The Gluten Guide
A celiac's guide to a gluten-free and dairy-free lifestyle
Is Maggi seasoning sauce gluten free?
recipes, celiac edu

Is Maggi seasoning sauce gluten free?

December 10, 2021

Maggi seasoning sauce is well-loved around the world. Maggi tailors its seasoning sauces to fit for many different markets globally, so there are many variations. We’ll break down each variety here to determine which may be gluten free.

maggi

Maggi FYI from The Spruce Eats

The Maggi company was started in Switzerland in 1884 by Julius Maggi, but was first sold in Germany. Nestlé acquired the Maggi brand in 1947. Many people think that Maggi tastes like lovage, but not all varieties contain the herb. The sauce can be added to soups, noodles, meats, or anything needing an umami depth of flavor. The different varieties of sauces are not exactly interchangable, so a breakdown of Maggi versions by country can help.

maggi

Maggi is made with a base of hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which usually includes hydrolyzed wheat protein. Hydrolyzing means that the proteins have been fermented or processed to break them down into individual amino acids, like glutamic acid. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid.

While hydrolyzed gluten proteins may be safe for celiacs, it’s better to avoid them unless you’d like to take a gamble with a reaction. Some countries, like Mexico, don’t use much wheat in their mass-produced goods, so their versions are most likely to be gluten free. The Polish version also doesn’t contain any obvious gluten.

maggi

Würze doch mal from BP-Creality

German Version (Würze)

  • the original
  • flavor notes: complex and rich, but delicate
  • contains ‘biologically digested wheat protein’ and wheat in the flavorings

Chinese Version

  • the kind most commonly sold in the US
  • flavor notes: fermented-tasting and robust, but with less umami because MSG has been removed
  • contains ‘wheat gluten’, ‘wheat’, and ‘wheat bran’. this is the version most commonly found in the US. Some ingredients labels also include ‘roasted wheat flour’

maggi

L'arôme Maggi from Pinezoe

French Version (Arôme)

  • flavor is similar to the German variety, but slightly more delicate in taste
  • includes ‘hydrolyzed wheat protein’

Mexican Versions:

  • flavor notes: darker, with a more concentrated salty flavor and thicker consistency. doesn’t include MSG

  • Jugo Classic

    • doesn’t contain any obvious wheat ingredients, but provides warning: ‘may contain wheat’

  • Jugo Toreados

    • doesn’t visibly contain any wheat, but does contain ‘hydrolyzed vegetable protein’, which is unidentified

  • Salsa Tipo Inglesa

    • tastes the closest to Worcestershire sauce
    • doesn’t visibly contain any wheat, unless it’s hidden in the flavorings. has a ‘may contain gluten’ warning

  • Jugo Reducido en Sodio (reduced sodium)

    • ‘may contain gluten’ warning, but no obvious ingredients that do

maggi

Savor from Rappler

Filipino Versions:

  • flavor notes: more pronounced garlic seasoning

  • Savor Classic

    • includes ‘biologically hydrolyzed wheat protein’

  • Supreme Sarap

    • includes no obvious gluten ingredients (maybe it’s in the flavorings) but identifies gluten as an allergen

  • Savor Calamansi

    • includes ‘hydrolyzed wheat protein’

  • Savor Chilimansi

    • includes ‘hydrolyzed wheat protein’

  • Savor Hot Chili

    • includes ‘hydrolyzed wheat protein’

maggi

Lovage from Gardening Knowhow

Polish Version (Przyprawa w Plynie)

  • flavor notes: slightly more sour and light
  • doesn’t contain any obvious wheat, but provides this warning: ‘Produced in a factory handling wheat, soy, eggs and milk’
  • contains lovage (the herb)!

Vietnamese Version (Đậu Nành Đậm Đặc)

  • flavor notes: lighter and less salty than most versions, with more sweetness
  • contains ‘fermented wheat extract’

maggi

Bragg's Liquid Aminos

Gluten Free Maggi Alternatives:


* Title image courtesy of Welt.de.

- Further Reading -