Non-Food Uses Of Wheat - This Terrifies Me

[MJ-S]

I just came across this link. I don't even know what to say. For every time I get sick without knowing why, I don't want to have to worry about my paper towels, containers which hold the food I buy, etc.

 

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[dilettantesteph]

Thanks for that post...I think.

[shadowicewolf]

If its food related, wouldn't they have to state that it is?

[Adalaide]

A lot of these uses are things I don't worry about. So what if it is used to glue paper grocery bags together? I don't lick paper grocery bags. Any groceries I bring home are either in their own packages, or produce, even if it falls out of the plastic bag it is in will be washed before use because there are far more dangerous things on it than gluten. Many of the other uses of it are things in which it would be so processed that no remaining viable protein would remain.

 

With each individual thing, it is important to research the science behind it rather than to be paranoid about what is potentially nothing. Maybe it isn't safe, but maybe it is. I mean really, what do I care if skeet pigeons are made of wheat? It seems to make good ecological sense to me. And things like water-soluble inks? We aren't all going around licking paper. I really don't see a problem with most of what they are using wheat for. Do I think it needs to be in everything? Hell no, it complicates my life. But it is what it is and we simply have to deal with navigating this world without being paranoid about stuff that there is no reason to be paranoid about.

[JNBunnie1]

My concerns on that list would be plastic film-used regularly to cover food for storage, EATING UTENSILS- ,

medical swabs, biodegradable packaging-when I buy organic veggies at my local grocery chain they are

frequently packaged in this, and textile finishing agents. With the textiles it doesn't seem likely to be a problem,

it would just wash out I'd think. But what kind of medical swab? I'd love to see an actual list of brands and

companies that do this. Obviously, when in doubt wash your food off first and don't lick your packaging. But

cups? What kind of cups? That's an incredibly open-ended list..... I don't care if skeet pigeons have wheat in

them, but I do care if food packaging does.

[Adalaide]

The gluten in wheat isn't going to be in plastic. It just doesn't work that way. When it comes to biodegradable plastic made with wheat, it is made with wheat straw, which doesn't contain the heads of the wheat, which is where the gluten is. It is just a way to use up an otherwise useless byproduct that is completely harmless to us. Will the occasional head of wheat end up in wheat straw? Of course. Would it be enough, when added to plastic to make anyone sick? No. Not unless you start eating the plastic, in which case you'll be getting sick from a lot worse things. The science of all this is why I'm not freaking out about all the places they're putting it. It just makes no sense if you actually look at how it is done instead of jumping to conclusions about how it is practically the zombie apocalypse of gluten. And fwiw I am the most paranoid person I know.

[Gemini]

A lot of these uses are things I don't worry about. So what if it is used to glue paper grocery bags together? I don't lick paper grocery bags. Any groceries I bring home are either in their own packages, or produce, even if it falls out of the plastic bag it is in will be washed before use because there are far more dangerous things on it than gluten. Many of the other uses of it are things in which it would be so processed that no remaining viable protein would remain.

 

With each individual thing, it is important to research the science behind it rather than to be paranoid about what is potentially nothing. Maybe it isn't safe, but maybe it is. I mean really, what do I care if skeet pigeons are made of wheat? It seems to make good ecological sense to me. And things like water-soluble inks? We aren't all going around licking paper. I really don't see a problem with most of what they are using wheat for. Do I think it needs to be in everything? Hell no, it complicates my life. But it is what it is and we simply have to deal with navigating this world without being paranoid about stuff that there is no reason to be paranoid about.

Great post, Addy!  I think if people are really that terrified or concerned about stuff like this, they need to work on those fear issues and not worry so much about things that are not a concern for even sensitive Celiacs.  More education on the science behind it is needed.

[bartfull]

All that being said, those of us with corn intolerances or allergies DO get sick if we drink out of corn-based plastic. And we DO get sick from wiping out hands on paper towels that have corn in them and then eating. I would think that if they start using wheat in some of these products, some of the super-sensitive among us MAY have a problem.

[Adalaide]

The difference between corn and wheat plastic is that with corn plastic, they make it with the food part of corn. The part you, and many others, have a problem with. With wheat plastic, it is  made from wheat straw, the leftovers after harvesting the food, which contains no gluten and which would pose no risk to any of us. Taking the time to understand the science makes this a lot less freaky.

 

We also aren't talking about when and if they start doing these things. They are being done and have been being done for quite some time. This isn't new, it is just news for some. If it hasn't caused any of us harm yet, it is difficult to believe it will suddenly begin causing us harm just because we know about it.

 

Look, I'm not trying to be argumentative... but at some point reason and science need to intervene over our irrational fears.

[kareng]

A year or so ago, I emailed with a company that makes bio-plastic.  They were using mostly soy, If I remember.  They said they wouldn't use wheat.  They were going to transition over to algae in the next few years. 

[JNBunnie1]

The difference between corn and wheat plastic is that with corn plastic, they make it with the food part of corn. The part you, and many others, have a problem with. With wheat plastic, it is  made from wheat straw, the leftovers after harvesting the food, which contains no gluten and which would pose no risk to any of us. Taking the time to understand the science makes this a lot less freaky.

 

We also aren't talking about when and if they start doing these things. They are being done and have been being done for quite some time. This isn't new, it is just news for some. If it hasn't caused any of us harm yet, it is difficult to believe it will suddenly begin causing us harm just because we know about it.

 

Look, I'm not trying to be argumentative... but at some point reason and science need to intervene over our irrational fears.

 

 

Actually, the article clearly stated that wheat stubble, or grass, is used for certain things, and that

wheat starch, which (I think?) must come from the grain itself, is used for other things. Now, I hope

sincerely that the OP has gotten over their initial freak-out reaction to this. It's easy to freak out at

everything. As for me, this article has not created any irrational fears, but honest curiosity. Obviously,

it's a generic statement being made by the grower's association, not any of the actual companies

that produce any of these products. I still think it warrants some attention paid, at least by me. I,

personally, would like to know what cups and eating utensils they're referring to. Maybe I'll write

to them.

[mbrookes]

Adalaide, how wonderful to hear a voice of reason. Most (I never say all) Celiacs must ingest the gluten for it to be harmful. This should relieve us of worries about shampoo, shoe polish, grocery bags and a host on non-edibles.