Is Sam’s Choice Spiral Cut Ham Gluten Free?

Gluten free diets are becoming increasingly popular even for those who don’t have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance. Many people are opting to cut gluten from their diets in an effort to generally feel better or lose weight. But sticking to a strict gluten free diet can be challenging especially when it comes to finding pre-packaged and processed foods that are guaranteed gluten free. One such packaged food item that often gets questioned is Sam’s Choice spiral cut ham, which can frequently be found pre-packaged at Walmart.

What is Gluten and Why Do People Avoid It?

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale. It acts as a glue that helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a binding agent. For most people, gluten poses no issues and is generally well tolerated. However, for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten can cause major digestive and health issues.

Those with celiac disease suffer an autoimmune response when gluten is ingested causing damage to the small intestine. This can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and very serious health consequences if left untreated. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is not as clearly defined, but still causes uncomfortable digestive and other symptoms when gluten is consumed.

For both celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, the only effective treatment is a strict lifelong gluten free diet, avoiding all foods and products containing wheat, rye, barley and triticale. This is why those adhering to a gluten free diet pay close attention to packaged food labels to look for any hidden sources of gluten.

What Ingredients Are Found in Sam’s Choice Spiral Cut Ham?

According to the product details on Spoonful, the ingredients listed for Sam’s Choice spiral cut ham are:

• Water
• Brown sugar
• Dextrose
• Salt
• Potassium lactate
• Corn syrup solids
• Sodium phosphate
• Sodium diacetate
• Sodium erythorbate
• Sodium nitrite
• Sugar
• Fructose
• Gelatin
• Spices
• Maltodextrin

The glaze packet contains:

• Brown sugar
• Molasses
• Maltodextrin

Analyzing the Ingredients List for Hidden Gluten

At first glance, there appear to be no overt gluten-containing ingredients like wheat, barley, rye or malt. However, for sensitive celiacs, items like maltodextrin, brown sugar, spices and dextrose can potentially be sources of hidden gluten.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a processed food additive that can be derived from corn, potato, rice or wheat starch. According to Find Me Gluten Free, maltodextrin derived from wheat starch would contain gluten, while maltodextrin from corn, potato or rice would be gluten free. Since the source isn’t specified on the Sam’s Choice ham label, it’s impossible to know for sure if the maltodextrin used is gluten free.

Brown Sugar

Standard brown sugar contains around 4-7% molasses. Molasses is generally gluten free, derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. However, some brands add barley malt as a coloring agent, which would add gluten. Barley malt is more commonly used in dark brown sugar. Again, without an explicit guarantee that barley malt wasn’t added, sensitive celiacs may want to avoid.

Dextrose

Dextrose is a simple sugar derived from corn starch. Since the source here is clearly corn, the dextrose in Sam’s Choice ham can be considered gluten free.

Spices

The term “spices” is broad and can refer to a wide range of seasonings derived from various plants. Spice blends are sometimes bulked up with gluten-containing fillers such as wheat flour or maltodextrin. Individual spices like black pepper, basil and cumin are naturally gluten free. But the broad “spices” listing leaves room for uncertainty.

Contacting the Manufacturer for More Information

Because the Sam’s Choice label leaves some room for interpretation, the best way to determine if the ham is definitively gluten free is to reach out to the manufacturer directly. Most major food brands have phone numbers and email addresses specifically for consumer questions and allergen information.

Some questions to consider asking the manufacturer:

• Is the maltodextrin used derived from corn or wheat?
• Does your brown sugar contain barley malt added as a coloring agent?
• Can you provide more details about the spice blend used? Does it contain any gluten-based fillers?

Reputable manufacturers will have this information readily available to share with concerned consumers. It’s always a good idea to follow up any verbal information received with an email, that way you have their guarantee in writing.

Other Factors to Consider Regarding Gluten Content

In addition to the ingredients, there are a few other factors that can impact whether a food product truly is gluten-free:

Cross-Contamination

Even if all the ingredients in a product are gluten-free, cross-contamination during processing and manufacturing can introduce gluten. Grains like wheat, rye and barley are common in manufacturing facilities. Equipment and machinery used often come in contact with these glutenous grains. Even thorough cleaning can’t always prevent tiny amounts of residue getting into the final products.

Manufacturers producing certified gluten-free items use dedicated equipment and highly controlled conditions to avoid cross-contamination. So when contacting the manufacturer, be sure to ask about what precautions they take to avoid cross-contamination during processing.

Limit of Quantification Rules

In order for a product to be legally labeled as “gluten-free” in the United States, it must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. However, some extra sensitive celiacs react to levels lower than this threshold. When a product simply makes a “gluten-free claim” without certification, it means testing foun