In the US, Kraft doesn’t label any of its products as gluten-free. However, no gluten products are used in their pudding, except for in one of their products (keep on reading to learn which!).
This is true at the time of writing in November 2021. But things can always change so it’s always important to check your labels. You really should check every single time you buy something processed like pudding, because companies can change their recipes at any time!
The Jello Pudding Product that Does Contain Gluten
At present, Jello Cheesecake Pudding is the only Jello pudding product that contains gluten. They use barley in the product, and barley is a huge trigger for anyone sensitive to gluten.
Cross-contamination
For products to legally be labeled as gluten-free in the US, they must first meet the requirements of the FDA of being less than 20ppm gluten. When products are less than 20ppm gluten, they may be labeled as such.
So why don’t they just test their products so they can be labeled gluten-free? It likely comes down to cross-contamination.
Although Jell-o Pudding doesn’t contain any gluten ingredients, it’s likely manufactured and packed in a facility that produces gluten products. Or it could even be processed using the same equipment as gluten products.
That equipment may or may not be cleaned when they switch from product to product. This could lead to cross-contamination.
Some manufacturers are very careful when switching from a gluten to a non-gluten product, but some, unfortunately, aren’t.
Food processing equipment is difficult to properly clean unless the manufacturer dismantles absolutely everything. I think we’d better assume that very few companies do that.
If you’re highly sensitive to gluten, you’ll definitely want to check labels carefully before buying anything processed.
In the US and many other countries, common allergens used in a food must be labeled on product packaging. So if a gluten product is being used, it should say so on the label.
The label might also say something like: “processed in a shared facility” – “may contain (traces of) gluten” – “made on shared equipment with gluten-containing foods.”
If you’re highly sensitive to gluten and worried about cross-contamination, it’s always better to find some pudding that’s labeled gluten-free.
Or make your own!
I can’t imagine why a homemade pudding recipe would have gluten in it. My recipe for Gluten-free Pudding is fantastic and only uses basic ingredients you like have in your pantry. It can also be made dairy-free and vegan, if you’d like.
I also have these other options!
Kraft maintains a website that lists their ingredients so it’s important to familiarize yourself with such websites if you’re planning to try out new products. Kraft’s website maintains a list of their gluten-free products and will move them from one category to the next if the formula changes.
If you’re purchasing Jello pudding products, make sure to read the label carefully! Formulations and recipes can change from time to time so it’s important to read labels each and every time a product is purchased.
Other flavors of Jello pudding don’t contain any gluten products at present and are safe to ingest for those who are maintaining a gluten-free diet.
So there you have it! If you’re new to the gluten-free diet and don’t know much about it, keep reading below for more info.
Also be sure to check out my other gluten-free recipes. I have over 400 and they’re all formulated to taste just as delicious as their traditional counterparts!
For those of you new to the gluten-free diet, or perhaps you googled is Jell-o pudding gluten-free because you have gluten-free friends and family, read below for some more info.
What Is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat (including spelt), barley, and rye. For some, eating gluten-free is a simple diet fad, for others, it’s a health issue.
For those who have celiac disease, or those who are gluten sensitive, eating products with gluten in them can have serious health consequences including bloating, hives, skin rashes, joint pain, and gut pain as well as other digestive issues and health issues.
Gluten creates the elasticity that makes dough stretchy. It’s often added to bread products to ensure that they will bind together properly when baking.
By the way, if you need some gluten-free bread recipes, here are some of my favorites:
There is no cure for celiac or gluten sensitivity so people who have celiac or are sensitive to gluten need to avoid products that contain gluten. For many products this is easy, if the words wheat, barley, spelt or rye are on the label it’s simply a product to avoid.
Other products are more challenging to check for gluten, they may use terms such as wheat germ oil, for example. It’s very important to read labels and avoid gluten as much as possible to ensure that they remain healthy. When in doubt, don’t eat it until you’re able to research the ingredients in a product.
Gluten-Free Diets
Following a gluten-free diet is challenging in the beginning. Foods that were normally eaten without thought often contain gluten. Learning to read the labels on products before ingesting foods is vital to maintaining a gluten-free diet. Such labels as “natural flavoring” may contain gluten in some form.
Caramel colorings often contain gluten as do other flavorings and colorings that may be added to foods that we eat. It’s important to learn where gluten is hidden in foods to ensure that a gluten-free diet is maintained. A lot of people who accidentally eat some form of gluten will know within minutes that they’ve ingested gluten.
If you or someone you love is celiac or struggles with gluten sensitivity, it’s important to learn which foods are more likely to trigger a reaction. It’s not unusual for celiacs or gluten sensitivities to cause a person to lose some weight as they are learning what they can and cannot safely eat.
Gluten sensitivity and celiac can strike a person at any time. Yesterday they may have been able to eat gluten products and today they may have a reaction. It’s important to educate yourself about identifying such conditions to ensure safe and healthy eating.
Is Jell-o pudding gluten-free is just one of many questions that a newly diagnosed celiac or gluten-sensitive person may ask themselves. Learning to quickly identify triggers is important to eat healthily and safely when you have celiac or gluten sensitivity.
I hope I’ve answered your question. :) If you have any others, leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to help answer them.
