Meat Glue

I am doing research for a talk and came across an article in the Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: Gastrointestinal Hip or Hype?by Brigid Duffy

This is an excellent article - well worth reading. What stood out for me was the section about microbial tTG or "meat glue": 

"In 2002, researchers from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., reported that gluten contamination is the single biggest culprit in patients who have a poor response to a gluten-free diet (Abdulkarim AS et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2002;97:2016-2021). One of the chief reasons is that an increasing number of food manufacturers and fast-food companies are using microbial tTG, or “meat glue,” as a means to cross-link proteins and give processed meat its desired shape. Even products as seemingly innocuous as turkey bacon might contain this gluten trigger. Moreover, the FDA does not require food companies to list tTG on its labels because the agent is considered a “processing aid.” In these cases, even patients with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity who are the most committed to a gluten-free diet don’t stand a chance."

I will continue to do further research and get back to you with information.