Are Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles Gluten-Free?

Sometimes it seems like figuring out which foods are gluten-free requires a decoder ring and keen detective skills. It should be a lot easier, but every once in a while you come across a product that isn't as clear as you'd like. Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles appear to be gluten-free, but the label does not explicitly state that. For anyone with celiac disease, that can be a concern.

What we can say for sure is that the ingredients list does not include wheat or grains. The label says it is 100% bacon cured with water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, and sodium nitrite. Given that none of these are wheat- or grain-based ingredients, it's likely that the bacon crumbles are gluten free, but there is still a small reason for concern.

In order to get a definitive answer, we called Costco customer service to ask if there was any chance of cross contact during the production process. Even though there are no wheat products in bacon crumbles, if the facility that produces them also processes wheat products then cross contact is a risk. The rep told us that if there was any chance of cross contact it would have been mentioned on the label. Based on that, we feel confident suggesting that those with gluten sensitivities are probably safe to eat Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles without fear of negative effects.

Best Choice brand bacon bits have an extensive list of allergens on their website. According to their warnings, the bacon bits may contain wheat products, which would trigger a gluten sensitivity. That doesn't mean the bacon bits are made with gluten, but it means there could have been cross-contamination. So it's not an outlandish concern to wonder if Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles are in the same boat. More products than you might expect aren't gluten-free.

Other sites haven't explicitly confirmed that the bacon crumbles are gluten-free, rather; they lean into the "probably" category. Food is Good states that it's "likely" gluten-free, while the Spoonful App says they believe bacon crumbles to be gluten-free. Commenters on Reddit who have celiac report that they've tried these bacon crumbles and have not had a negative reaction. All of this together, with the assurance from Costco customer service, suggests that you can expect Kirkland's Bacon Crumbles to be gluten free.

When it comes to gluten sensitivities, some people face much higher risks than others. Someone with celiac disease very much needs to know if a product is gluten-free or just gluten-friendly. Good labeling practices help everyone know exactly what they're eating, but we all know that ingredient and nutrition labels can be sparse on specifics. If you're ever in doubt and can't find an answer online, try calling a customer service number. If that's not an option, it's always best to err on the side of caution.