Incog-wheato: unmasking the hidden gluten in everyday ingredients

Check for warnings about cross-contamination in the plain bars and remember that wafers, biscuits and other crunchy additions are commonly made from wheat.

Sugared almonds, silver balls and other fancy dragées may look lovely but don’t be seduced by a bit of razzle dazzle – they nearly always contain wheat and the choice of gluten-free glitz desperately needs some zhooshing up.

Always use a brand that’s labelled gluten-free. Most baking powders are nowadays, but there are still one or two that contain wheat flour.

Many leading brands contain wheat and gluten but the stock of alternatives is growing, with Kallø, Knorr and Marigold all having launched cubes fit for a regatta of gluten-free gravy boats.

Yes, I know you always make your own soup from scratch, but on the off chance you’re ever faced with a carton or tin, do read the small print. I tend to thicken homemade soups, stews and gravies with cornflour or gram flour (and pea flour is perfect in fish dishes) plus you’ll need rice- or maize-based pasta for minestrone. Don’t tell me you make your own pasta too – you’re amazing!

Fruit and vegetable-based booze – like wine, brandy and vodka – should contain no gluten, but it looks like the jury is still out on some grain-based drinks like whisky. Beer is traditionally brewed from malted barley, but there is a growing selection of gluten-free beers.

The humble potato is a gluten-free hero but it’s sometimes sullied by flavourings like malt vinegar and soy sauce. Similarly corn chips are often inexplicably sprinkled with wheat flour though popcorn’s impeccable pedigree is usually maintained.

You can chill out with most varieties of vanilla and some lusciously indulgent flavours like caramel fudge in clotted cream or gin and tonic, but you’ll sadly have to avoid ones with chunks of cookie dough or cheesecake. The good news is that there are gluten-free cones and wafers.

If you’re concerned by the presence of ‘wheat glucose syrup’ in your supermarket almond paste, chances are you shouldn’t be. It’s not highlighted as a potential allergen and the Coeliac UK app gives it the all clear.

Buckwheat, oats and ground rice are all naturally free from gluten but just when you think you’ve got a safe list of ingredients, manufacturers slap on warnings about the dangers of cross-contamination from production processes. Savvy producers use dedicated factories. Big bags of Doves Farm buckwheat flour, for example, warn about the presence of gluten but the company has recently launched a gluten-free version, albeit in tiny tubs.

A number of ingredients are classed as wheat-free but are not gluten-free, such as barley and rye. ‘Ancient’ forms of wheat, like spelt and einkorn, are sometimes considered suitable for those intolerant to modern wheat, but you need to be clear that these are not gluten-free, so they won’t be right for everyone.

Your local coffee shop may be proud of its gluten-free goodies but their credentials are ruined if they’re displayed nudging up to wheaten neighbours. Point out any offending close encounters; especially if you’re worried your muffin may have had a liaison dangereuse without proper protection. Most hotel breakfasts offer gluten-free bread, which is often safely (but depressingly) sealed in its own plastic bag but remember the toaster and bread board will be crawling with communal crumbs.

Having safely navigated a potential minefield on your shopping list, just make sure you don’t drop your guard at home. I recently did a demo of some gluten-free biscuits where the organisers had provided wheat flour for rolling out the dough. You’d never do that, would you?