Is Old Trapper Beef Jerky Really Gluten-Free?

As someone who loves beef jerky but needs to follow a strict gluten-free diet I was excited to hear that Old Trapper beef jerky may be gluten-free. I decided to dig into the details to find out if Old Trapper’s claims are really true.

A Quick Overview of Gluten

For those unfamiliar gluten is a protein found in wheat barley, and rye. It causes serious health issues for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Even small traces of gluten can trigger symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue. Needless to say, those of us who are gluten-intolerant need to be very careful about the foods we eat.

Evaluating Old Trapper’s Gluten-Free Claims

At first glance, Old Trapper seems like a safe bet for gluten-free jerky. According to their website, they use a simple recipe of meat, spices, and seasoning. No obvious gluten-containing ingredients there. They also claim their products are made in facilities with dedicated equipment to prevent cross-contact with gluten.

However, when I dug deeper, some potential issues emerged:

• No third-party certification. Old Trapper products are not certified gluten-free by an independent organization like the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). This makes their claims harder to verify.

• Risk of cross-contamination. While they take some steps to avoid cross-contact, there’s still a chance of cross-contamination with gluten in their facilities. Even tiny amounts could be an issue for those highly sensitive.

• Vague about testing. Old Trapper doesn’t provide details on how often products are tested for gluten or the exact gluten thresholds used. More transparency would be reassuring.

• Some riskier ingredients. A couple of their seasoning blends contain ingredients like maltodextrin which could potentially be sourced from gluten-containing grains.

Digging Into the Ingredients

To get the full picture, I took a closer look at the ingredients lists of some popular Old Trapper products:

Original Beef Jerky: Beef, Brown Sugar, Salt, Spices, Celery Juice Powder, Natural Smoke Flavor.

No obvious gluten risks here. However, “Natural Smoke Flavor” is vague and may warrant more scrutiny.

Teriyaki Beef Jerky: Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Brown Sugar, Salt, Spices, Natural Smoke Flavor.

Contains soy sauce made with wheat – not gluten-free!

Hot & Spicy Beef Jerky: Beef, Brown Sugar, Salt, Spices (including Red Pepper and Paprika), Maltodextrin, Natural Smoke Flavor.

Maltodextrin could be made from barley and should be confirmed as gluten-free source.

The Verdict: Exercise Caution

Based on my research, I would say Old Trapper’s “gluten-free” label needs to be taken with a grain of salt (pun intended). Their products likely present a low risk for most gluten-sensitive folks. However, for those with celiac disease or who react to even tiny traces of gluten, caution is warranted. I would not consider Old Trapper beef jerky to be a reliably gluten-free option without explicit third-party certification. Those who are extremely gluten-sensitive may want to seek out brands with stronger assurances of zero gluten cross-contact.

In the meantime, I plan to reach out to Old Trapper directly to ask for more deatils about their testing protocols and ingredient sourcing. More transparency could provide a clearer picture of how safe their products truly are. While Old Trapper jerky tastes delicious, safety has to come first for those of us in the gluten-free community. When it comes to allergies, we can’t settle for murky claims. Our health depends on having confidence that the “gluten-free” label is really 100% accurate.