Is Philly steak & cheese seasoned crust stuffed sandwiches Gluten Free?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look at the formulation of processed foods to understand the risks. For these sandwiches, the gluten issue is twofold: it is present in the crust and hidden in the meat seasoning.

The primary offender is the enriched flour listed in the crust ingredients. This is essentially wheat flour. While the package might market a 'seasoned crust,' that seasoning is applied directly to the wheat base. Furthermore, the crust also contains bleached wheat flour and bread crumbs made from wheat, making the outer shell entirely unsafe for those with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Even if you were to remove the crust, the filling is problematic. The cooked beef steak mixture contains a seasoning blend that includes yeast extract and maltodextrin. While maltodextrin can sometimes be derived from corn, the presence of malted barley flour in the crust's enriched flour and the potential for barley-derived yeast extract means gluten is definitely present in the meat mixture as well.

Finally, the dough conditioner blend includes enzymes that are often processed in facilities that handle wheat. However, the main issue remains the direct inclusion of wheat and barley ingredients.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, this is a highly processed convenience food. A single sandwich contains a significant amount of sodium, largely due to the salt in the beef solution, the cheese, and the various seasonings. It also contains modified food starch and dextrose, which are simple carbohydrates that can spike blood sugar levels without providing substantial fiber or nutrients.

The fat content is moderate but comes from sources like palm oil and soybean oil. While it provides protein from the beef and cheese, the presence of preservatives like potassium sorbate and sodium phosphate indicates a shelf-stable formulation typical of ultra-processed foods. It fits the 'occasional treat' category rather than a daily health food.