Study of the presence of gluten in cooked sausages.

In numerous recommendations for nutrition of persons suffering from Celiak disease caused by permanent gluten intolerance, it is pointed out that meat products should be avoided due to potential hidden presence of gluten. So, the choice and product range is considerably limited to such consumers. The objective of our study was to acquire insight into objective presence of gluten as risk for consumers suffering from gluten intolerance, based on analytical data obtained in our own examination of frankfurter type sausages, as the most present type of fine ground cooked sausages manufactured by domestic producers. Of total 24 samples of frankfurter type sausages purchased in retail shops, and produced by 16 large meat processing companies in Serbia, three were specifically declared as gluten-free. In the study it was established that gluten content in products was below 20 mg/kg (5,50 mg/kg; 13,90 mg/kg and below 1,0 mg/kg), which is in compliance with requirements for this type of food product and confirmed their safety from the aspect of health. One of the analyzed products had declared in the list of ingredients gluten. In the analysis it was established that it contained 22400,00 mg/kg of gluten, which is in compliance with quantities usually used for technological purposes. Twenty samples analyzed had no information pertaining to gluten utilization as potential ingredient. In the analysis of these products the presence of gluten in various quantities was established (from < 1,00 mg/kg - 44,00 mg/kg).