Gluten in Foods Labeled 'Gluten-Free' an Ongoing Problem

Any of the articles pointing out that gluten free labeled products might actually contain gluten are not helpful unless they can list the products and brands that were discovered as unsafe. At the very least, please provide readers with links to the actual studies so that we have something to work with. Also, it would be helpful to know if some labeling is more reliable than others, such as the “certified gluten free” label or GIG labeling, etc.

I’m sorry, but these articles are not helpful without providing a proper list of companies or restaurants to avoid. It’s really hard to follow this diet already, we don’t need fear mongering articles like this on a CELIAC website. 

This is unfair and scary to people who suffer from a real autoimmune disease. 

This is a good reminder that the only save bet is researching products and companies yourself and if you don't trust them don't use them.  As much as we want flexibility and freedom, the reality is were getting poisoned slowly by a much larger percentage of products than we know.

I think that it is important to realize how many companies are jumping on the Gluten free bandwagon without doing it carefully or considerately.  I live in a large city where I have found that after careful questioning there is only one truly dedicated gluten free restaurant and about 5 restaurants safe enough to eat at if you know how to order and these are the top of the top and you still have to take other measures above what they do automatically (using disposable cups, plates, forks is a big one).  There is nothing safe at this point without being a self advocate.  Companies like General Mills (Cheerios) use the same wheat filled oat providers and simply use a process to filter out the wheat, I mean are you kidding me, if that oat particle ever touched a wheat particle, its not safe just to clean it off.  Companies like Walmart with self declared gluten free labeling on their store brands that have no third party testing are notorious for having high gluten content due to their intention really being "made without gluten."  Labelling like "naturally gluten free," is outrageous, like are you kidding me, I'm not worried if a grape is a gluten free organism, I am worried if you contaminated it.  gluten-free certification going on many products that "may contain wheat" because wheat isn't technically gluten, a lot of examples in whole foods 365 brand, and there is a certified (gluten-free) juice at Costco with wheat grass in it.  

We are discovering that wheat is complex and there may be more than just gluten protein causing problems but that fact is not being discussed because its hard enough to talk about gluten, now all these companies are on the bandwagon and if we say oh your buzzword may not be accurate, that will cost people money and trust.

Reminds me of how gastroenterologists swore up and down that oats contained gluten, then when they found out oops no it doesn't, the fda made up a statement that there are other protein's in oats that may cause a percentage of Celiacs issues.  For 10 years though, most gastroenterologists didn't get the message and said the same thing.  I think most of them learned from bobs red mill on shelves in stores before they learned from the fda and even when it was commonplace there was no statement or apology of wrongdoing because that would cost peoples trust and maybe even lawsuits, in fact I read statements like we've been saying that all along only weeks after I had an argument with a nationally renowned surgeon that didn't know.

I have tried Progresso Gluten Free Chicken Corn Chowder with bacon a couple of times. It tasted wonderful going down, but not so wonderful coming up.  Full celiac reaction.  I'm wondering if their cream soups can be tested?

I hold to "certified gluten-free" products. I view the "Allergen Warning" on all labels because many read; "Made in a facility that also processes wheat, milk...etc." 

The Soups e.g. Chowders contain:

1. Modified food starch (usually made from wheat)

2. Yeast (yeast extract) = a gluten cross-reactor

3. Egg = a gluten cross-reactor

The life of a celiac is one of high risk. That is likely why many of us live in a "State of High Anxiety" each and every time we ingest food.

I heard one man's adage years ago & understand it well.  He told his daughter; "If I don't fix it, I don't eat it."

I have trouble also with:

Oats: Possibly due to a high "gliadin" level even in the product is certified gluten-free.

Quinoa: It's like eating steel wool. It so happens that the outer coating of quinoa contains a toxin called saponin that foams in water and is used in some impoverished nations for clothes washing.

Chemical/heat extracted oils: The FDA does NOT require testing for residual toxins (hexane, bleach, deodorizers (used to mask putrification odors) defoaming agents, pesticides. I only use cold pressed peanut oil and California brand olive oil due to the company's "stringent" testing guidelines.

Good luck everyone.

I'm not going to look at this as a fear mongering article, but a reminder to take control and responsibility for my own diet and push for responsibility on the part of companies producing these 'gluten free' products.  We live in a society that's constantly seeking to place blame on others shoulders and so much of this rests with the individual... UNTIL someone starts lying/committing fraud/practicing blatant misrepresentation.  Then we still need to make these companies accountable in a meaningful manner.  We need to remind them that they affect people with serious medical issues and not just fad dieters.  Some accountability would be terrific, but I don't know that there is anything out there that would impact these companies in a significant way.

Quote

1. Modified food starch (usually made from wheat)

This is not correct, modified food starch in North America is made from corn.

10 hours ago, Ging said:

a reminder to take control and responsibility for my own diet

Well said.

We are all responsible for ourselves and the only way we can be guaranteed to have no gluten in our diets is to grow and raise our own food, although very few people have or can have this lifestyle.

The best the rest of us can do is read labels and steer clear of the obvious dangers i.e. proven gluten-containing foods or foods prepared in factories also handling gluten products and hope that testing (and certification) becomes more stringent.

Once you start eating out you are inviting trouble, your food may start out as gluten-free, but is it going to still be that way once it reaches your table? We went for something to eat while waiting for a plane at Glasgow airport, waitress took our order (mine from the gluten-free menu) and went to get our drinks. She was back within a couple of minutes and asked if we minded waiting 40 minutes for our food as someone would have to be taken from the regular staff to wipe down surfaces in a separate part of the kitchen to then prepare my meal, unfortunately that was going to be cutting it fine for our flight but I thanked the waitress for the fact that they took it so seriously. Next time you eat out ask yourself how gluten-free your meal is if it arrives as quickly as the regular food (unless you pre-ordered it). 

I don't tend to be a fearmonger, but I stand on the premise that any UN-DECLARED starch is un-safe. 

And really, is it so hard to simply declare the source of your starch?  EVERYONE deserves to know what they are putting in their bodies.

1 hour ago, sc'Que? said:

I don't tend to be a fearmonger, but I stand on the premise that any UN-DECLARED starch is un-safe. 

And really, is it so hard to simply declare the source of your starch?  EVERYONE deserves to know what they are putting in their bodies.

In many countries, the US and Canada included, if the starch is wheat, they must declare that the product has wheat.  Usually it is “ wheat starch” or starch ( wheat).  But it can also say “‘contains wheat”’at the end of the ingredients.  I did see that once on some candy made by a small company .  the bigger companies, like Kraft, will be very clearly declare in several places that a food has wheat in any form. 

I see  no reason  to make our lives more complicated than they need to be.

5 hours ago, Guest Neil Mackay said:

The best the rest of us can do is read labels and steer clear of the obvious dangers i.e. proven gluten-containing foods or foods prepared in factories also handling gluten products and hope that testing (and certification) becomes more stringent.

Kind of sums it up right there.  Here's to a more certain future for us all! 

19 hours ago, kareng said:

In many countries, the US and Canada included, if the starch is wheat, they must declare that the product has wheat.  Usually it is “ wheat starch” or starch ( wheat).  But it can also say “‘contains wheat”’at the end of the ingredients.  I did see that once on some candy made by a small company .  the bigger companies, like Kraft, will be very clearly declare in several places that a food has wheat in any form. 

I see  no reason  to make our lives more complicated than they need to be.

Have you ever purchased something from your neighborhood Asian grocery?  Yeah, no one follows those rules. And it sucks, because Asian foods are so EASY to be gluten-free if they just get their s$#& together on the labeling. The more consistency on an international scale, the better EVERYONE will be.