Gluten-Free
Question
There is a lot of gluten free bread on the market now that is made mostly from rice, tapioca, or potato flour or combinations thereof. The blessing is Shehakol and some of the Jewish brands make no secret of that. But it has the look of regular wheat bread, and without a label, no one knows the difference. I use it for medical reasons, but I know others who use it for the convenience of not having to wash or bentsch. For reasons or morat ayin, would one be forbidden from eating this publicly without washing?
Answers
Even though your concerns about Marit Ayin are well-founded, I think that it would be incorrect for someone to wash their hands ritually (even without reciting any Brachot) as it is giving a false impression to those around them.
Due to the general awareness of gluten-free products today and the fact that most people are familiar with the various ailments that cause people to have to eat them, I think that the best thing to do is for the person eating the bread to explain to those around him that it is gluten free, and that is why he is not washing his hands and reciting Birkat Hamazon afterward.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team