Campaigners have warned that some brands of brownies and cookies sold in US supermarkets could pose a safety risk to millions of Americans with a common digestive condition.
An analysis of 46 popular gluten-free items found that three popular treats contained levels of gluten unsafe for people with celiac disease — an autoimmune condition in which the body overreacts to the protein.
The team behind the study, from campaign group Moms of America, has now submitted an urgent warning to the FDA about their findings.
Products were also tested for pesticides that have been linked to cancer, with results showing 95 percent contained levels of the chemical that scientists deem unsafe.
The above graphic shows the three products that the tests found contained more gluten than permitted by the FDA for gluten free foods
The three products with unsafe levels of gluten were Simple Mills Brownie Mix, Made Good Soft Baked Double Chocolate cookies and Simple Mills almond flour crackers.
All are sold in grocery stores across the country, including Target, Walmart and Whole Foods.
The organization is now calling for a recall of the offending products.
Some 2million Americans, mostly women, suffer from celiac disease — where gluten causes severe damage to the gut.
Sufferers of the disease experience an extreme immune reaction after eating the protein, causing a host of symptoms including nutrient deficiencies, chronic diarrhea, nausea and agonizing pain.
Many also experience extreme weight loss and, in severe cases, may need to undergo operations to repair damage to the colon.
A woman pictured shopping for gluten free products (stock image)
The main treatment for the condition is a strict gluten free diet.
According to the FDA, it is safe for those with celiac disease to eat a microscopic amount of the protein, which is why many gluten-free products contain trace amounts.
However, a gluten-free product must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. This is equivalent to 20 milligrams (mg) per kilo, or roughly 1.7mg per cookie.
The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) has a lower and stricter threshold of 10ppm — or the equivalent of just 0.8mg per cookie.
The investigation found three more products that exceeded the GFCO limit: Jovial spaghetti, GoMacro berry granola bar and Shar pretzels.
Products were also tested for 237 pesticides, revealing 44 out of 46 — or 95 percent — carried glyphosate.
This is the chemical used in Round-Up, with studies previously linking it to neurological problems and development delays.
There are also suggestions that exposure to the chemical raises the risk of some cancers, including of the blood, although the Environmental Protection Agency currently says there is no evidence that the chemical causes this condition.
Testing showed 21 percent of products had a higher level of glyphosate than the maximum permitted level in the EU of 10 parts per billion.
Group director Zen Honeycutt said: ‘We had hoped to find that gluten-free foods that were also organic would be free of glyphosate and pesticides. They were not.
‘The prevalence of glyphosate and agrochemicals in our food supply… is disturbing for many reasons. [But] this contamination is avoidable.’
The study comes amid a rise in the number of people saying they suffer from a gluten sensitivity, or a negative body reaction to eating gluten — causing stomach aches, bloating and constipation.
An estimated 18million Americans now say they are sensitive to gluten, prompting a surge in purchases of gluten free foods.
But the jury is out on gluten sensitivty, after some studies indicated those saying they had the condition did not react to gluten when it was disguised in food.
Celiac disease is generally diagnosed via blood tests for gluten-fighting antibodies, but there are no reliable tests for a gluten sensitivity.
Instead, it can be a diagnosis of last resort — when other conditions are ruled out — or via trialinga gluten free diet.
