Does starch contain gluten?

No. Gluten is a natural protein present in grains and cereals such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. Gluten is extracted from grains together with starch.

There is sometimes confusion with relation to starch and gluten because they are both extracted from the same raw material (wheat), however, these are two completely different ingredients. The most common type of gluten used in cooking, primarily in baking, is wheat gluten because it improves the elasticity of dough as well as the texture of the final product.

People suffering from a coeliac disease (gluten intolerance), who are prescribed a gluten-free diet, can therefore safely consume food with starch-based ingredients, of course, if there are no gluten-containing ingredients in a product.