What comes to mind when you hear the words cheese and gluten?
Many people are still determining if cheese belongs to a gluten-free diet.
As someone who also has a gluten intolerance, I’d be happy to know if one of my favorite food items is truly gluten-free.
So then, let’s find out if parmesan cheese is gluten-free!
Is There Gluten in Parmesan Cheese?
This delicious Italian cheese, known as parmesan, is made from cow’s milk and is matured for at least a year.
Although the parmesan cheeses don’t contain gluten on their own, meals with this cheese as one of the ingredients may not be gluten-free, so it’s essential to read the label before purchasing.
Additionally, cross-contamination is possible if the cheese is manufactured in a facility that handles foods containing gluten. So, always keep this in mind.
How Parmesan Cheese is Made
Milk, salt, bacteria cultures, and rennet are the four essential elements used to make parmesan cheese.
Skimmed cow’s milk serves as the basis for parmesan cheese.
They heat the milk after the addition of lactic acid bacteria.
It is then curdled by adding rennet, a protease enzyme, from the stomach of calves after it has warmed up.
In doing so, the casein and whey proteins are separated.
After being strained, the product is put into a sizable cheese mold and submerged in a salt brine for a few weeks.
The parmesan is fermented and then allowed to age for up to 12 months or longer to give it its distinctive, intricate flavor and texture.
5 Gluten-free Parmesan Cheese Brands
We’ll now discuss some of the tasty, gluten-free parmesan cheese brands available, some of which you may get in your neighborhood grocery shop.
1) Grated Kraft Parmesan Cheese
Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese has been a standard gluten-free cheese for many years.
It comes with a shaker container, making it more straightforward to add your parmesan to anything that requires a little additional salty taste.
2) Belgioioso Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
The BelGioioso website states that only fresh milk from nearby farms is used daily to make BelGioioso Parmesan.
It is freshly shredded and flavorful and is certified to be free of gluten and rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin). So, it’s a good try.
3) Andrew and Everett Parmesan
Although not organically certified, Andrew & Everett Grated Parmesan Cheese is gluten-free and devoid of any binders, extenders, or preservatives.
4) Mama Francesca Premium Parmesan Cheese
Having been aged for over ten months, Mama Francesca Premium Parmesan Cheese has this tasty nutty flavor and bears a gluten-free label.
It also comes in an easy-to-use shaker that makes it simple to add your cheese to many of your favorite entrees.
5) Public Goods Grated Parmesan Cheese
The Public Goods Grated parmesan is a gluten-free, all-natural cheese manufactured with excellent milk from the heartland of America and modeled after the traditional Italian delicacy.
This healthy cheese goes well with salads, spaghetti, pizza, and steamed veggies.
Conclusion
Although Parmesan cheese does not often contain gluten when consumed alone, you should always check the label and consider cross-contamination when consuming foods that include this cheese as an ingredient.
