Assessment of theoretical gluten exposure in the Chinese population

Abstract

In recent years, the widespread attention to gluten-free foods has led many countries to establish limits for gluten contamination in such foods. However, there is a paucity of research on gluten intake related to the diets of Chinese populations. This study aimed to estimate the level of theoretical dietary exposure to gluten and the potential health risks in the Chinese context. We used a scenario hypothesis methodology that assumed gluten contents of gluten-free alternatives for possible gluten-containing foods of 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg and used data from the 2018 Survey on Food Consumption of Chinese Residents. Our results show that gluten levels not exceeding 20 mg/kg would lead to gluten exposure that remains below 50 mg per day for all groups, stratified by sex and age, that we studied. We recommend adopting a gluten content threshold of 20 mg/kg for gluten-free foods in China.