Corn Allergy Sufferers Need to be Wary of Their Ketchup!

If you are practicing a gluten and maize-free diet (GF-MF) and are still struggling with allergy symptoms it may be due to your condiments. It is a little known fact that condiments often contain hidden corn or gluten components that only the experienced allergy sufferer may be aware exist. Condiments are usually made with vinegar. White vinegar can be made from any fruit, or any material containing sugar, including and especially corn. So if you tend to use a lot of ketchup you may want evaluate whether or not the kind you use is safe from allergens. Ketchup is a favorite condiment for just about any meal, so let’s look at some familiar and harder to find brands….

Here are the Ketchup Brands I Evaluated:

Westbrae Unsweetened Un-Ketchup

[INGREDIENTS] Water, tomato paste made from red ripe tomatoes,
apple cider vinegar, salt, onion, natural flavor. I made a phone inquiry to this company and was told that it is definitely gluten free, however the natural flavors are proprietary and they will not disclose whether or not they are made from corn. A company spokesperson said that the formulation changes and sometimes it includes corn. Natural flavor could be any spice, fruit, vegetable, meat product that is a natural food source, but Hain Celestial Group warns that those with corn allergies need to avoid this product.

Muir Glen Tomato Ketchup

[INGREDIENTS] Tomato Puree (tomato paste and water), naturally milled sugar, vinegar, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oils of clove, cassia and celery. Please take note: some ingredients may cause a reaction in highly sensitive people. Muir Glen uses only highly distilled vinegar and no gluten protein remains, but their vinegar source varies and may contain corn. We did not have a reaction.

Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup

[INGREDIENTS] Organic tomato concentrate made from red ripe organic tomatoes, organic distilled vinegar, organic sugar, salt, organic onion powder, organic spice, natural flavoring. I called the Heinz company and they said that this product is gluten-free but the vinegar probably contains corn. In our case we did notice a reaction to this product, and have discontinued using it. You may want to try it to see if you can tolerate it. If you are highly sensitive you should probably avoid this one.

Woodstock Farms Organic Tomato Ketchup

[INGREDIENTS] Organic tomato concentrate (water and organic tomato paste), organic sugar, organic vinegar, salt, organic onion powder, spices and natural flavorings. First of all, let me start by saying that nowhere on the labeling does this product indicate that it is imported. It is distributed by a company P.O. Box in Connecticut but the product is actually made in China. Furthermore, I was unable to find a consumer product safety number to verify if this product is gluten and corn-free. I think this is a product you may want to avoid, even though it is sold at Whole Foods.

Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup

[INGREDIENTS] Water, Organic Tomato Paste, Organic Sugar, Organic Distilled White Vinegar, Sea Salt, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Allspice, Organic Clove Powder.I called the company to determine if the white vinegar was corn-derived. The spokesperson for the company could not give me a definitive response. Based on the conversation and the company’s inability to answer I cannot recommend this product. I can only assume it is corn-based vinegar.

* If you are following the Feingold Diet you may find non-tomato ketchups available made from pear and banana. The Barry Farm in Ohio features Feingold approved ketchups made from plums, pears, and an assortment of other fruits. These products are NOT gluten or corn-free, however. We will be in touch with Barry Farms and will hopefully have a list of products that are gluten and corn-free, so check back!

For a more detailed understanding of vinegar visit the Vinegar Institute at: versatilevinegar.org. Finally, here is a recipe for making your own tomato-based ketchup and barbecue sauce that will be certainly free from gluten and corn.

* Please note: it is important to check the brand of Tomato Paste that you use. Citric acid is derived from corn and often causes a reaction in highly sensitive individuals. Check our GF-MF Safe Product List.

In the future I will talk about other condiments as well: salt, mustard, mayonnaise, etc….

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Caryn Talty

The editor of this website has a master's degree in English from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor of science degree in special education. She has taught students from early elementary school through college freshman level. Today she enjoys reading and writing about both hot topics and those not so commonly discussed on other websites. Most of her days are spent playing all kinds of make-believe with her three very young and active sons. | All articles by Caryn Talty.

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