten-free ingredients and products
– Testing for gluten residues
– Proper labeling procedures
The third-party audits help ensure ongoing compliance so consumers with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can trust the integrity of Blue Diamond’s gluten-free products.
Precautions when purchasing and using Blue Diamond products
While Blue Diamond gluten-free products are very low risk, some individuals who are highly sensitive may want to take extra precautions:
– Check labels – Make sure any product you purchase is labeled gluten-free, especially for flavored varieties which may have other ingredients.
– Look for certification seals – The products should display a gluten-free certification label from GIG or another reputable organization.
– Contact company with questions – You can contact Blue Diamond directly if you have any doubts or need additional assurance.
– Avoid bulk bins – Don’t purchase Blue Diamond products from bulk bins, which have a higher risk of contamination. Only buy pre-packaged containers.
– Check country of manufacturing – Blue Diamond has facilities in both the U.S. and Canada. Standards may vary slightly in different countries.
– Wash hands & surfaces – Wash your hands after handling products and sanitize kitchen surfaces to prevent cross-contact with gluten.
– Watch for allergen warnings – Note any allergen or facility warnings on the label that may indicate risk of wheat/gluten.
By purchasing pre-packaged, certified gluten-free products and contacting Blue Diamond with any questions, most individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity can safely enjoy their almonds and almond products.
Uses for Blue Diamond gluten-free almond products
Blue Diamond’s line of gluten-free almonds and almond products can be used in a variety of gluten-free recipes and foods:
– Snacks – Enjoy flavored or raw almonds straight as a snack or toss them on salads.
– Almond butter – Use as a spread on gluten-free bread or crackers or for making sauces.
– Almond milk – Enjoy almond milk on its own or use for smoothies, oatmeal, or baking.
– Almond flour – Substitute for wheat flour in gluten-free baked goods like cakes, cookies, muffins, and bread.
– Crushed almonds – Use as gluten-free breading for coating chicken, fish, etc.
– Nut-Thins – Blue Diamond’s Nut-Thins make a crunchy gluten-free cracker option.
– Trail mixes – Create custom gluten-free trail mixes with Blue Diamond nuts, dried fruit, seeds, dark chocolate chips, etc.
– Energy bars – Make DIY energy bars with almond butter, oats, dried fruit, and other gluten-free ingredients.
– Yogurt parfaits – Layer gluten-free granola with almond milk yogurt and fresh fruit.
– Smoothies – Blend almond milk, bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate protein powder.
– Overnight oats – Mix almond milk, oats, chia seeds, almond butter, and cinnamon.
The versatility of Blue Diamond’s almonds allows for creative meal planning while adhering to a gluten-free diet. Their almond flour, in particular, makes gluten-free baking more achievable.
Are other Blue Diamond products gluten-free?
In addition to their line of almond products, Blue Diamond also makes other snack foods that are certified gluten-free:
– Nut-Thins Crackers – All flavors of Nut-Thins crackers are certified gluten-free.
– Baked Nut Chips – These nut-based chips come in flavors like Sea Salt and Maple Sugar and are gluten-free.
– Boulder Canyon Kettle Cooked Potato Chips – Their avocado oil kettle chips are gluten-free.
– Emerald Nuts – This brand of snack nuts is gluten-free certified. Includes cashews, peanuts, mixed nuts, etc.
Blue Diamond has clearly labeled which of their products are gluten-free certified on their website. As long as a product has the official gluten-free logo, it will be safe for gluten-free diets.
Are Blue Diamond products made in gluten-free facilities?
Blue Diamond processes their gluten-free almond products on dedicated equipment in separate facilities from any gluten-containing foods:
“The equipment used to process Blue Diamond Almonds and Almond Breeze Almondmilk is dedicated gluten-free equipment located in separate facilities from foods containing wheat, barley, rye, oats and triticale.”
This greatly reduces the chance of cross-contamination occurring during manufacturing.
However, some of Blue Diamond’s other, non-almond snack products are produced in facilities that also process wheat-containing foods. These facilities practice good manufacturing processes to reduce gluten cross-contact but could pose a small risk for highly gluten-sensitive individuals:
“Some Blue Diamond products are manufactured in facilities that also process wheat, barley, rye, oats and triticale.”
For this reason, people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity may want to stick with Blue Diamond’s certified gluten-free almond line to be extra cautious.
Contacting Blue Diamond about gluten-free products
Blue Diamond provides several ways to contact them if you have any questions or concerns about their gluten-free products:
Phone: 1-800-323-3193
Email: [email protected]
Online support form: https://www.bluediamond.com/contact-us
Mail:
Blue Diamond Growers
1802 C Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
When reaching out, be specific about which Blue Diamond product you are inquiring about. You can ask:
– Is this particular product certified gluten-free?
– What testing is done to verify the gluten-free status?
– Are the facilities and equipment dedicated gluten-free?
– What protocols are in place to prevent cross-contamination?
Blue Diamond’s customer service team can look into your particular questions and concerns to help you determine if their products fit your gluten-free dietary needs. Be sure to also let them know if you have celiac disease versus a gluten intolerance or sensitivity.
Blue Diamond recalls related to gluten
Currently, there are no food recalls related to gluten or wheat contamination for Blue Diamond almond products.
Blue Diamond diligently labels any products that contain allergens and has thorough processes in place to prevent allergen cross-contact in their facilities. They adhere to stringent gluten-free certification standards for their line of gluten-free products.
In the event of any recall, Blue Diamond provides notification on their website and directly contacts stores that received the recalled product. They also cooperate fully with organizations like the FDA during any investigations.
You can sign up on their website to receive email notifications about any new recalls or allergy alerts. This ensures you will be made aware if any issues arise with gluten contamination.
The bottom line
Based on Blue Diamond’s gluten-free certification, testing procedures, processing practices, and avoidances of past recalls, their almond products can be considered reliably gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.
Sticking to their pre-packaged almonds, almond butter, almond milk, almond flour, and other explicitly labeled gluten-free products provides assurance the items will meet the strict standards for gluten-free diets. Those with celiac disease or who are highly sensitive should contact Blue Diamond directly if they need additional confirmation about specific products.
| Blue Diamond Product Line | Gluten-Free |
|---|---|
| Almonds (flavored, roasted, raw) | Yes |
| Almond Butter | Yes |
| Almond Milk | Yes |
| Almond Flour | Yes |
| Nut-Thins Crackers | Yes |
| Baked Nut Chips | Yes |
| Emerald Nuts | Yes |
