‘May Contain Gluten’ Warnings: What They Mean for Coeliacs

Have you ever looked at a product and gone "not another may contain", "should I just eat it anyway?", "why is everything may contain?".

Truth be told, yes there are a lot of may contain warnings these days, but they are used for a reason. And that reason is there is a risk a product is contaminated and for a Coeliac that can actually have some quite severe consequences, even if you aren't showing any outward symptoms.

There is so much misinformation around about whether Coeliacs should eat may contains or not, 90% of dieticians will advise to avoid may contains but a minority don't, there is no absolute answer they give but the majority are trained to tell us to avoid. In the short of it though, whatever they advise it is down to the individual to choose what path to take.

What is a "may contain gluten" warning?
A may contain warning is an indicator that a product MIGHT have been subject to cross contamination during processing, it is used as a precautionary measure, it is a voluntary label, not compulsory, but the majority of manufacturers do use it as it protects them from a legal perspective and Food Standards Agency (FSA) strongly advise it is used "where there is a real risk".

A may contain is most commonly added to a label when a product is made on shared equipment or where there is airborne flour or gluten containing grains used within the factory.

How do I recognise a may contain warning
If a product doesn't contain gluten within it's ingredients, the next thing to look at is any warnings, they tend to be directly under the ingredients but it isn't always the case, they can be separated.

This is just some of the phrases that maybe used but all mean the same.
"may contain gluten"
"may contain gluten containing ingredients"
"may contain cereals"
"made in a factory which handles gluten"
"made in a factory which handles wheat"
"not suitable for Coeliacs due to processing methods"

They all mean the exact same thing - that the product is made either on a shared line or in a factory which handles gluten.

Why do dietitians advise against eating them?
Even the tiniest crumb of gluten can damage the gut. You might not always feel it like you would with something that 100% definitely contains gluten — sometimes you may react, sometimes you might not — but the harm can still be happening inside. Because it’s different for everyone, dietitians usually recommend steering clear of anything that could carry that risk.

Just because you don’t get symptoms after eating a ‘may contain’ doesn’t mean it’s safe. Tiny traces of gluten can still cause long-term damage you won’t see or feel. And because you can never know if that product was contaminated, every bite is like playing Russian Roulette — sometimes you get away with it, sometimes you don’t, but the risk is always there.

May contains aren't going away
Both Coeliac UK and FSA are both pushing for may contain warnings to be stronger, more standardised and even mandatory, so as much as we may resent them, they aren't going away and in the long run they are there to protect both you and the manufacturer.

As it stands, they aren't compulsory so there will be manufacturers that don't use them, however more and more may contains are appearing on the market. The laws are getting tighter around them and manufacturers are keen to protect themselves from law suits. FSA are strict on the fact they should only be used when there is real risk though.

Remember, to always be vigilant, is eating may contains really worth the risk to your health when the producers have gone to the effort of warning you that you may be glutened? It is worth thinking about before you take the chance.