I read that unless your Balsamic Vinegar is certified from the government of Modena, Italy, it may well have brown sugar or other sweetners in it, including barly malt. Thought I'd let you know.

it doesn't actually have to be certified (the *real* certified stuff is quite expensive, unless you're in Modena, then it's surprisingly cheap, which is why I 'broke my back' carrying home a backback full of the stuff ;-) ). but you do want to check the ingredients on inexpensive balsamic vinegar; it can have things added to it. most of it doesn't - so says experience anyway. caramel coloring is more common an additive than barley malt, however. (if it's in your budget, though, paying for the good stuff is WELL worth the price.)

I know that when you order Balsamic Dressing in restaurants, it often contains soy sauce. That has been my unfortunate experience.

Interesting!! I used to work in a restaraunt and I THOUGHT the balsamic was safe. I wondered why I'd always react. I stopped eating the salads because of that!!! Thanks for the info!!

Are you certain? I've not had that experience in a restaurant, haven't seen that in a recipe, and can't imagine that at all - the two tastes simply do not go together in any salad dressing recipe I can imagine.

Yeah I have never had any problems with balsamic vinegrettes in restaurants. Now you have me thinking too. Those two tastes just sound odd. Then again, so does balsamic and fruit, or just straight and it is fantastic that way. Again, the real expensive stuff.

Never ever found a balsamic vinegar (I'm talking the vinegar, not dressing) that has gluten.

richard

I will check the brand that they use next time I go...will let you know.

Ate at Legal Seafood the other night -- they have a gluten-free menu, as you may know -- and on the back it lists some items that are not gluten free. One is their balsamic vinaigrette. I assume it's the vinegar. (Or could it be something else?)

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd reply instead of starting a new one. Anything new about balsamic vinegar since this thread began? I'm new to the whole gluten-free diet - well, three months new to it. I thought I read that balsamic vinegar was always gluten free.

I had some salmon last night that my roommate made, and got really sick to my stomach a few hours later, and had diarrhea twice. The salmon had balsamic vinegar from Trader Joe's, orange juice concentrate, and lemon juice. And I doubt the OJ had gluten in it.

As I was writing this all down in my food diary, I thought "wow, I haven't felt like this since a couple months ago when I ate that salad." I realized that the salad had a balsamic vinegar dressing on it.

I was on the SCD for three or four weeks and recently went off it, so I've been eating more grains. I've also been sick with a cold the last few days, but I don't think either of those things would have caused this stomach ache and diarrhea. It just seems weird that I can connect the two times I've felt like this since going gluten-free to balsamic vinegar.

Anyone else had problems with balsamic vinegar? I'm sure I've had it in the past without problems, along with other types of vinegar. But maybe it's just something I can't tolerate right now?

If it was straight balsamic vinager that's fine, but some may add flavorings and the restaurant may add something not safe to their dressing. In addition you should check on that orange juice, unless it was 100% pure juice it could have gluten in some form or another. I hope you feel better soon, I find that pepto bismal (name brand) helps alot with the stomach pain, does nothing for the D but you want that anyway.

The OJ is almost certainly safe.

richard

Balsamic dressing can contain soy sauce. I know the type I preferred to buy (Marie's) does.

I've never seen a balsamic vinegar that itself contained gluten.

Earlier this year I went to Ruby Tuesday's to have the salad bar. I forgot my bottle of dressing so I asked the waitress if she could help me out. She brought out a bottle of balsamic vinegar (can't remember the brand). When I reviewed the ingredients, I definitely remember there being something with gluten in it. I was shocked. I can't remember now but however it was listed was very clearly gluten-might have been barley malt extract but again not sure. Now I always read those labels too. It just never gets easy enough!

yep, I saw one crappy brand at a random store somewhere in my travels (in the US) that had a potentially gluten containing ingredient (no, it wasn't caramel coloring). how's that for unspecific and unhelpful? but that's out of checking *a lot* of bottles (curiosity), so I don't generally consider it a threat. (it was a really really off brand...)

I ate asparagus that I marinated in Balsamic Vinegar last night for dinner. Wow, what a mistake! I have been super sick from about an hour after dinner and all day the next day. I have rencently been diagnosed with Celiac and am getting frustrated with this trial and error stage of learning how to eat all over again after 26 yrs.