A Research Communication Brief: Gluten Analysis in Beef Samples Collected Using a Rigorous, Nationally Representative Sampling Protocol Confirms That Grain-Finished Beef Is Naturally Gluten-Free

• Main Authors: Shalene H. McNeill, Amy M. Cifelli, Janet M. Roseland, Keith E. Belk, Dale R. Woerner, Kerri B. Gehring, Jeffrey W. Savell, J. Chance Brooks, Leslie D. Thompson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-08-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: beef; gluten; celiac disease; gluten sensitivity; nutrient data
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/9/936
• ISSN: 2072-6643

Knowing whether or not a food contains gluten is vital for the growing number of individuals with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Questions have recently been raised about whether beef from conventionally-raised, grain-finished cattle may contain gluten. To date, basic principles of ruminant digestion have been cited in support of the prevailing expert opinion that beef is inherently gluten-free. For this study, gluten analysis was conducted in beef samples collected using a rigorous nationally representative sampling protocol to determine whether gluten was present. The findings of our research uphold the understanding of the principles of gluten digestion in beef cattle and corroborate recommendations that recognize beef as a naturally gluten-free food.