Is Robert Rothschild Roasted Pineapple and Habanero Glaze & Finishing Sauce Gluten Free?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look beyond the main flavors to the stabilizers and processing aids, and this is where the story gets complicated. The primary ingredients—Roasted Pineapple and Mango Concentrate—are naturally gluten-free and provide the sweet base for the habanero kick. However, the texture is maintained using Xanthan Gum. While xanthan gum is typically gluten-free (it is a fermented sugar), it is a common thickener that requires careful sourcing to ensure no cross-contamination occurred during its production.

The most critical aspect of this product is not what is in the jar, but where it is made. The label explicitly states the product is manufactured in a facility that processes milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and/or wheat. In the food industry, shared equipment and shared production lines are standard practice in large facilities. Even if wheat isn't an active ingredient, airborne flour or shared conveyor belts can easily transfer gluten proteins to the sauce. Therefore, despite the absence of wheat in the ingredient list, the facility warning renders it unsafe for a gluten-free diet.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, this sauce is designed as a flavor enhancer rather than a health food. A serving size is listed as 2 tablespoons (though the text indicates 'about 32' servings per container, which suggests a large jar), containing 70 calories. The fat content is negligible at 0g, which is excellent for those monitoring lipid intake. However, the calorie count is derived almost entirely from sugars. Given the presence of roasted pineapple and mango concentrate, the sugar content is likely high (usually 10-15g per serving). This fits into a diet as an occasional indulgence, but it is not suitable for low-carb or keto diets due to the sugar load.