20 ppm figure does not help

[bscotty]

Hi all

This 20 ppm figure that get's bandied about is very unscientific to my mind. the fact that a bread crumb is more than 20 ppm cannot mean that should you accidentally consume one that it is as bad as consuming an entire slice of bread - surely the 20 ppm should be combined with another factor like the weight of the gluten contained in the item consumed ??

Would love someone to clarify that for me

Thanks

[DartmoorGuerrilla]

Symptoms will not necessarily be proportional because some of them are self-limiting.

For example one breadcrumb will give me a mouth full of ulcers , and so will one slice. The whole slice cannot be any worse, because I only have one mouth!

However I would be far more worried about the gastro effects and long-term neurological damage from a slice of bread then I would a single crumb.

The phrase "you may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb" does not apply to gluten contamination. More is definitely worse even if you don't notice the difference at the time.

[Karen49]

I think the 20ppm is supposed to be safe for Coeliacs, unfortunately my insides don’t seem to understand that theory.

[WobblyCaroline in reply to Karen49]

I'm so glad you said that Karen! I am reacting even to some foods that are labelled gluten free (not all but some). I get a weird taste in my mouth and I immediately know. Then the following morning bam... no detail required.