Grrrrr

[Healthytry]

I cannot get a decent answer as to if sour cream or cream cheese is gluten free.

Could anyone out there please help?

[Diana]

No idea! Although if in doubt, use sour add vinegar to make it sour, I know you can get rice and oat cream too.

Toffuti do a soya cream cheeses from Holland and Barrett, ( or they used to), check and google

[TheGob]

Your question is a little open, a bit like asking if milk is GF, The answer is yes, unless they add something that means it is not.

There is no reason at all for any sour cream or cream cheese to have gluten as an ingredient, except as a bulking out ingredient or to help bind it together, which I'm sure both products you are asking about do not need. Also, this does not mean that they may not contain gluten dependent on where its manufactured, the old 'made in a factory that handles gluten' statement, or for some other obscure reason they deem fit. You need to get used to checking all labelling, and not assuming that there is a cut and dry definition for if something is GF or not.

For example, Sainsbury's stir frys and many of their salad bags have no direct gluten ingredients, but are packaged in a factory that for some reason feels fit to toss wheat flour about, so are technically not GF. >

If it is a British product, purchased in Britain, it must have the ingredients clearly marked and a statement if it may be contaminated with other ingredients. If it does not you have two choices: Risk it, or leave it!

You may also want to check out individual product websites where they almost all have allergy (and thus intollerances also) information somewhere concerning the product.

[MrsPepperpot in reply to TheGob]

I agree with what you say with a couple of provisos

1 sour cream may be thickened with cornflour or other starch

2 if you are a new coeliac there may be too much lactose to deal with as they are both fresh milk products

I think the Philadelphia website might be helpful.

[Venetia]

read labels, ...ask supplier.... check coeliac uk site. it should be gluten free, but additives should be on label if in EU

[bemotivated]

I looked at daisybrand.com, and they said (in a question section) all their dairy products are gluten free, they have no starches. Always check labels to make sure. Dairy can be difficult on the digestive system, especially fot autoimmune disorders. I hope this helps.

[tetloww]

I was the same as you not long ago. Bought sour cream and chives dips to go with my salads. I thought it was fine until 2 weeks in. Didn't give me gluten symptoms but they were pretty close and knew something was wrong. So been very careful with things like that since. I know I have dairy issues but can eat well within moderation so think it was the amount of milk that was in it.

[Lexy]

Hi Healthytry - were you referring to flavourings (as in sourcream or creamcheese flavoured crisps)? Or do you mean the actual items of sour cream and cream cheese? Thing is, even if they are 'gluten free' (which can still mean they contain up to 20ppm gluten in some cases (!!!) ) - you may be sensitive to lactose, as many coeliacs are. Some supermarkets carry lactose-free cream cheese which you may want to try. It's a bit of a gamble out there (been trying to live gluten-free since diagnosis in 2012 and it's a rollercoaster ride!). Good luck