Is oat milk gluten free?

What the sources tell us

Oat milk is made from oats, and the Gluten Intolerance Group says it should be judged the same way as whole oats. Oats are inherently gluten-free, the group explains, but there is a significant risk of cross-contact with gluten-containing grains while oats are grown, transported, stored and processed.[5]

For that reason the group says oats and oat milk should not be consumed unless they are labeled gluten-free under FDA rules or, for more assurance, certified by GFCO. A certified oat milk has to be made with oats that meet the GFCO certification standard.[5]

The National Celiac Association recommends choosing only oat milk that is labeled or certified gluten-free. It adds that products certified by a third party are usually tested more rigorously than those that only carry a gluten-free label.[6]

The association also points out that the FDA limit of less than 20 parts per million is a concentration, not an amount. It cites an estimate that 8 ounces of a drink at 20 ppm would hold almost 5 milligrams of gluten. In its view a splash in coffee or some in cereal is probably ok, while drinking oat milk as a beverage will likely add a significant amount of gluten.[6]

Apart from cross-contact, the association notes that a small subset of people with celiac disease react to avenin, the protein in oats. Both groups suggest checking with a doctor before adding oats or oat milk.[6][5]

The GFCO list includes Oatmilk Original 64 oz CH from OATLY, Milked Oats from Elmhurst, Barista Oat Milk from Minor Figures and Oat Milk Unsweetened from Edenesque, Inc.[1][2][3][4]