Sometimes in meals, sometimes on warm bread fresh out of the oven… It is not difficult to be creative with tomato paste that is delicious! Well, do you know whether tomato paste, which everyone loves from seven to 70, contains gluten?
Considering that the incidence of celiac disease in Turkey is between 1 percent and 3 per thousand, it turns out that there are not that few people who need to follow a gluten-free diet. If you need to be careful to avoid gluten in your diet, it may have become normal for you to question the content of every food item you eat. These questions led to the question “Is there gluten in tomato paste?” The answer to the question is wondered by many people just like you.
Before answering the question of whether tomato paste contains gluten, it would be useful to learn more about what tomato paste contains. Through this file, you can find a lot of information about how tomato paste types are produced and what they contain!
Is There Gluten in Tomato Paste?
Tomato paste is served in Turkish cuisine, both for breakfast and dinner, in short, at every meal; It can even be used as a snack. You are surely aware that tomato paste, which is very popular not only in Turkish cuisine but also in Italian cuisine, is one of the key ingredients in many dishes. However, if you have gluten intolerance or are on a gluten-free diet, you need to know whether the tomato paste used in almost every meal contains gluten.
There is a criterion determined by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a food item to be labeled as “gluten-free”. Accordingly, gluten-free foods should not contain more than 20 ppm (one part per million) of gluten.
Tomatoes and peppers are widely consumed at the table for breakfast, as well as on the shelves as tomato paste. There are also pastes made with a mixture of both tomatoes and peppers. TURKSTAT (Turkish Statistical Institute) data shows that 35 percent of tomato production in 2015 consisted only of tomato paste. This rate proves how high the consumption of tomato paste is in our country. Whether there is gluten in the tomato paste or not is determined by the raw materials contained in the tomato paste and the additives added to the tomato paste. So, let’s evaluate separately whether both types of tomato paste contain gluten!
Is There Gluten in Tomato Paste?
When September comes, tomato paste preparations begin feverishly in many regions of Anatolia. Trays filled with crushed tomatoes are left to dry on balconies, terraces and even on the roofs of houses. You may be familiar with this ancient method of making tomato paste, known as “sun drying”, from the sweetest memories of your childhood. Whether you dry it in the sun, boil it, or buy it from the market… In any case, it is an absolute fact that tomato paste is indispensable for meals! So, do you think tomato paste contains gluten?
Good news! Tomato paste varieties that use only tomatoes and salt do not contain gluten. Because gluten is a type of protein found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley. Naturally, this protein is not found in any fruits and vegetables other than the mentioned grains. Since tomato is a fruit, tomato paste, whose main source is tomato, naturally does not contain gluten.
Don’t forget! Even if the food itself does not contain gluten, it can become gluten-containing through cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when a gluten-free food item is contaminated by direct or indirect contact with another food item containing gluten. So much so that gluten intake, even in low amounts, can be harmful for celiac patients. In addition, it is necessary to pay close attention to whether there is any other ingredient in the ingredient list of tomato paste purchased from outside that may contain gluten.
Is There Gluten in Pepper Paste?
Pepper paste can be obtained by both sun drying and boiling, just like tomato paste. In the traditional recipe of this paste, only pepper and salt are used. Since pepper is a type of fruit just like tomato, the question “Does pepper paste contain gluten?” The answer to the question is, of course, “No!” is happening. Of course, at this point, the possibility of cross-contamination must be taken into account again.
When buying ready-made pepper paste, it is of great importance to be careful to choose alternatives labeled as “gluten-free” among market products. The most reliable method to include it in gluten-free diets is to make tomato paste at home! For this reason, it is necessary to be careful that the ingredients used in making tomato paste have not come into contact with any gluten-containing food. Moreover, it is possible to consume the tomato paste obtained with this method safely for a long time!
Nutritional Values of Tomato and Pepper Paste
Tomatoes and peppers have a very important place in the daily diet of many people in Turkey. Especially for people on a gluten-free diet, these fruits and various foods such as tomato paste obtained from them have an invaluable value as they contain the nutrients the body needs! While tomato is a very rich source of carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene) and vitamin C; Pepper is known as a good source of vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.
The explanations on this page do not constitute health advice or warning and are for informational purposes only. You should definitely consult your dietician about the foods you want to add to your daily diet.
MD, Prof. Sea South Duman Approved by
