How much is 20 ppm gluten?

This is 10 mg of gluten!

10 milligrams of gluten per day are generally considered a safe amount by many experts for the majority of people with celiac disease.1 There are still differing opinions on how much gluten can be classified as safe for people with gluten intolerance, as each affected person is sensitive to varying degrees.2 Therefore, there are countries like Australia that, unlike Germany, do not set 20 ppm as the limit for gluten-free products, but rather 0 ppm or the limit of detection. If gluten can be detected, it may not be labeled as gluten-free.

But how much is 10 mg of gluten? We have tried to visually represent this amount to make it easier to understand how little it is (see graphic).

A slice of toast bread typically weighs 25 g and measures 9.0 x 9.5 cm. According to the 2014 annual report of the German Research Institute, wheat toast bread contains 6,900 milligrams of gluten per 100 grams.3 This means that one slice of toast bread contains 1725 mg of gluten. If you convert that, 0.145 g of toast bread contains the described 10 mg of gluten. Or, to put it another way, a crumb of toast bread the size of 7.2 mm x 6.8 mm contains as much gluten as should be consumed maximally throughout the entire day.

This illustrates how difficult it is to live gluten-free in everyday life, when even the smallest contaminations with gluten-containing foods, such as bread crumbs, can lead to a significant burden. Other everyday situations include, for example, the ice cream parlor with ice cream cones over an open counter, in a restaurant where both gluten-containing and gluten-free dishes are prepared, or at friends' houses who have a gluten-containing household. Here, it is almost inevitable that the food will unintentionally contain residual gluten. Therefore, people with gluten sensitivity, but especially celiac disease patients, should always ask carefully.

If you would like more examples or information on other topics related to a gluten-free diet, please send us an email to info@ineopharma.de.

Your Lisa!

TO THE PRODUCT

1 Slot, I. & Bremer, M.G.E.G. & Hamer, R.J. & Van der Fels-Klerx, HJ (Ine). (2015). Part of celiac population still at risk despite current gluten thresholds. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 43. 10.1016/j.tifs.2015.02.011.
2 Cohen, Inna & Day, Andrew & Shaoul, Ron. (2020). Should the Glu Be Ten or Twenty? An Update on the Ongoing Debate on Gluten Safety Limits for Patients with Celiac Disease. Gastrointestinal Disorders. 2. 202-211. 10.3390/gidisord2030021.
Reid, J., Allen, K., & McDonald, S. (2016). Systematic review of safe level of gluten for people with coeliac disease. Cochrane Australia. http://www.coeliac.org.au/research/
Food and Drug Administration. Health Hazard Assessment for Gluten Exposure in Individuals with Celiac Disease: Determination of Tolerable Daily Intake Levels and Levels of Concern for Gluten. 2011.
3 G. Andersen / H. Köhler in Zusammenarbeit mit M. Rubach / W. Schaecke (2015): Jahresbericht der Deutschen Forschungsanstalt 2014, Freising, S. 136 – S. 139.