Thursday, December 24, 2009

Pepsi-Cola

I emailed Pepsi-Cola and this was their response concerning their products and gluten:


Dear Renee,

Thank you for contacting us at Pepsi-Cola.

Here at Pepsi, we use only ingredients that are fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration and deemed safe-for-use in foods.

There is no gluten in any carbonated soft drink produced by Pepsi-Cola Company in North America. Please check out
www.pepsiproductfacts.com for additional ingredient information on our other beverages.

I hope this information is helpful. Thanks again for your interest in our products.

Stephanie White
Consumer Relations Representative

012196229A

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Coca Cola Company

I emailed Coca Cola to see if they could send me a list of gluten free products. What a nice list they sent me! Check it out:

We are able to confirm that, in the U.S., the following products are gluten free:

All 100% juice products (without added ingredients)
Aquarius Spring!
Barq's root beer
caffeine free Barq's root beer
diet Barq's root beer
diet Barq's Red Creme Soda
Caribou Iced Coffee (all flavors)
cherry Coke
Diet Cherry Coke
Cherry Coke zero
Coca-Cola
caffeine free Coca-Cola classic
Coca-Cola Zero
DASANI
DASANI Lemon
DASANI Plus Refresh and Revive
DASANI Plus Cleanse and Restore
DASANI Essence
Diet Coke
Diet Coke Plus
caffeine free Diet Coke
Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda
Diet Coke with Lime
Enviga Sparkling Berry Green Tea
Enviga Sparkling Green Tea
Fanta Grape, Fanta Orange
Fanta Orange Zero
Fresca
FUZE (all flavors)
Gold Peak Lemon Iced Tea
Minute Maid Lemonade
Minute Maid Light Lemonade
Minute Maid Multi-Vitamin Orange Juice
Minute Maid Pomegranate Blueberry
Minute Maid Pomegranate Lemonade
Minute Maid Pomegranate Flavored Tea
Minute Maid Juice Bars (Orange, Cherry and Grape)
NESTEA Sweetened Lemon Tea
Diet NESTEA Lemon
NESTEA Red Tea
NESTEA Citrus Green Tea
Diet NESTEA Citrus Green Tea
NOS Energy Drinks
POWERADE Grape
POWERADE Mountain Blast
POWERADE Zero (all flavors)
POWERADE with ION4 (all flavors)
Rehab
Simply Orange Juice Medium Pulp with Calcium Country Stand
Simply Orange with Mango
Simply Orange with Pineapple
Simply Apple
Simply Grapefruit
Simply Lemonade
Simply Limeade
Simply Lemonade with Raspberry
Sprite
Diet Sprite Zero
vanilla Coke
Vanilla Coke Zero
VIO Vibrancy Drinks


We are able to confirm that, in Canada, the following products are gluten free:

Coca-Cola Classic
Coca-Cola Classic Caffeine Free
Coca-Cola with Lime
Coca-Cola Zero
Barq's Root Beer
caffeine free Barq's Root Beer
Barq's Diet Root Beer
Barq's Diet Red Creme Soda
Diet Coke
Diet Coke with Lime
Diet Coke Caffeine Free
Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda
Sprite
Diet Sprite Zero
Fresca
DASANI Lemon
Minute Maid Light Lemonade
Simply Lemonade
Simply Limeade
POWERADE Berry Blitz
100% juice products (without added ingredients) are gluten free.

We can tell you that all of our other products meet the Codex definition of gluten free. Codex is in the process of reviewing this standard and we are monitoring the progress closely.

Should you require information on another product, please send us your question in an
email.

For additional assistance, you may also contact our
Consumer Affairs office by calling (800) 438-2653.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Land O'Lakes Vanilla Ice Cream

Here is reply email from Land O' Lakes regarding their ice cream specifically.


Thank you for your recent e-mail. Your interest in LAND O LAKES Vanilla Ice Cream is greatly appreciated.

LAND O LAKES Vanilla Ice Cream is gluten free; however we must state that there is always a chance of cross contaimination from ingredients that we get from outside suppliers.

We value your opinion and will make sure that the management team is aware of your comments.


Wendy Hiller
Consumer Response Representative

000633639A

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Land O' Lakes Products

This isn't entirely helpful, but this is all Land o' Lakes has on their website:

Do LAND O LAKES® Products contain gluten?


Land O'Lakes, Inc. strives to provide complete and accurate ingredient information on its labels. For any specific product, we feel the best source of this information is the product ingredient listing on the package. To date, the FDA and USDA have not defined the term "gluten-free." To the best of our knowledge, the ingredients in our natural dairy products (e.g., natural cheese and butter) do not contain gluten.

Monday, December 14, 2009

McCormick Spices and Herbs

McCormick is a leading brand in spices, herbs, food colorings, extracts, etc. Here is a link to their Q & A page concerning gluten.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Campbell's

Go to Campbell's website and click on the third question down on the list. There you will find a list of their products which contain no gluten. Hurrah!

Caramel Coloring: Is it Gluten Free?

Question: Is Caramel Coloring Gluten Free?
Answer:

Here's the bottom-line answer (right on top): the experts say that yes, caramel coloring is gluten-free.

There is a lot of confusion about this issue, and this answer might contradict what you have heard or read in the past. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.), in its rules on color additives, says the color additive caramel can be derived from the following food-grade carbohydrates: dextrose, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, molasses, starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof, or sucrose. Barley malt -- which is the most common kind of malt -- would make a product off-limits to people with celiac disease.

BUT registered dietitian Shelley Case, who is on the medical advisory board of the Celiac Disease Foundation, the Gluten Intolerance Group, and the Canadian Celiac Association, told me that gluten-containing ingredients are no longer used to make caramel coloring in North America, and from my own correspondence with major manufacturers of caramel color that indeed seems to be the case. While gluten-containing ingredients can be used in the production of caramel color, North American companies are now using glucose from corn, or sometimes sucrose (table sugar). In Europe, Shelley says, companies use glucose syrup that's derived from wheat starch, but the caramel color is highly processed and contains no gluten.

Therefore, Shelley says, "Caramel color is an acceptable ingredient on the gluten-free diet and does not need to be restricted."


Taken from About.com-Nancy Lapid

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Catelli Pasta Sauce (Canada)

Dear Ms. ____,

Thank you for visiting our website.

As per your inquiry, all of our Catelli Pasta Sauces distributed in Canada, with the exception of Catelli Meat Sauce, are all gluten free. Please note that we would be pleased to mail to your home address a copy of our HEINZ ALLERGENIC & SENSITIVE INGREDIENT DOCUMENT. We trust this document will assist you with your quest for allergen information. We kindly ask that you provide us with your complete mailing address. Upon receipt of this information we will promptly forward the document in question.

Sincerely,

Michelle Altmid
Consumer Services
Heinz Canada

Canadian Heinz Products

Wow! What a helpful email from Heinz Canada! Here is their reply email:


October 5, 2009

Dear Renee,

Thank you for your interest in Heinz Products. We certainly understand how difficult it can be to find foods that meet the requirements of a restricted diet.

As you requested, the following is a listing of all of our products that do NOT have gluten containing ingredients. The Classico products sold in Canada are produced here in the US, and would be free of gluten. If the product you asked about is not on this list, then it may contain gluten containing ingredients. Also, please note that recipes can change without notice. Therefore, we recommend you always check the ingredient statement on the label.

HEINZ PRODUCTS:
Heinz BBQ Sauces (Original, Chicken & Rib, Garlic, Honey Garlic Only)
Heinz Chili Sauce
Heinz Cocktail Sauce
Heinz Horseradish Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Heinz Organic Ketchup
Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup
Heinz No-Sodium Added Ketchup
Heinz Hot & Spicy Ketchup
Heinz Mustard (All Varieties)
Heinz Pickles (All Varieties)
Heinz Peppers (All Varieties)
Heinz Relish (All Varieties)
Heinz Sloppy Joe Sauce
Heinz Tartar Sauce
Heinz Traditional Steak Sauce
Heinz Worcestershire Sauce
Heinz Vegetarian Beans
Heinz Distilled White Vinegar
Heinz Red Wine Vinegar
Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
Heinz Apple Cider Flavored Vinegar
Heinz Red Wine Vinegar
Heinz Garlic Wine Vinegar

Jack Daniel's BBQ Sauces (Original #7, Honey Smokehouse, Hickory Brown Sugar, Spicy BBQ Only)
Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader -- Teriyaki Variety
Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader -- Garlic & Herb Variety
Jack Daniel's Steak Sauce (Both Varieties)
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
Lea & Perrins Traditional Steak Sauce
TGI Fridays Salsa (All Varieties)

CLASSICO PRODUCTS:
Classico Red Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Alfredo Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Pesto Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Bruschetta (All Varieties)

DELIMEX PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
1769600012 Taquitos, 36 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600018 Tamales, 12 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600019 Tamales, 12 ct. Delimex Chicken & Cheese
1769600024 Tamales, 6 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600028 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600029 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600048 Taquitos, 36 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600095 Taquitos, 12 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600096 Taquitos, 12 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600155 Tamales, 15 ct. Costco Beef
1769600159 Tamales, 20 ct. Delimex Beef, Costco
1769600180 Taquitos, 60 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600186 Taquitos, 60 ct. Sam's Club Beef
1769600214 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex 3-Cheese
1769600565 Tamales, 20 ct. Beef, Sam's Club
1769600684 Taquitos, 66 ct. Costco Beef
1769600685 Taquitos, 66 ct. Costco Chicken

ORE-IDA PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
13120XXXXX- ALL VARIETIES of Ore-Ida® Tater Tots®
1312001879 Ore-Ida® ABC Tater Tots®
1312000080 Ore-Ida Golden Patties® (9 ct.)
1312000258 Ore-Ida® Golden Fries® (32 oz.)
1312000278 Ore-Ida® Golden Fries® (5 lb.)
1312000286 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (32 oz.)
1312000291 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (5 lb.)
1312000296 Ore-Ida® Pixie Crinkles (26 oz.)
1312000377 Ore-Ida® Cottage Fries (32 oz.)
1312000392 Ore-Ida® Southern Style Hash Browns (32 oz.)
1312000428 Ore-Ida® Country Style Steak Fries (28 oz.)
1312000455 Ore-Ida® Zesty Twirls (28 oz.)
1312000469 Ore-Ida® Potatoes O'Brien (28 oz.)
1312000647 Ore-Ida® French Fries (8 lb.)
1312000654 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (6 lb.)
1312000784 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Cut Russets®
1312000785 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Cut Sweet Potatoes®
1312000786 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Three Cheese Potatoes®
1312000787 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Garlic Seasoned Potatoes®
1312000483 Ore-Ida® Golden Twirls® (28 oz.)
1312000484 Ore-Ida® Zesties® (2 lb.)
1312000800 Ore-Ida® Steak Fries® (28 oz.)
1312000801 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (5 lb)
1312000828 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (28 oz.)
1312000829 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (40 oz.)
1312000833 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (30 oz.)
1312000854 Ore-Ida® Hash Browns (5 lb.)
1312000862 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (6 lb.)
1312001012 Ore-Ida® Potato Wedges with Skins (24 oz.)
1312001036 Ore-Ida® Crispers® (20 oz.)
1312001176 Ore-Ida® Waffle Fries® (22 oz.)
1312001190 Ore-Ida® Steak Fries® (3.75 lb.)
1312001260 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Crinkle Cut (26 oz.)
1312001280 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Seasoned Crinkle Cut® (26 oz.)
1312001417 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries (26 oz.)
1312001461 Ore-Ida® Country Fries (30 oz.)
1312001492 Ore-Ida® Fast Food Fries (4 lb.)
1312008564 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (8 lb.)
1312008572 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (8 lb.) CLUB

SMART ONES PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
2580002011 Smart Ones Broccoli & Cheddar Potatoes
2580002247 Smart Ones Lemon Herb Chicken Piccata
2580002254 Smart Ones Fiesta Chicken
2580002360 Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice & Beans
2580002904 Smart Ones Creamy Tuscan Chicken
2580002907 Smart Ones Grilled Chicken in Garlic Herb Sauce
2580002915 Smart Ones Home-Style Chicken
2580002918 Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe

Again, we appreciate you taking the time to contact us. If you need further information, feel free to call us at this toll-free number (1-800-255-5750). Our offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM, Eastern Time.

Heinz Consumer Resource Center
Heinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com

P.S. - For your convenience, here's a recipe for a barbecue sauce without gluten-containing ingredients:

Heinz Ketchup Basic Barbecue Sauce

½ cup Heinz Tomato Ketchup
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

In saucepan, combine all ingredients.
Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Brush ribs or chicken with sauce during last 10 minutes of grilling or broiling.

Makes about ¾ cup of sauce.

Monday, October 5, 2009

How To Store Homemade Gluten Free Bread

I was just starting out on this adventure of Gluten Free shopping when I ran into someone who was more knowledgeable than I. Her husband had Celiac Disease and she was quite helpful to me and gave me quite a few hints.

One of those hints I will share with you now: How to Store Gluten Free Bread

Most of you will most likely make your own bread, either in a bread machine or with a heavy duty mixer. Or maybe even with a hand held Kitchen Aid mixer. You'll bake it and let it cool. Then because it smells so good, maybe you'll eat a slice. But then what? GF bread is always so crumbly after the first day, how do you store it?

This is what has worked the best for my family:

You'll need a gallon sized zip lock plastic bag, wax paper, a cutting board for GF bread, and a bread knife.

Slice up your GF bread. Cut out rectangles about the size of your bread slices from the wax paper. Place one of the heels of bread in your plastic bag, then a piece of your wax paper, continue to alternate with the bread and wax paper until you are done. Seal the bag. Place in freezer.
Now you have bread that is ready by the slice. Simply place in toaster or toaster oven when ready to eat.

If you want a slice of bread that is warm and moist, but have only frozen slices? Check it out and try it!:

Place slice of bread on microwave safe plate. Place a small piece of paper towel, just barely sprinkled with water. Lay it over the slice of bread and microwave for about 15-20 seconds. Turn bread over and microwave for about another 7-10 seconds. The times will vary and you may have to experiment a few times to get it right. But the end result should produce a slice of bread like it just came out of the oven! yum!

A Peek at my Pantry

So I find it helpful when I see what others do and what they have in their fridge and pantry. That way I get a better handle on what I'm up against and it gives me more confidence. If you are like this keep reading.

I will list what I usually keep in my pantry and shelves. Then further down I will type out what I keep in my fridge. If it helps you to know, I am on a budget and I try to get what is cheapest but also what is healthy; a good balance of both.

In My Pantry:

Flour:

Sorghum Flour
Tapioca (Starch) Flour
White Rice Flour
Cornstarch
Potato Starch Flour
Potato Flour
Sweet Rice Flour
Featherlight Flour Mix
French Bread/Pizza Mix

Cereal:

Panda Puffs
Gorilla Munch
Various GF Chex varieties
Some Gluten containing cereal for the rest of the family

Other Baking Products:

Guar Gum
Unflavored Gelatin
Egg Replacer

Salt

Baking Powder
Baking Soda

Vanilla Flavoring/Extract

Dry Milk Powder
Hershey's Baking Cocoa
An off brand of chocolate chips

Brown Sugar
White Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Light Corn Syrup

Raisins
Craisins
Shredded Coconut

Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Crisco

Various kinds of Rice
GF Pasta
Potatos
Onions
Squash

Pudding Mix
Canned Black beans
Canned Tomatoes
Tomato Paste
Pasta Sauce
Canned Stir Fry Veggies
Tuna
Salmon
Canned Fruit
Black Olives

Chips
Crackers
Fruit Snacks

Peanut Butter
Honey

Chicken Bouillon


In The Freezer:

Almond Meal/Flour
Quinoa Flour
Brown Rice Flour
Ground Flax Seed
Corn Meal
Flax Seed

Yeast

Juice

Veggies
Fruit

Homemade Sliced Bread
Brown Rice Tortillas

Ice Cream

Hormel Pepperoni
Hormel Canadian Bacon
Meat
GF Chicken Nuggets


In The Refrigerator:

Milk
Juice
Water

Jelly/Jam
Butter

Salad Dressings
La Choy Lite Soy Sauce (Cheaper than Tamari)
Heinz Worcestershire Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Miracle Whip
Mustard
Pickle Relish
Pickles

Beef Bouillon

Eggs
Yogurt
Cheese
Deli Meat

Leftovers

Applesauce
Vegetables
Fruit

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

ConAgra Foods

A reply email from ConAgra Foods in response to my questions about gluten and their products (I have highlighted in bold what is immediately helpful):

September 16, 2009

Dear Mrs. ____,

Your communication concerning our products was most welcome. We appreciate comments and questions from our consumers.

Unfortunately, we are not able to guarantee that our products ingredients are gluten-free, since the source of an ingredient may change from time to time. We understand how difficult it can be finding foods that meet the requirements of a restricted diet, and we continue to look for ways to meet the dietary needs of our consumers.

Please be aware that although ConAgra Foods cannot certify products to be gluten-free, we can assist you by affirming that a product has been formulated without commonly known gluten containing ingredients.
The flour used in our products is often wheat flour and should be avoided by individuals with gluten sensitivities. Some fermented or distilled products, such as vinegar, may be derived from wheat. We suggest you speak with your physician to determine if you need to avoid distilled products derived from wheat, rye, barley, or oats. We always advise consumers who may have sensitivities to recheck the ingredient list on each package. Products are oftentimes reformulated and the ingredients may change. If Natural Flavors, Artificial Flavors, or Spices listed in the ingredients list contain wheat, oat, barley, or rye, these ingredients would be listed in parenthesis immediately following the ingredient.

Thank you so much for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in our fine products.

Sincerely,

Heather
Consumer Affairs
Ref: 052614845A

Friday, September 11, 2009

Ragu

Here is a reply email from Ragu. I have highlighted in bold what is conveniently important.


Hello Renee,

Thanks for writing!
You may call 1-800328-7248 to speak with a customer service representative.

Common ingredients that may contain gluten are rye, wheat, oats and barley, and noodles and pasta prepared with any of the previously mentioned grains. HVP, TVP, flavorings, are likely to contribute gluten as well, however, if they contain any gluten, the source would always be listed in the ingredient statements.

Since product formulations change from time to time, we do not have a printed list of products that identifies those products that contain specific allergens or gluten.
The best advice we can give you is to check the ingredient list on the label. Ingredients allergens as defined by FDA: peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, seafood, wheat, eggs, and milk or dairy, as well as any ingredient that may contain gluten are always listed on the label.

Therefore, WE SUGGEST READING ALL INGREDIENT LABELS CAREFULLY.

We hope this information is helpful!

Kind regards,
Your friends at Ragu
VC

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Dining Out

Ask Shelley Case: Eating Out - Resources & Tips

September 6th, 2009

Question: I just got diagnosed with celiac disease and my two children also have food allergies. Can you give me any tips on eating out safely… and easily?

Answer: Eating out can be a real challenge, especially when you are first learning about the gluten-free diet, so I recommend mastering the basics of the diet before venturing out to eat in restaurants. But once you’re ready to eat, there are a growing number of restaurants that are gluten-free (GF) friendly. Many have a GF menu or they’re willing to make adaptations and substitutions in order to meet the needs of the GF customer. Also it’s exciting to see initiatives like the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) from the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) that includes educational and training materials for restaurants and their staff. Once they meet specific criteria they are listed on the GFRAP website so that individuals can search participating restaurants in North America by restaurant name or city and type of cuisine. Check out www.glutenfreerestaurants.org

There are many other great resources to help you eat out and travel safely:

1. The Celiac Scene™ features a free database and downloadable maps of restaurants that locals with celiac disease trust in cities across the USA and Canada. Owned and updated by an individual with celiac disease. Many restaurants bear the special symbol of the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program.

2. Glutenfreeonthego.com is another free online global directory of over 6000 GF listings of restaurants, bakeries, hotels, resorts, spas, cruises and more. Recommendations are submitted by individuals with celiac disease or others following a GFD, as well as individual GF eating establishments.

3. Glutenfreepassport.com has a variety of resources on safe GF travel and dining. One is a great book called Let’s Eat Out with Celiac and Food Allergies that provides practical information on eating out in regular and ethnic restaurants. It includes 7 international cuisines with hundreds of menus items showcasing common ingredients, hidden allergens and food preparation techniques used by chefs and restaurants. In addition they have cuisine specific pocket size guides that include sample menus, menu dish descriptions, preparation techniques, quick reference guides and questions to ask to ensure safe meals. Another handy resource is the multi-lingual phrase pocket guide that has over 1200 translations from English to French, Spanish, German and Italian. The phrases include dining requests, ingredients, specific preparation requests, sample menus and over 300 health phrases in 4 languages. They have also just released new iPhone/iPod touch applications for some of their resources.

Listen to my podcast (scroll down to podcast #3) with Kim Koeller, co-author of “Let’s Eat Out: Your Passport to Living Gluten-Free and Allergy-Free.” It features an informative discussion on Kim’s newly released revised edition on eating out in regular and ethnic restaurants around the world and tips to eat out safely.

4. Triumph Dining has an Essential GF Restaurant Guide that features over 5000 restaurants across the US listed in a state by state directory and every listing is verified and updated each year by an individual with celiac disease. And the Guide has 80 GF lists from various chain restaurants. Triumph Dining also has laminated wallet sized dining cards for 10 different cuisines. One side of the card is in English and the other side in the foreign language.

5. Bob and Ruth’s Gluten-Free Dining and Travel Club is a company specializing in assisting individuals on a GFD. They offer escorted GF getaways to resorts, on cruises and tours of exotic places all over the world. All the arrangements are taken care of and you can eat safely in these various locations with fellow gluten-free travelers while enjoying a wonderful vacation. My husband and I booked a one week trip with Bob and Ruth a few years ago to the Caribbean. We stayed at the Club Med and not only was the food fantastic and safe, but we met so many nice people.

Here are a few tips for a safe and successful dining experience for those with celiac disease, as well as any intolerance or dietary restriction:

1. Call the restaurant the day before or earlier in the day and ask to speak to the chef or manager to discuss meal options. They can often substitute other ingredients or create an alternative menu or menu item.

2. If possible try to avoid peak meal times. Dining early or late will allow more time and easier access to the staff that can answer questions and usually accommodate special needs.

3. Explain your dietary restrictions briefly. The terms celiac disease is still often unfamiliar to many to those in the food service industry. So I often find it easier to explain that you have a serious food allergy and will get very sick if your order is not handled properly. Indicate that you must not have any foods or ingredients containing gluten which means no items made with wheat flour, breading, croutons, etc. It often helps to ask to speak to the manager or chef to make sure the order gets placed properly and prepared safely.

4. No matter whether the restaurant has a special GF menu or some GF items on the menu, it is still essential to ask specific questions. You need to inquire about cooking methods, specific ingredients that are in the item and how it is served.

5. Request that your food be prepared on a clean grill or in a clean pan. If this is a problem, suggest cooking it on clean aluminum foil.

6. When they bring your meal make sure you ask again if this is the special meal and were your instructions followed.

7. Don’t forget to thank the server, chef and manager. Leave a generous tip for good service and patronize the restaurant again.

Tips adapted from Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide by Shelley Case and Restaurant Dining by the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Gluten Free Alcohol

Article from About.com:

There's plenty of gluten-free alcohol that's safe for people with celiac disease. Celiacs used to be told to avoid all grain alcohols -- for example, vodka, whiskey, rye whiskey, scotch -- but now the prevailing opinion is this:

Grain alcohols are safe for celiacs because gluten doesn't survive the distillation process.

(Distillation is the process of purifying a liquid, first by heating it so that it vaporizes and then by cooling and condensing the vapor and collecting the resulting liquid.)

An important exception is beer, which is not usually gluten free, because it's made from barley and is not distilled. In the past few years, gluten-free beers have come on the market, which has been a great breakthrough for celiacs. (See Where to Find Beers without Gluten.)

The Canadian Celiac Association, for example, says "Distilled alcoholic beverages such as gin, vodka, scotch whisky and rye whiskey are made from the fermentation of wheat, barley or rye. Since they are distilled, they do not contain prolamins [a component of the gluten protein] and are allowed unless otherwise contraindicated. Beer and ale, usually made from barley, may contain 1 to 2 mg of prolamins per pint (570 mL) and therefore is not allowed."

The European Food Safety Authority believes that "proteins and peptides are not carried over into the distillate during a properly controlled distillation process, at least not in amounts higher than 1 mg/L for total proteins and 0.4 mg/kg for gluten. The Panel considers that distillates made from cereals are unlikely to trigger a severe allergic reaction in susceptible individuals." (See How Much Gluten is Safe?)

The Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign of the National Institutes of Health also agrees that "a cocktail made with distilled alcohol is safe" for people with celiac disease.

Distilled alcholic beverages with added flavoring are not necessarily gluten-free. You'll have to check with the manufacturer.

Many people with celiac disease nevertheless react badly to grain alcohols and prefer to avoid them. These individuals can still have tequila (made from the agave cactus), rum (from sugar cane), vodka made from potato or corn, and wine or champagne -- as long as there are no added flavorings.

For lists of gluten-free alcoholic products and beverage recipes:

  • Triumph Dining has a good list of gluten-free alcohol products.
  • Mike's Bar (run by a bartender whose sister has celiac disease) has reports from distillers on the gluten-free status of their products, plus other useful information.

Sources:

Acceptability of Grains and Other Foods. Canadian Celiac Association. [Accessed August 22, 2009] http://www.celiac.ca/Articles/Fall1990-1.html

European Food Safety Authority: Opinion of the Panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies [NDA] related to a notification from CEPS on cereals used in distillates for spirits, pursuant to Article 6 paragraph 11 of Directive 2000/13/EC Question number: EFSA-Q-2006-143. [Accessed August 22, 2009] http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178621165520.htm

How Much Gluten Is Too Much?

Article from About.com:

Question:
How much gluten is too much?
Answer: The amount of tolerable gluten varies among people with celiac disease. In general, research has suggested that a daily gluten intake of less than 10 milligrams (mg) is unlikely to cause significant damage to the intestines in most people with celiac disease (although these small amounts could still be enough to make a person feel unwell).

To put that into perspective, a dime weighs about 2,200 mg (2.2 g). Tricia Thompson, RD, an authority on celiac disease, explains that a one-ounce slice of regular white bread has approximately 3,515 mg of gluten, or 351 times the maximum daily amount that’s safe for celiacs. So basically, a crumb is too much.

However, this does not mean you can go cut a slice of bread into 350 little crumbs and then eat one, because even if you're otherwise gluten-free, odds are good that you're still getting at least some gluten every day anyway. In most parts of the world, regulations say that to be labeled gluten-free, a product can contain up to 20 parts per million of gluten (equivalent to about 20 mg per kilo). As Tricia Thompson points out, even a slice of gluten-free bread contains a little over 1/2 mg of gluten.

Sources:

Akobeng AK, Thomas AG. Systematic review: tolerable amount of gluten for people with coeliac disease. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 2008;27:1044-1052.

Thompson, T. Gluten: Is It Okay to Have a Little Bit? [Accessed August 22, 2009] http://www.diet.com/dietblogs/read_blog.php?title=Gluten%3A+Is+It+OK+To+Have+A+Little+Bit%3F&blid=13481

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Dental Products

The following is taken from this helpful website:

Below is a listing of the gluten-free status of many over-the-counter and in-office dental products. Although many products are gluten-free, there are a few that could cause a problem for a patient with Celiac disease.

Arestin (Orapharma, Inc.) "ARESTIN® does not contain any gluten, red or yellow dye or nuts or nut by-products." 4/19/07

Blistex"Thank you for your interest in the Blistex gluten free products. Attached is our most current listing and as you can see, we have a large variety of products that are gluten free. " 4/23/07 (Product list is at the end of this page)

Bosworth
"All our Dental products are Gluten free. " 4/25/07

Colgate "All Colgate products are gluten free." 4/25/07

Colgate Palmolive "We do not intentionally add gluten to the following Colgate Palmolive products. However, we cannot guarantee that the ingredients used are not exposed to any glutens. Sorbitol is an ingredient which can be grain derived and may be found in toothpastes. Our sorbitol is corn-derived." 4/25/07

Crest (Procter & Gamble) "There is no gluten in any of our Crest Whitestrips products, the Crest Night Effects, Crest toothpaste varieties or Gleem toothpaste. None of our current Crest toothpaste versions, Crest Whitestrips versions, or Crest Night Effects contains gluten. In addition, none of the ingredients used in Glide dental floss contains gluten. Although we do not directly add ingredients that contain gluten to Crest Pro-Health Rinse or to Crest Whitening Rinse, it's possible these products could contain trace amounts. We recommend you contact your doctor before using these rinse products if you have questions or concerns about gluten. " 4/23/07

Denticator "None of our products contain gluten.(Festival and FangDango Prophy Paste) 4/23/07

Dentsply/Caulk "our products are gluten free." 4/24/07

3M ESPE Dental"We do not intentionally add gluten in the manufacture of our products. We do not analyze for gluten and therefore, do not make any claims of being gluten-free." 4/19/07

Fixodent"We don't add gluten to Fixodent, but it's possible there may be a trace amount in the product due to the raw materials used to make it. " 4/21/07

Fluor-a-Day "Our complete line of Fluor-a-day, sodium fluoride chewable tablets and drops are gluten-free." 4/24/07 GC America, Inc. "To the best of our knowledge, none of our products contain gluten." 5/18/07

GlaxoSmithKline
"We do not provide a list of gluten free products as formula changes or manufacturing site changes may occur. We ask that consumers call us about specific products to ask this question. As far as Polident tablets are concerned, they are a gluten free product." 4/25/07

Glitz Dental "There is absolutely no Gluten in any glitz Prophy Paste." 5/23/07

Kerr Corp."All Kerr products are gluten free." 4/24/07

Oral-B"No Gluten: Phophy Paste Stages Tooth and Gum Care --All the other product we cannot be excluded as a processing aid in the manufacture of raw materials. We DO NOT guarantee are gluten-free. If a consumer has a sensitivity or other concern about gluten, we suggest they do not use the product." 4/26/07

Pascal Dental"Pascal’s complete line of fluorides, whether take home or in-office, are gluten free." 4/23/07

Premier Dental Products"a plant manager from one of our manufacturing faculties has celiac disease so no gluten ever enters the plant. Our prophy paste, varnish and whitening products do not contain any gluten" 4/23/07

Salivart (Gebauer Company) "Salivart is made up of corn starch, which is not gluten producing; therefore, Salivart is gluten-free." 5/3/07

Saliva Substitute(BI Roxane, Inc) "The only over the counter dental product that we manufacture is Saliva Substitute. According to the information provided by our suppliers, the ingredients in Saliva Substitute do not contain gluten." 4/27/07

SDI Limited"None of SDI's products contain gluten and there are no gluten materials stored in our Manufacturing areas. However, we can not fully guarranty that every raw materials we bring in are free of traces of gluten. To do this would be a very expensive excercise. To play it safe, we recommend the product be tested on the patient by a specialist before use." 4/24/07

Sensodyne "Thank you for contacting us regarding Sensodyne® toothpaste. Although we do not add gluten to any of our Sensodyne® products, our raw materials suppliers could not guarantee that they are gluten-free. Therefore, Sensodyne® may contain trace amounts of gluten. If you are looking for a sensitive toothpaste that is gluten-free, you may want to try Aquafresh® Sensitive® Maximum Strength toothpaste, which is completely gluten-free. We appreciate your taking the time to contact us." 6/26/07

Septodent"Septodont - Novocol anesthetics have no hidden ingredients. Also, Gluten is not an ingredient in our Anesthetics." 4/24/07

Sultan Healthcare "All of our products are considered gluten free. Our flavorings contain ethyl alcohol (corn base) to enhance the flavors at less than 1% of the total formulation. Our Pina Colada flavor contains no alcohol and is availed in Topical anesthetic, prophy paste, APF fluoride gel and Neutral Fluoride Gel. We are currently applying for certification from the Gluten-Free Certification Organization." 4/24/07

Tom's of Maine"Only two of our products contain gluten: Natural Moisturizing Hand Soap liquids (Contains wheat protein) Natural Moisturizing Body Wash (Contains wheat protein) All other Tom's of Maine products are alcohol-free and do not contain casein or caseinate, MSG, wheat, oats, barley, rye, malt, spelt, kamut, HPP, or HVP. None of our flavor oils are grain-distilled. We do not use flour of any kind in our manufacturing process for conveyor belts or for any other purpose. Our containers are not dusted with flour before filling. We hope that this provides you with the information you need to make a healthy choice." 4/23/07

Young Dental "Gluten is not an ingredient that we add to our paste. However we cannot make an allergen statement because we have not gathered the appropriate certification from each raw material supplier."
4/23/07

Zilactin (Blairex Laboratories) "All Zilactin products distributed by Blairex Laboratories do not contain ingredients derived from wheat (glutten), barley, rye, oats, or spelt." 4/23/07



Blistex GF List
PRODUCT NAME FORMULA NUMBER
Blistex Lip Ointment 066-9920
Fruit Smoothies (Orange Cream) 014-9809
Blistex Lip Balm Mint 017-9608R
Blistex Lip Balm Berry 030-9713R
Blistex Medicated Lip Balm 030-9822R
Fruit Smoothies Melon Medley 031-9885
Fruit Smoothies Triple Tropical 031-9887
Fruit Smoothies Peaches & Cream 063-9898
Blistex Lip Balm Herbal Answer 069-9871
Blistex Lip Tone Color-Phase 075-9847
Complete Moisture 079-9877
Fruit Smoothies Strawberry/Banana 082-9891
Blistex Lip Tone (U.S.) 099-9872
Silk & Shine 100-9879
Fruit Smoothies Berry Explosion 100-9881
Clear Advance 101-9888
ProCare 112-9894
ProRelief 112-9895
Blistex Lip Balm Ultra Protection SPF 30 117-9862
Blistex Spa effects Grapefruit/ Rosemary/Eucalyptus Uplifting 123-9806
Blistex Spa effects Cucumber Melon Renewing 123-9807
Blistex Spa effects Plum Vanilla Relaxing 123-9808
DCT-SPF-20 094-9535
Lip Medex 073-8407R
Lip Revitalizer 039-9946
Herbal Answer Gel 060-9949
Lip Infusion 124-9816
Cherry Splash 016-9840
Gentle Sense 124-9817

Clinique Products

A reply email from a leading make-up company, Clinique:

August 21, 2009

Thank you for your interest in Clinique.

While a formulation may not contain wheat, oat, barley or rye derivatives, for the benefit of our gluten-sensitive consumers who may have cross-sensitivities, Clinique takes the extra precaution of including corn, rice and soy in our research.

In addressing your concern about gluten, we would like to explain that a vast number of raw materials from many different suppliers and sources are used in the manufacture of Estee Lauder Companies' products. It is therefore not possible for us to fully guarantee that our products are completely free of ingredients that may elicit an allergic response in highly sensitive individuals who react to gluten. For example, it is possible that small amounts of a wheat sourced ingredient may remain on shared manufacturing equipment even after a thorough cleaning. We therefore recommend that you discuss this with your physician, because consumer safety is of utmost concern to us.

Almost Lipstick does not contain any glutens
Colour Surge Bare Brilliance Lipstick contains soy and corn
Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick contains soy and corn
Colour Surge Lipstick contains soy and corn
Cream Shaper for Lips contains soy and corn
Different Lipstick contains soy and corn
High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15 contains soy and corn
Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick contains soy and corn
Long Last Soft Shine Lipstick contains soy and wheat
Quickliner for Lips contains soy and corn
Superbalm Tinted Lip Treatment contains barley extract and wheat germ extract
Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss contains corn and wheat

Sincerely,
Katie Morton
Response Representative
Global Consumer Communications
CONSUMERCARE-US@GCC.CLINIQUE.COM

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Getting Started

So somehow, for some reason, you need to be on a gluten free diet. If you have Celiac Disease, that means absolutely no gluten. Where do you start?

This post is to help you in that direction: how to go gluten free.

To make it simple: Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and usually oats (due to cross contamination).

Gluten is found in a lot of foods, but not in everything as it may seem at first.

To get started, do not cut out gluten 'cold turkey'. This is harmful to your body. What I did with my daughter Rachel, was to give myself time to learn about Celiac and gluten over the course of two months while cutting different foods out of her diet (and adding new ones in). This was easier on her body while making it less stressful on myself.

1. Cut out the obvious: bread, noodles, crackers, etc, the things you know that have wheat, rye, or barley.

2. Next, start learning the different terms containing gluten on an ingredient label. There is a great list on Celiac.com which will be helpful to you. It's overwhelming at first, but after a month of grocery shopping with that list in hand and reading labels, it will start to come together in your mind. On the positive side, there is also a safe ingredients list, which is much longer than the list of 'no-no's'. Learn what you can eat and the wide world of grains that do not contain gluten.

3. As you start to learn where gluten is hidden, eat more 'whole' foods like fresh veggies, fresh fruits, fresh meat. Make salads. Look for 'Gluten Free' on the front of boxes, bread mixes, etc and purchase those. Yes, it is expensive. The first few months are going to be the most expensive until you learn the ins and outs of gluten free cooking. So go easy on yourself and spend the extra cash so that you have something good for you to eat. Especially those bread mixes and flour mixes. You can learn to make those from scratch later.

4. As you progress in your diet, cutting things out and adding new foods in, be sure that you are getting enough fiber and other nutrients and vitamins. This is very important. The gluten free diet, though it may seem healthy at first, is challenging. Whole wheat has many nutrients and vitamins as well as fiber. Most gluten free flours do not. In our house we use alot of whole and ground flax seed. I also make sure Rachel eats oatmeal (for fiber), eggs (for protein) and takes a vitamin everyday. Soon you will find what works for you.

5. Read a book about Celiac Disease (if you have Celiac) or a book about gluten free living. For Celiac I recommend this one:











For gluten free living you could try this book:












I've heard good things about this one:













There are a lot of resources out there for you whatever category you fall into. You do have to be careful, and make sure that what you are reading is trustworthy. You'll find a list of links to professional websites who specialize in giving out good info about Celiac Disease on the right hand side of this blog.

5. Learn about cross contamination in your kitchen, in restaurants, and elsewhere.

6. If you are going to make your own bread, you need to decide if you are going to purchase a bread machine or a heavy-duty mixer. Reasons? It is impossible to knead gluten free dough. It is the consistency of mashed potatos and sometimes muffin batter. I have heard good things about using a KitchenAid Hand Held Mixer for GF bread. You'll need to purchase either the 7 or 9 speed to have the sufficient motor power it takes to mix and knead your GF bread dough.

7. Purchase some good gluten free cookbooks. Bette Hagman books are a good start.

8. Sign up for some e-newsletters. About.com and Glutenfree.com have some good weekly ones that are very informative.

9. Experiment with different recipes. Use those recipe books you purchased or checked out at the library. Go online to various gluten free cooking websites. There are some good ones on the left hand side of this blog.

10. Join a support group in your area. Swap recipes, ideas, hints.

11. Learn about how to order at a restaurant.

12. Don't be ashamed of your diet. You are not the only one going gluten free. People are becoming more aware of gluten and becoming gluten free. Talk to your family and friends about it and let them know how they can help you. Cook them a gluten free meal sometime.

13. Don't give up! It's a lot of work at first, the learning curve is steep, but you can persevere!

14. Stay up-to-date on information. Always read food labels, since these do change without warning. Read your newsletters, scan articles in magazines and newspapers, ask questions and keep researching - but in a more relaxed manner than you did when you first started your new diet.

Hope all that helps. If I've left anything out, please let me know with a comment!

Sources:
Mayo Clinic
Celiac.com
Celiac.org
About.com

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Dining Out

Here's a good article about eating out at restaurants and avoiding gluten to the best of your ability.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Encouraging Article For Parents

Check out this article aimed at parents with children who have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease from Boston Children's Hospital's website. It was very encouraging to read.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

Here is a reply email from Ghirardelli:


Renee,


Thank you for contacting Ghirardelli Chocolate. In June 2008, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company started production of a new milk chocolate bar, Milk Chocolate Luxe with Crisps, which has a product containing barley malt as an ingredient. As a result, the line on which our chocolate bars and squares are produced, will now share a common line with barley gluten. The chocolate chips (60% Bittersweet, Semi-Sweet, and Milk Chocolate) line and powder line (hot chocolates and baking cocoas) will remain free of gluten ingredients.

Ghirardelli takes the following measures to reduce cross contamination on our production lines: lines are cleaned between the changing from one product to the next. The first two batches of any product made are disposed of and not packaged.

Sincerely,


Shawna Ortez
Senior Consumer Affairs Coordinator
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
1111 - 139th Avenue
San Leandro, CA 94578

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Video on Creating A Gluten Free Flour Mixture

I found this video helpful, not only does Jules Shepard explain her "secret" flour mixture, but it was fun watching someone else cook gluten free. Might find some good tips...


Cornbread or 'Corn free' Cornbread

This is moist and delicious, and easy to make! (adapted from a recipe given by a friend)

1 Cup Cornmeal or Millet Flour
3 Tb White Rice Flour
3 Tb Tapioca Flour
2 Tb Cornstarch or Tapioca Flour
1/2 tsp Potato Flour
1/4 tsp Guar Gum or Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Sugar

2 Tb Oil or Butter
1 Egg
1 Cup Buttermilk or milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Combine butter, egg and milk in a small bowl. Slowly add egg mixture to flour until blended. Pour batter into greased 8" x 8" pan (glass is best). Bake 20-25 minutes.

Tip: Try muffin tins. Decrease time by about 5-8 minutes.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Nestle Products

Here is a gluten free list from Nestle:

*This information includes products, which, to the best of our knowledge, do not contain wheat, oat, rye, or barley/malt ingredients. The list may not be complete subsequent to the date of issue due to formula changes and new product information. Please read each product ingredient statement for the most current information.

Confections:
NESTLÉ® BABY RUTH®
NESTLÉ® NIPS® (Regular and Sugar Free)
NESTLÉ® BIT-O-HONEY®
NESTLÉ® BUTTERFINGER® (NOT including Butterfinger Crisp and Butterfinger Stixx)
NESTLÉ® SPREE®
NESTLÉ® OH HENRY! ®
NESTLÉ® RAISINETS®
NESTLÉ® MILK CHOCOLATE
NESTLÉ® SNO-CAPS®
NESTLÉ® GOOBERS®

Wonka Products:
WONKA® BOTTLECAPS®
WONKA® PIXY STIX®
WONKA® GOBSTOPPERS® (Chewy and Original)
WONKA® RUNTS® (Chewy and Original)
WONKA® LAFFY TAFFY® (Laffy Taffy Rope and Fruitarts Chews)
WONKA® SHOCKERS®
WONKA® LIK-M-AID® FUN DIP™
WONKA® SweeTARTS®
WONKA® MIX-UPS®
WONKA® NERDS® (Nerds Rope and Nerds Gumballs)

Coffees and Teas:
MOUNTAIN BLEND™ Instant Coffee
NESCAFÉ® ICE JAVA™ Coffee Syrup: All Flavors
NESCAFÉ® Classic Instant Coffee
NESCAFÉ® TASTER’S CHOICE® Instant Coffee: Flavored & Non-Flavored
NESTEA®: All Flavors

Coffee-mate™:
NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE™ Liquid: Flavored and Non-Flavored
NESTLÉ® COFFEE-MATE™ Powder: Flavored and Non-Flavored

Nesquik®:
NESTLÉ® NESQUIK® Ready-To-Drink Milk: All Flavors
NESTLÉ® NESQUIK® Syrup: All Flavors
NESTLÉ® NESQUIK® MilkShake

Juices:
NESTLÉ ® JUICY JUICE®: All Flavors
NESTLÉ ® JUICY JUICE® HARVEST SURPRISE: All Flavors

Baking:
LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin LIBBY’S® Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Morsels
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Milk Chocolate Morsels
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Premier White Morsels
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Swirled Morsels
NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Premier White Swirled Morsels

NESTLÉ CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
NESTLÉ CARNATION® Low Fat Evaporated Milk
NESTLÉ CARNATION® Fat Free Evaporated Milk
NESTLÉ CARNATION® Sweetened Condensed Milk
NESTLÉ CARNATION® Instant Nonfat Dry Milk

Farley & Sathers Candy (Brach's Candy)

I wrote to Brach's (Farley and Sathers) and asked them if any of their candy had gluten in it. Their reply was not entirely helpful since colorings and flavorings can be an issue for those sensitive to gluten. But this was their reply (I have highlighted in bold what is immediately important):


Dear Ms ____:

Thank you for writing Farley's & Sathers Candy Company, Inc. regarding Brach's® Candies. Hearing from our consumers better enables us to continue to provide quality products and services. Consumer feedback is very important to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Due to constant changes in manufacturing and packaging, Farley's & Sathers is not able to offer a list of gluten free items. Please refer to the packaging, as the packaging contains the most current ingredient and allergen statements. Packaging is updated anytime a change is made to the production location of any item. Farley's & Sathers Candy Company maintains several manufacturing and packaging facilities.

Thank you for contacting Farley's & Sathers Candy Company with your request for information on our allergens. Please contact us directly at 1-888-247-9855 (Consumer Affairs) with any additional questions or concerns about gluten and our products.

Please visit our website at www.farleysandsathers.com for additional information about our products and services.

Sincerely,

Dani Smith
Consumer Relations

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Wrigley Products

A very helpful reply from Wrigley:

Dear Renee,


Thank you for writing to inquire about ingredients used in Wrigley products.

The following is a list of U.S. Wrigley products that remain free of any wheat, oat, rye or barley gluten:

Wrigley's Spearmint® gum, Freedent® gum, Doublemint® gum, Extra® gum, Big Red® gum, Eclipse® gum, Juicy Fruit® gum, Winterfresh® gum, Orbit® gum, Orbit® White gum, Lifesavers®, Altoids®, 5®, Skittles® and Starburst® products.

Please note that Altoids Chocolate Dipped mints carry a warning that the product is made on equipment that also processes milk and wheat.

If your sensitivity extends to other types of gluten, several of our brands contain corn syrup, which may have trace amounts of corn gluten in it. The amount of gluten in one stick is less than 0.2 milligrams, but if you are extremely sensitive, you may want to consult with your physician before chewing our brands

Additionally, no packaging material directly next to our product contains gluten sources. There may be instances when starches are used on the label around each individual stick of gum, but these starches are produced from corn or potatoes, not from wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet or buckwheat.

We hope this information has been helpful. If you have any additional questions or comments please feel free to contact us at 1-800-WRIGLEY Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST.

Sincerely,

Melissa Kepple
Consumer Affairs Representative

Cadbury (U.S.)

A reply letter from Cadbury: I have highlighted in bold what is immediately helpful:

Dear Mrs. ____:


Thank you for your inquiry concerning the presence of allergens in products produced by our company.

We do not have gluten free product list.

We are a food company committed to very high standards and we have a clearly defined policy of complying with food regulations. Additionally, we work closely with legislative authorities and other interested parties at all points along the food supply chain to ensure that safe and wholesome foods are provided to our consumers.

Our company complies with all applicable labeling regulations by the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies in the U.S. In addition, we have implemented an internal food allergen management policy, pursuant to which we have undertaken the labeling of any known allergens in the following categories: cereals (containing gluten and products of these including wheat, rye, barley, triticale, spelt, kamut, and oats, but not corn, rice, sorghum, or buckwheat), crustacea (including shrimp, prawns, crab, lobster, and crayfish), mollusks (including oysters, clams, scallops, and mussels), eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, tree nuts, sesame seeds, and sulfites (greater than 10 mg/kg). Accordingly, we continuously assess our products and update supplier information in order to make new or existing labels accurately reflect the presence of the listed allergens.

We appreciate your inquiry and welcome any additional questions you may have regarding any of our products.

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Gluten Terms on a Restaurant Menu

By Nancy Lapid, About.com

Updated: November 04, 2008


Au Gratin
Cooked with a topping of bread crumbs and sometimes butter and/or grated cheese; also referred to as gratiner.

Battered
Cooked in a coating that usually contains wheat flour, eggs and milk.

Bechamel
A white sauce made by thickening milk with wheat flour and butter.

Beurre Manie
A paste made from flour and butter, used to make sauces thicker.

Bisque
A smooth creamy shellfish soup that’s often thickened with flour.

Bread
To coat with bread crumbs or batter.

Coat
Usually, to cover with flour or crumbs.

Cordon bleu
Chicken or veal dish that often includes a bread-crumb crust.

Croquette
Pureed vegetables encased in bread crumbs and deep fried or sautéed.

Croutons
Cubes of bread, seasoned and lightly baked or fried, popular on salads.

Crusted or Encrusted
Thickly coated with flour or bread crumbs in order to bind ingredients to food item.

Demi glace
A rich, concentrated stock made from beef and veal bones, vegetables and tomato paste, with flour.

Dredged
Dragged through flour, cornmeal or breadcrumbs.

Dumplings
Dough shaped like balls or small pillows, sometimes stuffed with vegetables or meat, and poached with stews or soups.

Dusted
Lightly sprinkled with dry ingredient such as flour.

En groute
Baked in pastry.

Espagnole Sauce
A rich brown sauce thickened with flour.

Farfel
A soup garnish made of finely chopped or minced noodle dough.

Fillo
A flaky, paper-thin pastry.

Fricassee
A stew of meat or poultry in gravy, usually thickened with flour.

Fritter
Food dipped into or combined with batter and fried.

Gnocchi
Pillow-shaped dumplings made from a paste of flour, potatoes and eggs.

Gravy
Sauce made from meat juices, often thickened with flour.

Marinade
May contain soy sauce or other processed ingredients with gluten.

Meuniere
Dusted with flour and sautéed in butter.

Milanaise
Dipped in egg and bread crumbs, then fried in butter.

Phyllo
A flaky, paper-thin pastry.

Raspings
Finely ground bread crumbs.

Roux
A paste of fat (usually butter) and flour that is used to thicken sauces and soups.

Scallopini
Thin sliced meat usually coated with flour and fried.

Souffle
A dish (often a dessert) made from a sauce, egg yolks, beaten egg whites, flour, and a flavoring or puree and baked until puffed up.

Soy Sauce
Most soy sauces include roasted wheat or barley.

Streusel
A crumbly mixture made from flour, butter, sugar and spices.

Teriyaki Sauce
Contains soy sauce.

Tempura
Shrimp, seafood and vegetables battered and fried in a flour-based batter.

Veloute
Sauce thickened with flour; often used as a base for soups, stews and fricassee.

Welsh Rarebit
Cheese sauce made with ale or beer and served over toast or crackers.

Red Vines

Dear Renee ____,

Thank you for taking the time today to contact the American Licorice Co., unfortunately all of our products contain gluten. If you’re on a gluten free diet our products are not suitable for you, sorry for the inconvenience.

Cordially,

American Licorice Co.

Jennifer Farias

Consumer Response Technician

American Licorice Company

866-442-2783

Tic Tac

The following Q & A is found on Tic Tac's website under FAQ's.

Q: Are Tic Tac and Tic Tac CHILL Mints gluten free?

A: Tic Tac and Tic Tac CHILL mints do not contain any ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals: wheat, barley, rye, oats or tritacale.

Smarties Candy (USA)

I contacted Smarties Candy Co and this was their reply (I have highlighted in bold what is important and applicable):

Smarties Allergen Statement

Several years ago we took the lead in labeling allergen statements on our packaging. This is now a law.
Smarties® and our entire line of products are free from all the known allergens, and they do not appear anywhere in our manufacturing facilities. Our new item, Bubble Gum Smarties®, may contain minute traces of soy lecithin.
We sell our products to many different classifications of trade, including "re-baggers." A "re-bagger" buys products from many different companies and re-bags them in their own packaging. We cannot verify whether their manufacturing plants are free of nuts, soy, etc. If the UPC number on the packaging begins with "0 11206", you can be assured that it was manufactured in one of our facilities and that it is allergen free.

Gluten Statement
Smarties® and our entire line of products are gluten free. If the UPC number on the packaging begins with "0 11206", you can be assured that it is manufactured in a facility that is gluten free and safe to eat if you have Celiac Disease.

All Ce De Candy, Inc. products contain no dairy, thereby eliminating the ingredient Melamine.

Nutella

The following Q & A from Nutella can be found here, third question from the bottom of the list.

Is Nutella gluten free?

Nutella® does not contain any ingredients derived from gluten containing cereals: wheat, barley, rye, oats or triticale.

Necco Candy

The following Q & A from Necco Candy can be found here, the seventh question down.

Which Necco Candies are Gluten free?


We make the following products which do not contain gluten from wheat, rye, oats or barley: Necco Wafers, Mary Janes, Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses, Sweethearts Conversation Hearts (Valentines only), Canada Mint & Wintergreen Lozenges, Haviland Thin Mints and Candy Stix

In addition, Clark Bars, Skybars, Haviland Peppermint & Wintergreen Patties, Necco Candy Eggs (Easter), Talking Pumpkins (Halloween), Squirrel Nut Caramels and Squirrel Nut Zippers, Banana Split and Mint Julep Chews, ULTRAMINTS are also gluten free.

Lindt Chocolate

The following Q & A can be found here at the Lindt Chocolate website.


Is there gluten or barley malt in Lindt Chocolate?

Unfortunately, at this time we cannot guarantee that Lindt chocolate is gluten free. Our white and extra dark (70% cocoa and above) chocolate products by nature do not contain barley malt. However, because they run on the same production lines as other products there is a chance of cross contamination. Lindt is aware of the growing prevalence of Celiac's Disease and other conditions. We are sensitive to the fact that these large groups of consumers are unable to enjoy our chocolate at this time. We hope in the future to be able to accommodate the needs of all our consumers and offer options to satisfy varying dietary requirements.

Ricola

An interesting reply from Ricola Cough Drops.


In the United States, there are no established government standards as to what can be considered gluten-free or what is safe for use in celiac patients. Our products contain less than 0.01% gluten. We urge you to share this information with your doctor or to contact the Celiac Sprue Association of the USA @1-877-CSA-4CSA.

Tootsie Candy Company

At Tootsie Candy Company's website you can find the following Q & A, the second question down.

Which of your products is gluten free?

At this time, all of our confections are gluten free. We do not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt or any of their components and that includes our dusting on our conveyor belts. We do use corn and soy products in the manufacturing of our products.


General Mills Food Products

I asked General Mills about their fruit snacks, my daughter used to love to eat them. I also found this extremely helpful website from GM.

Here is their reply to my email (I have highlighted in bold for your convenience on what is immediately helpful):

Dear Renee :
Thank you for contacting us about gluten in our fruit flavored snacks.
General Mills offers several products that are labeled gluten-free. Please check the package label for the gluten-free statement on the front/side/back of the package. Only products that can be verified to be gluten free will be declared as gluten free on the label. It is important to check the product label each time you purchase a product because it has the most accurate information about the product in the package.
Because we constantly strive to improve our products′ quality and nutritional value, the most up-to-date product information is on the package the product is purchased in. For that reason, we do not distribute product information lists as they could quickly become outdated.
For products not labeled gluten free, we will always declare gluten containing ingredients if they are added to the product. If the ingredient declaration lists wheat, oats, barley, rye, or derivatives of these grains, then the product contains gluten. Examples of derivative ingredients include: malt, barley malt, organic malt, semolina, Durham, triticale, and spelt. We do not include gluten containing ingredients in the ′Natural Flavors′ or ′Spices′ on the product ingredient list. If there are gluten ingredients in our products, those ingredients are always clearly listed.
If there are no gluten- containing ingredients listed in the product ingredient label, but the product does not make a gluten free claim, it is because we cannot fully assure that this product is gluten free. While we have not added gluten-containing ingredients, factors such as sourcing, conditions of manufacture, etc. do not allow us to provide the full level of assurance that a gluten free claim requires.
Additional information regarding gluten may be obtained by contacting your health care professional or:
Celiac Sprue Association/United States of America, Inc.
PO Box 31700
Omaha, NE 68131-0700
402-558-0600
Or toll free: 877-CSA-4-CSA (877-272-4272)
We hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Craig Grey

Consumer Services