Cornflour is flour made from maize starch. It is a common ingredient used in gluten-free baking. While cornflour is naturally gluten-free, there are circumstances where it may contain gluten. In this post, we answer the question, is cornflour gluten-free?
Many food products labelled “gluten-free” are made with cornflour, and not with wheat flour. It is therefore important to check the ingredients in a product if you have coeliac disease or any other gluten-related disorder.
Cornflour is made from corn starch, which is the starch of corn kernels. It is a fine powder that is often used in baking. Corn flour is often used in gluten-free baking to replace wheat-based flour.
Is corn flour OK for gluten-free?
Yes. Cornflour is naturally gluten-free, but in some cases, it may contain gluten. For instance, sometimes cornflour is modified to create a modified starch. Modified starches may contain gluten ingredients, such as wheat, barley and rye. If this is the case, then the ingredients list will mention ‘Wheat’ in brackets or ‘contains gluten’ somewhere on the packaging. If the label does not mention any gluten-related ingredients, then the corn flour should be OK and is considered gluten-free.
What brand of cornflour is gluten-free?
Any brand that contains the word gluten-free on the front or back of the packaging is fine for people with gluten intolerances. Common gluten-free cornflour brands include:
Is all corn gluten-free?
No. While cornflour is naturally gluten-free, it may be mixed with modified starches. For instance, some cornflour may be made with modified starch that has wheat in it. The safest way to find out whether cornflour is gluten-free is to read the ingredients. If the ingredients list does not mention any gluten-related ingredients, then the cornflour is considered gluten-free.
Is corn gluten safe for celiacs?
Yes. Corn in all its forms from cornflour to corn on the cob and even tinned corn should be safe for celiacs. However, it is always important to read the food labelling to make sure the product does not contain any wheat or any gluten ingredients. You can use our free gluten product checker to see if the product is indeed gluten-free.
In summary, cornflour is gluten-free. However, if the cornflour contains modified starches, then please read the food label carefully to avoid any gluten-containing ingredients.
