Gluten free beer

Gluten-free beer is beer made from ingredients that do not contain gluten such as millet, rice, sorghum, buckwheat or corn (maize). People who have gluten intolerance (including celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis sufferers) have a reaction to certain proteins in the grains commonly used to make beer, barley and wheat. The hordein found in barley and the gliadin found in wheat are types of gluten that can trigger symptoms in sufferers of these diseases. Gluten-free beer is part of a gluten-free diet.

Gluten can be found in many common cereal grains including barley and wheat. Even in small quantities, the glutens specifically from barley and wheat (hordein and gliadin respectively) can trigger serious symptoms in those who suffer from Celiac disease. Almost all beer contains levels of gluten that cannot be tolerated by those with the disease, but a growing number of breweries now cater to such individuals and others who cannot tolerate consuming the relevant glycoproteins.

Around the world standards of "gluten free" vary. For example, in the European Union a beer with less than 20 parts per million gluten (20ppm) is "gluten free", while in Australia only beers with no detectable gluten can be described as gluten free. Similarly, some "gluten-free" breads can contain low levels of gluten in one country, in another they would contravene labelling or food standards legislation.

While the definitions of world standards for the term "gluten free" vary, the safest course of action for people with celiac disease would be to adhere to strictest possible definition (no detectable gluten).

No published long term studies exist that track the effects of the consistent use of low levels of celiac-triggering glutens on patients with celiac disease, while many published papers exist that document the damage these glutens cause.

...
Wikipedia