Why You Still Shouldn’t Eat Papa John’s ‘Gluten-Free’ Pizza If You Have Celiac Disease
Pizza is one of the great joys in life, but if you have celiac disease, you shouldn’t order a gluten-free pie from Papa John’s anytime soon.
The fourth-largest chain in the U.S. rolled out a new gluten-free crust on Aug. 7, but they advised that consumers with a serious gluten intolerance or celiac disease should not eat it. In a statement, the company said that the crust — which is made from sorghum, teff, quinoa, and amaranth — “is prepared in a separate, gluten-free facility before being shipped to stores,” but that at some point it could “exposed to gluten during the in-store, pizza-making process.”
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For pizza brands, it’s not enough to just make gluten-free products. They must be able to guarantee that the crust is not contaminated at any point during production to ensure that people with celiac disease or gluten intolerances can enjoy their pizzas.
And Papa John’s isn’t the only chain that has issued such a warning. Pizza Hut, which teamed up with Udi’s Gluten Free Foods and the Gluten Intolerance Group in 2015 to come up with a new gluten-free product also advises against consumption by people with strong intolerances to gluten or those who have celiac disease. Even though, as reported by Entrepreneur, the Hut has a pizza that is “certifiably gluten-free,” and made with ingredients from gluten-free kits, it’s still not enough to promise there isn’t any gluten in the pizza.
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Even Domino’s has said they cannot guarantee that their pizzas are completely gluten-free. On the company’s website is a statement that says, “After stretching the dough, small gluten particles could remain on the pizza maker’s hands, which then touch the cheese and toppings and could transfer to these ingredients.” They, too, do not recommend their gluten-free pizzas for people with celiac or gluten intolerances.
If you’re a pizza lover, this news is definitely a bummer, but the bright side is that you can make a customizable pie at home — and you’ll never have to share it!
h/t Business Insider
Craving a pizza? Check out this recipe for a homemade pie.
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