Are oats gluten free?

Are oats gluten free? Yes! Our oats are truly gluten free.

We often get asked “are oats gluten free?” Oats are naturally gluten free. Unfortunately, oats are often contaminated either by being grown in fields that contained wheat or barley previously or through the use of combines, trucks, and processing facilities that are also used for wheat or barley. That’s why we grow our own oats and take extra care to make sure they are truly gluten free so you can be confident in your food choices.

Montana Gluten Free is a small farmer owned company and our oats are grown and packaged with a gluten free protocol. This means we grow our oats in dedicated fields, harvest and process the seed with dedicated equipment, and package it in a dedicated gluten free facility. This is the only way to produce truly gluten free oats.

I have celiac disease. Can I eat oats?

Yes! Almost certainly. Gluten free oats can be safe for people with celiac disease, even those who are very sensitive to gluten.

Some varieties of oats may trigger symptoms in people with particularly sensitive reactions to gluten and those newly diagnosed. This is because oats have a protein called avenin that is distantly related to gliadin. Gliadin is a component of gluten found in wheat, barley, and rye. In some varieties of oats, the avenin protein is similar enough to gliadin to cause problems for people with sensitive reactions and those newly diagnosed whose bodies haven’t had time to repair significantly.

However, the G12 ELISA antibody tests detect these potentially problematic varieties of oats and can detect as little as 3 ppm of gluten in a food sample.

How can I know if my oats are gluten free?

If you bought them from Montana Gluten Free, you’re good to go. We test all our Montana Gluten Free oat products with this G12 antibody. While everyone should make their own dietary decisions, we are confident that our oats are safe to eat, even for people who have had issues with oats in the past. 

If you buy oats from other companies, be sure that they use a Gluten Free Purity Protocol like we do. Some food producers use sorted oats. They buy conventionally grown oats, then try to remove stray grains of barley, wheat, and rye. This sort of practice is what caused a lot of problems with gluten free Cheerios.

Make sure your oats are tested with the R5 or G12 antibody and are certified gluten free. Check the labels and the manufacturers websites.

If you would like to try Montana Gluten Free products but are uncertain about oats in your diet, please contact us with any questions or to request a sample.

For more information on oats for people with celiac disease, read this great article at Allergic Living.

For more on the science of the G12 antibody and the ability to test potentially toxic oats:
Scientific Article about G12 and oats
Romer Labs Article about G12 testing

  If you’re worried about oats, stick to oats that are tested with G12. Look for this icon on the packaging.