There’s a lot of misinformation about whether or not envelopes contain gluten and are safe for someone on a gluten-free diet to lick. In this post, I’ll get to the bottom of this rumor once and for all. Please see my disclosures.
Gluten hides in a lot of sneaky places, ready to make someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance sick.
Gluten is a sticky protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats, and it hides in various foods, like soy sauce and licorice, as well as in toothpaste, make-up, lip balms, hand sanitizer, and sunscreen.
Knowing that gluten is found in so many products, you might be wondering if you might accidentally ingest gluten by licking an envelope or stamp.
I did a little digging and hope to squash this rumor once and for all.
What is an Envelope Made Of?
According to the Envelope Manufacturers Association (EMA), “Remoistenable adhesives are derived from corn starch and do not contain wheat or rye gluten.” This seems pretty clear cut to me.
If you’re still worried, don’t lick the envelope to seal it. Instead. use a damp sponge to moisten the envelope and then press the flap down to seal the glue to the other side. Or, simply buy self-adhesive envelopes.
As for postage stamps, 98 percent of stamps are made with self-adhesive glue, so there’s nothing to lick anyway. The remaining stamps do not contain gluten in the glue, according to the USPS.
Bottom Line: There’s no gluten in envelopes or stamps. I’d be more worried about the saliva in your mailbox than gluten. Make sure you’re aware of these hidden sources of gluten instead.
Do you have a source we can link to?
A friend of mine with severe celiac disease just got very sick from licking an envelope. Even if the glue doesn’t contain it, apparently some manufactures use wheat flour to dry the glue, so envelopes (and stamps) may not be gluten free, especially since corn starch is often cross contaminated by being processed on machines, or in plants, that also process wheat flour.
It’s very unlikely but if you’re worried just wet an envelope with a sponge.
Hmmmm, but cornstarch can be cross contaminated? For example, I get sick from things made with non-GF cornstarch: powdered sugar and marshmallows. So why wouldn’t non-GF cornstarch used for envelope glue have a similar chance of cross contamination? Thank you for clarifying.