This post, “Is Zyrtec Gluten-Free?” contains an affiliate link.
In this post, I’ll share with you whether or not Zyrtec is gluten-free.
When you inspect the Zyrtec ingredient list (see below), you’ll be at a loss. What in the world is polyethylene glycol and is it gluten-free? I have no clue!
I also don’t know how Zyrtec is manufactured and if cross-contamination is an issue during the manufacturing process.
Unfortunately, Zyrtec is not labeled gluten-free, and you can’t find any information about whether or not it’s gluten-free on its website. Pretty strange if you ask me – especially for an allergy company. Do you see the irony (an allergy company can’t tell me for sure if there are food allergens in its medication)?
So I emailed the company.
Here’s what I wrote:
I use Zyrtec and just wanted to know if your product is gluten-free? I have celiac disease and use your products daily.
Can you also direct me to where this information (and other allergy ingredient information) might be online for others to reference quickly for Zyrtec and other medications you make? I figured as a company that provides allergy relief you might have this information available for people with food allergies too.
Thank you.
Concerned Customer,
Jenny
And this is Johnson and Johnson’s reply:
We appreciate your taking the time out of your day to contact us here at Johnson and Johnson Consumer Inc. regarding our Zyrtec® products.
We are glad to hear that you are a dedicated user of our products, Jenny! Although we don’t add gluten or gluten containing grains to our products, we cannot confirm that the product or any ingredients in Zyrtec® products or other over the counter products are gluten free. Your safety is of great concern to us; therefore, we strongly recommend that you first consult your doctor before using any product if you have a form of gluten intolerance or sensitivity.
Jenny, thank you again for your email. If you have any other comments or questions about our products, please contact us through our website www.zyrtec.com or by phone 1-800-223-0182. Our specialists are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., ET and it will be a pleasure to hear from you.
Wishing you well,
Mariah D.
Consumer Care Center
So basically what Mariah is telling me is that Johnson and Johnson doesn’t know for sure if Zyrtec is gluten-free (ridiculous!), and that I should ask my doctor what to do (as if my doctor knows if there’s gluten in Zyrtec or any of medication for that matter. News flash – doctor’s don’t know and it’s not their job to know, it’s Johnson and Johnson’s job to know!)
Like I said before, does anyone else see the irony in all of this? A company that treats allergies can’t tell me with certainty if the ingredients are free from allergens. It frustrates, angers and disgusts me.
Why can't @Zyrtec, a company that makes allergy medication, tell us if its products are free from allergen, gluten?!Click To TweetNima Sensor to the Rescue!
So I decided to take matters into my own hands and use the Nima Sensor to answer this question, “Is Zyrtec Gluten-Free?,” once and for all!
In case you’re not familiar with it, the Nima Sensor is a nifty little gadget that allows you to test a pea-sized amount of a food product for gluten. The sensor will give you a wheat sign if gluten is present, and a smiley face if it’s gluten-free (or contains less than 20 ppm of gluten, which is the FDA requirement to be considered gluten-free).
You can shop for a Nima Sensor exclusively on Amazon. Get 10% off a Nima Sensor with the code 10GFYSENSOR and 10% off a gluten capsules 10GFYCAPSULE on Amazon. You can apply the discount code on the checkout page where it says, “Add a gift card or promotional code.”
I think of Nima as just another measure you can take to make sure you don’t end up getting glutened. It does have some limitations, however, because you only test a small sample of the food (not the entire dish). It is not a replacement for common sense, checking products with manufacturers and asking your waiter a lot of questions about how your food is prepared.
Before I show you the results, I want to list a few important disclaimers:
- I am not a doctor nor do I dispense medical advice.
- Just because a test comes back positive doesn’t mean all Zyrtec is gluten-free – see below for more information on this.
- I went rogue on the Nima Sensor and tested medication, even though the device “hasn’t been validated” for testing on non-food products, like medicine. I technically eat Zyrtec, so went for it!
- The folks at Nima Sensor sent me a sample kit to test – I have to return it (grrr!!) – but they did send it to me to play with free of charge for a week.
So Is Zyrtec Gluten-Free?
So I put the tablet in the testing capsule and then placed it inside the cute little Nima Sensor.
It was making all sorts of gurgling and crushing sounds… and in about three minutes… I got a smiley face. I just love when Nima smiles at me.
So, according to the Nima Sensor, the Zyrtec tablet I tested is indeed gluten-free. What a relief!!
Now back to my frustration….
I think this little Nima Sensor may be smarter than all the people behind the scenes at Johnson & Johnson, a$65 billion dollar company. Zyrtec is one of the most popular and successful antihistamine medications ever for Johnson & Johnson, yet, all this brain power can’t figure out the importance of getting its products properly made and tested to ensure they don’t contain gluten (and other “allergens” such as dairy, peanuts and shellfish for that matter!).
@JNJNews is a $65 billion co but can't figure out how to create & test @zyrtec to ensure it's gluten-free. Ironic!Click To TweetJohnson & Johnson – if you’re reading this – please please please make sure the ingredients you use in your medication are allergen-free (you do make allergy medication after all) and please make this kind of information more easily available on your product labels and websites.
At least the Nima Sensor has our back (sort of, still trying to understand why Nima isn’t “validated” on medication).
Oh, and I Nima tested three other products you might be enjoying at your Memorial Day BBQs this weekend. In this Facebook Live video below, you’ll find out if Heinz ketchup is gluten-free, if French’s mustard is gluten-free, and finally, if Doritos are gluten-free. Both Heinz and French’s say “gluten-free” on the label, but Doritos doesn’t… but what did Nima have to say? #NimaTested
It’s not approved for that as stated in my article. But I did it anyway.
Hello
I thought Nima sensor can’t detect gluten from medicines and cosmetics ?
The Costco brand is indeed labeled as GF which is great, but be aware that it does have other common allergens that are not in Zyrtec, namely dyes and corn starch.
Thanks for all your hard work and for what it’s worth, here’s my two cents:
My understanding is that if a product is labeled GF, it meets the necessary labeling requirements and can be safely registered as a GF product. If the product is not made in a dedicated GF facility and is used on the same conveyor/processing machines as other gluten containing foods, there is a possibility of cross contamination(EVEN is measures are taken to clean the machines). This is why no company can guarantee their products to be GF if they used shared equipment. A lot of companies have gone the extra mile insuring a safe GF prepping area for which I am extremely grateful. But it is major expense to create that environment. Others aren’t willing to make that investment. That being said, I am still not convinced the NIMA can definitively give a clear cut response using one small piece of food/pill/etc. Who’s to say, the very next bite/piece may have gotten a residual crumb leftover from a machine. Same with restaurant food…the one section tested may be clear, but what if someone in the back dropped a spoon or spatula and a droplet of gluten bounced into it? For a Celiac( and I happen to be a finally-diagnosed-later-in-life Celiac who reacts with a seizure within 15 minutes of ingestion) I can’t take that chance. I use Zyrtec(Cetirizine) and Singulair as my treatment protocol with these episodes. Again, I can’t take the chance on my meds being a ‘maybe’ it’s GF. After much research I have found a generic children’s liquid that specifically states GF on the label. Maneuvering this GF world can be frustrating and tricky, but it IS getting easier than it was when I was diagnosed almost 20 years ago! Happy Safe Eating!
I think it should also be noted that your specific pill, while may be gluten free does not guarantee exactly the rest of Johnson and Johnson’s statement – The cross contamination part – that other pills by the same brand nor generics may be gluten free.
Unfortunately Nima cannot test heavy vinegar solutions. That said, ACV is gluten-free and can safely be consumed by someone with celiac disease. I enjoy it often myself and have no issues (and I’m super sensitive to gluten and celiac). Good luck!
Apple cider vinegar?
Great to know about the Costco brand! I had no idea. Thank you Kimberly!
Thanks for this info! (For what it’s worth, the Costco brand of this med is labeled as GF. I hope that helps.) We are not near a Costco, and we need to buy some. It is so frustrating when the packages are not labeled…especially for an allergy med!!!