Gluten-free chocolate is made without wheat or gluten and is intended for people with food allergies. It is usually made in a gluten-free environment and may use alternative ingredients like soy. However, some products may still be produced in factories with gluten or wheat, so packaging should be checked.
Gluten-free chocolate is a type of chocolate confection that is prepared in a way that ensures gluten and wheat are not present in the final product. This is usually a chocolate prepared as a candy bar and not raw chocolate intended for baking. These types of treats are prepared to ensure that someone with food allergies that include wheat and gluten is able to eat the chocolate without suffering a reaction. Gluten-free chocolate must be made with no wheat or gluten included in the snack itself, and is usually made in a factory or place that is also gluten-free.
Sometimes also labeled “wheat-free,” gluten-free chocolate is specifically manufactured and intended for people who have food allergies involving wheat and gluten. Gluten is produced in a number of ways through various food products, typically those that include grain or similar plants. It is a protein compound that forms when certain parts of a grain are broken down and combined, often with the addition of water to produce a substance that is sticky and stretchy. This is quite important in the production of many breads and other products; there are many people with a food allergy to gluten, and so products like gluten-free chocolate offer an alternative for these individuals.
Gluten-free chocolate is typically produced by ensuring that wheat and similar products are not used in the production of the chocolate. This primarily pertains to chocolate bars and other forms of processed chocolate, although some chocolate chips for baking may also include gluten or wheat due to manufacturing methods. Alternative ingredients are used for emulsifiers and binders in these types of confections, usually soy or soy milk. Gluten-free chocolate typically indicates a lack of wheat or gluten on the packaging, although environmental concerns should also be considered.
Many types of gluten-free chocolate are still made in factories or environments where other food products that contain gluten or wheat are produced. This means that wheat and gluten can be introduced into the product without being an actual ingredient in the product. People with food allergies can often have an allergic response to even small amounts of the allergen, so environmental exposure to wheat and gluten can reduce the benefits of gluten-free chocolate. The packaging for a candy bar or similar confection typically indicates whether the product is made around other foods that contain wheat or gluten.
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