My diet:

Semolina

No E-numberFlour treatment agentsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Semolina is durum wheat.

Gluten-freeNo

Semolina is wheat and contains gluten.

HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Semolina is starch.

Low-FODMAPNo

Durum wheat is high in fructans.

The short answer
Semolina is coarse durum wheat. Durum semolina fails a gluten-free diet, a keto diet and a low-FODMAP diet. It is vegan. The coarse grind is why pasta dough from semolina feels sandy until the water hydrates it.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFlour treatment agents
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledSemolina, Durum semolina

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Semolina is a wheat food, not an E-number. Durum gluten is still gluten. A cornmeal labeled semolina in some languages is a translation trap. This page is the durum product.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Durum berries are milled so the endosperm cracks into gritty pieces rather than a fine flour. Finer durum flour is sometimes called semola rimacinata. Both are durum.

Where it comes from: Semolina is the coarse endosperm of durum wheat. It is yellow because durum is. Pasta, couscous and some puddings start here. It is not cornmeal, even though both can look golden.

Why it’s in food

  • Makes dried pasta
  • Builds couscous
  • Sets a pudding
  • Dusts a pizza peel

Often found in

PastaCouscousPuddingPizzaSome breadsUpma-style savory meals when the bag is actually wheat

Also listed as: Semolina, Durum semolina, Semolina flour, Durum wheat semolina

Health & gut impact

Durum is wheatConcern

A yellow color does not make semolina corn. Durum gluten causes the same celiac injury as other wheat.

Identity of durum semolina

A refined endospermConcern

Standard semolina is sifted endosperm, so it raises blood sugar more like white flour than like a whole berry.

Milling of durum wheat

What can I use instead?

Wheat flour

Ratio: A finer wheat flour for bread and cakes

Best for: Loaves

Corn flour

Ratio: The gluten-free yellow flour people sometimes confuse with semolina

Best for: Gluten-free cooking

Related

More flour treatment agents:

Almond flourAlmond flour is ground almonds. Almond flour is vegan, and the nut itself contains no gluten. It is one of the few baking flours that fits a keto pattern. Large servings are high FODMAP because almonds are.Generally safeAlpha-amylaseAlpha-amylase is the enzyme that clips starch so bread can rise and brown. Baked goods often list it only as enzymes. Fungal amylase is gluten-free. Amylase from barley malt is not.Generally safeAzodicarbonamide (ADA) E927aAzodicarbonamide (ADA, E927a) is a dough conditioner that's banned in the EU but still legal in US bread. Baking turns some of it into semicarbazide, a possible carcinogen, so it's one to avoid.Best to avoidBarleyBarley is a gluten grain with a low glycemic index when it is eaten as the whole or pearled berry. The barley berry fails a gluten-free diet, a keto diet and a low-FODMAP diet. It is vegan. Sprouted barley is the start of malt, which is a different ingredient line.Generally safe

Common questions

Is semolina gluten-free?

No. It is durum wheat.

Is semolina corn?

No. Cornmeal is corn. Semolina is wheat, even when a translated label uses a similar word.

Is Semolina safe?

Use in moderation (74/100). Semolina is a wheat food, not an E-number. Durum gluten is still gluten. A cornmeal labeled semolina in some languages is a translation trap. This page is the durum product.

Is Semolina vegan?

Yes. Semolina is durum wheat.

Is Semolina gluten-free?

No. Semolina is wheat and contains gluten.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Identity of durum semolina
  • Milling of durum wheat