Oat vary among oat varieties. Also, oats products are frequently cross-contaminated with other gluten-containing cereals during grain harvesting, transport, storage or processing. Pure oats contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten from wheat, barley, rye, or any of their hybrids. Use of pure oats in a gluten-free diet offers improved nutritional value from the rich content of oat protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and lipids, but remains controversial because a small proportion of people with celiac disease react to pure oats. Some cultivars of pure oat could be a safe part of a gluten-free diet, requiring knowledge of the oat
Gluten-free diet Manufacturing Practices and allergen control measures adopted are not sufficient to prevent the presence of accidental trace amounts. When a product contains the warning of cross-contamination with wheat, rye, barley, oats and their hybridised strains, the warning "contains gluten" is mandatory. The law does not establish a gluten threshold for the declaration of its absence. Health Canada considers that foods containing levels of gluten not exceeding 20 ppm as a result of contamination, meet the health and safety intent of section B.24.018 of the Food and Drug Regulations when a gluten-free claim is made. Any intentionally added gluten, even at