Gluten concerns in cosmetics for celiac patients

WASHINGTON, D.C.; November 1, 2011

It could be lurking in cosmetics too.

Although most food labels say whether they have gluten - a protein in wheat, barley, and some other grains - a team of researchers from George Washington University checked the labels of hundreds of cosmetics, lotions, and beauty products and found they AREN'T labeled.

Dr. Pia Prakash says her search of 10 major cosmetic company websites yielded little information, either.

Gluten can't be absorbed through the skin, but it can be accidentally ingested if the products are on your hands or used around your mouth.

An estimated 2 million people in the United States have celiac.

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