Bread crumbs (Rusk)
Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.
Every diet
Made from bread, which is usually vegan; check for milk or egg.
Most are made from wheat; a certified gluten-free version exists.
Bread crumbs are dried starch.
Made from wheat, so they carry the fructans.
Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.
Rules by country
Bread crumbs are a food with no E-number. They carry the allergen status of whatever they were made from, which is why a gluten-free bread crumb has to be made from a certified gluten-free grain and why wheat is declared on the label.
What is it?
Traditional crumbs are made from a baked loaf that has been dried and milled, which is why they carry color and flavor from the crust and can taste slightly stale. The commercial version is more often made from flour, water and salt, dried and milled, and the light, coarse Japanese panko style is made that way too. A 100 gram serving of plain crumbs has about 380 calories and 12 grams of protein.
Where it comes from: Bread that has been dried and milled. Some are made from a baked loaf, while others are made directly from flour with water and salt, which is what panko-style crumbs are.
Why it’s in food
- Coating fried food
- Binding meatballs
- Topping casseroles
- Making stuffing
- Breadcrumbs in meatballs
Often found in
Also listed as: Bread crumbs, Breadcrumbs, Rusk, Panko, Dried bread crumbs, Bread crumb
Health & gut impact
Bread crumbs made from wheat carry a meaningful amount of gluten, and they are a common hidden source for people who are checking a product for celiac disease. A certified gluten-free crumb is made from rice, potato or corn and is labeled as such.
US FDA, food labeling guide for wheat and gluten
Seasoned crumbs are salted, and a seasoned breading can contribute a large share of the sodium in a fried meal even before the food underneath is counted.
USDA FoodData Central, bread crumbs
Bread crumbs are dried starch, so a large portion is refined carbohydrate. The protein and fiber content depends on the flour they were made from, and most commercial crumbs use white flour.
USDA FoodData Central, bread crumbs
What can I use instead?
Related
More flour treatment agents:
Common questions
Are bread crumbs gluten-free?
No, unless the package says so. Ordinary crumbs are made from wheat and carry gluten, and they are one of the easier things to miss when checking a product for celiac disease.
What is the difference between panko and breadcrumbs?
Panko is made from flour and water rather than from a loaf, and it stays light and coarse when fried, giving a crisp coating. Bread crumbs are milled from bread, so they are finer and darker and soak up more oil.
Are bread crumbs vegan?
Usually. Bread is normally vegan, and most plain crumbs are, but some brands add milk powder, egg or butter for the flavor and the binding, so the ingredient list is the check.
Is Bread crumbs safe?
Use in moderation (82/100). Bread crumbs are a food with no E-number. They carry the allergen status of whatever they were made from, which is why a gluten-free bread crumb has to be made from a certified gluten-free grain and why wheat is declared on the label.
Is Bread crumbs vegan?
Yes. Made from bread, which is usually vegan; check for milk or egg.
Is Bread crumbs gluten-free?
Depends. Most are made from wheat; a certified gluten-free version exists.
Spotted a mistake on this page? Report it ›
Scientific sources & regulatory citations
- US FDA, food labeling guide for wheat and gluten
- USDA FoodData Central, bread crumbs