Well, getting the answer to the question “Are potato chips gluten-free?” can be a little bit complicated, but I’ve got you covered as the detailed answer will be given in this guide.
Potato chips are salty snacks that make the ideal addition to a sandwich or summer BBQ spread.
Even though flavors such as sour cream, onion, and barbeque are close runners-up, the original plain potato chips are still the most popular.
Well, to answer the question, “Are potato chips gluten-free?” Yes, potato chips are gluten-free, for the most part.
The fact is that, naturally, potatoes are gluten-free, and most potato chips contain a simple ingredient list that includes salt, vegetables, and most especially potatoes.
However, it is essential that you check the label to ensure that the bag of potato chips you’re purchasing is gluten-free. The same goes for most packaged snacks.
This is so given the fact that some brands of potato chips might contain wheat starch or malt vinegar, and these ingredients contain gluten.
What Are Potatoes?
You might be surprised that potatoes are not root vegetables, but as a matter of fact, they are stem vegetables, otherwise known as starchy tubers.
They are the swollen ends of the underground stems of the potato plant. In the nightshade family, the potato plant happens to be an annual plant.
For over 7000 years, potatoes have been cultivated in the South American Andes, which is their origin.
However, presently, they are daily staples throughout the whole world due to their high energy content, yummy taste, and culinary well-roundedness.
Are Potato Chips Gluten-Free?
The short and straightforward answer to this question is yes; most of the potato chips that you will find available at grocery stores in America are gluten-free.
This is so given the fact that the main ingredients are potatoes, salt, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil.
But, as previously stated, it is wise to check the label to make sure that you are purchasing gluten-free potato chips.
You should keep in mind that some potato chips are produced in facilities alongside gluten-containing products.
This means that they could pick up trace amounts of gluten in the manufacturing process.
Well, that being said, I will strongly suggest that you buy a bag of potato chips that are certified gluten-free, as that is the safest option.
Potato Chips
Given the fact that this popular type of chip usually lacks gluten, there are definitely unlimited gluten-free potato chip options.
As previously mentioned, the usual ingredients include potatoes, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and salt.
Specific Brands:
Frito-Lay
Well, this company claims that Ruffles and Lay’s are the two well-known potato chip brands that meet gluten-free standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Potatoes are definitely one of the main ingredients.
Kettle Brand
These famous potato-based chips are available in a variety of unique flavors, such as Farmstand Ranch.
In addition, they are certified gluten-free, which means you are free to consume them with no worries.
Late July Organic Potato Chips
These are thin, crunchy chips that contain minimal ingredients, are available in a variety of flavors, and are all certified gluten-free.
How To Make Sure Your Chips Are Gluten-Free
Look For Gluten-Free Labels On Packaging
It’s the FDA directive that for a food to be regarded as gluten-free, it must contain under 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.
This is so because low amounts of gluten should not trigger reactions in people who have gluten-related disorders, but also keep in mind that tolerance might differ based on the person.
That being said, to make sure that their products meet or exceed FDA standards, some manufacturers choose to procure third-party gluten-free certifications.
For those who must stay away from gluten for health reasons, gluten-free certifications are specifically helpful.
You can find these labels anywhere on the packaging; they can either be in small or large print. Just make sure you find them.
Avoid Gluten-Containing Ingredients
Keep in mind that you might find a range of chips that are not labeled gluten-free, so I strongly suggest that you know which ingredients might contain gluten.
Chips with gluten might have barley, rye, wheat, or a variation of these ingredients.
Normally, wheat flour is found in pita chips and certain tortilla chips.
Plus, whole grain chips might contain grains that have gluten and certain flavorings such as wheat starch or malty vinegar, which also have gluten.
Gluten-Containing Ingredients In Chips
The chips are definitely not gluten-free if you see a bag of chips with any of the ingredients listed below:
- Wheat starch
- Farina
- Couscous
- Farro
- Wheat
- Wheat berries
- Rye
- Barley
- Oats (naturally gluten-free but might be cross-contaminated)
- Semolina
- Emmer
- Durum
- Einkorn wheat
- Graham
- Kamut
- Spelt
- Malt extract
- Malt vinegar
- Wheat germ
- Phosphate flour
- Malt flavoring
- Brewer’s yeast
- Malted barley flour
- Triticale
Know Which Ingredients Are Gluten-Free
Since you now know which ingredients are not gluten-free, it will be smart to also know which ingredients are gluten-free.
Normally, most potato chips, corn tortilla chips, corn chips, and veggie chips are gluten-free, given the fact that their primary ingredients don’t contain gluten except if they have gluten-containing additives.
Keep in mind that you should still look for a gluten-free certification if you happen to have a gluten-related disorder.
Gluten-Free Ingredients in Chips
Below is a list of gluten-free ingredients that you might find in gluten-free chips:
- Maize
- Sorghum
- Buckwheat
- Corn
- Potato
- Soy
- Rice
- Teff
- Millet
- Amaranth
- Cassava
- Tapioca
- Seeds
- Beans
- Quinoa
- Chickpea
That being said, the only guarantee you have that a particular food is gluten-free is the gluten-free certification label.
Apart from that, it is really useful and important to be aware of which items to look out for in an ingredient list.
Are Chips Gluten-Free?
With the information above, it is clear that most chips are free of gluten-containing ingredients.
So, the straightforward answer to the above question is that it depends.
Potato chips are manufactured using potatoes, and naturally, they are vegan and gluten-free.
Furthermore, there are three reasons why they might not be gluten-free: some brands include flavors and seasonings that may have wheat, soy, or/and dairy.
The oil the chips are fried in might be used for other fried products that contain wheat, and lastly, manufacturer cross-containment can be a problem.
My Final Thoughts on Gluten-Free Potato Chips
Potato chips are gluten-free in most cases and produced with ingredients that are naturally gluten-free, such as potatoes, oil, and salt.
All flavors of well-known potato chip brands such as Lay’s potato chips, Kettle chips, and Ruffles are gluten-free.
The same goes for Late July potato chips and Cape Cod potato chips.
It is also always smart to check the ingredient lists to make sure that the brand you are buying is certified gluten-free, particularly if you have a wheat allergy.
Well, this concludes this guide, as you now have the detailed answer to the question, “Are potato chips gluten-free?”
