Mccormick Spices

[Maxi]

Hi everyone,

 I just wanted to share this since I found very little posted on line about this. I was using McCormick spices and most people here feel they are safe. I was regularly getting mystery glutenized which was really frustrating because I generally cook all my food and could not figure out where it was coming from. I decided to swap out my entire spice rack for a gluten free version. I bought Spicely brand on amazon which is certified gluten-free and listed as made in a non shared facility. I also started mincing my own fresh garlic. I have to tell you that I feel 100% better!  I still use the Mccormick whole pepper corns and it's likely that only some of the Mccormick spices was causeing me a problem but it seemed too big of a task for me to eliminate one at a time. I tend to be very sensitive so I'm sure many people tolerate the McCormick ones without a problem but for anyone getting mystery glutenized at home I wanted to share this story since it's made such a big difference for me.

 

[dilettantesteph]

I also had a problem with those spices.  I am one of those super sensitives though.

[durrsakja]

This is so helpful. I think it's best to eliminate all the gluten we can

[kareng]

Many many of us use McCormicks spices with great success.

[psawyer]

Many many of us use McCormicks spices with great success.

I am one of them.

[Lisa]

Many many of us use McCormicks spices with great success.

Me too.

[Gemini]

I use McCormick's also and I am very, very sensitive to small amounts of gluten so if there were any gluten in McCormick's, I'd get sick.  There is no gluten in McCormick's spices so the reaction was most likely caused by something else.  Unless you can absolutely prove there is gluten in them, I wouldn't be so fast to brand McCormick's as not safe. Reactions can be from any number of things.

[Kate79]

McCormick's whole, one ingredient spices are all gluten free, but my husband called them recently (researching an unexplained glutening) and they told him that they do make products on shared equipment, so it's possible to get some contamination.  That said, I doubt that the McCormick spices caused my glutening, because we've been using them for awhile with no apparent problem, and the amount of any one spice used in a recipe is pretty low, so even if there was some gluten contamination it would be a tiny, tiny amount in the dish as a whole. 

[Maxi]

I'm glad many people use them without any problems. Just sharing my experience because I feel so much better since I stopped using them. I do tend to use a lot of spice in my cooking which could make a difference in my experience. Since I swtiched my spice line I've used the same amounts of spices without any problems. Also that is the only thing I changed. I'm sure it's not their whole line that was bothering me but I thought it was too complicated for me to eliminate each one. I did use some combined spices but I had problems when I used certain straight spices alone also. I'm not trying to brand them as unsafe, only sharing my experience in case anyone else is having a similar issue.

[kareng]

. Just sharing my experience

 

And we are sharing our experiences with them, too.

[Ciel121]

Does anyone use McCormick spices? I've found the most difficult thing about being gluten-free is finding spices that are. I used to use Simply Organic till I called them and found they are not gluten-free, but apparently will be certified gluten-free soon. McCormick is not certified, but their company told me they use separate equipment for gluten-free spices and that they are always marked. Hmmm...but when I use their curry powder I get sick. At least I think it's from the curry powder. It drives me insane how you can never tell...

[Lisa]

McCormicks is a good company that will clearly list any form of gluten.  I, have used it for years without issue.

 

Curry is a blend of spices, mostly coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper.  Perhaps you have an issue with one of the added spices. but I would not suspect gluten.

[kareng]

I use McCormicks.  Perhaps it is one of the ingredients in the curry powder, not gluten?

[Adalaide]

Is there anything else that you always use when you use the curry powder? If not, I would also highly suspect one of the spices.

[Tigercat17]

I have a problem with their curry powder, too. I haven't tried anyone else's yet. But yes, I'm wondering if it's just the curry powder. Sometimes it's hard to tell.

[dilettantesteph]

I am in the super sensitive camp and I did think that I reacted to McCormicks spices.  I did better buying fresh spices in the produce department.  Now I grow my own.  I got a curry leaf plant for curry.  Did you know that the curry mixture that you buy is an attempt at producing the same taste that comes from this plant?  It grows indoors in a sunny window.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_tree

 

It's a tree in the wild, but it's been under two feet for a couple of years in my home.  I keep my house cool in the winter and one year is died back completely and then came back in the spring.  Last winter I put it under grow lights and it kept going all winter.

[ShannonLK]

I talked to McCormick's yesterday and the lady kept telling me that there spices are gluten free but then told me they are made on the same factory belt as flour. She still insisted the spices were gluten free.But when they are cross contaminated with flour they are not gluten free! There is a reason they don't state gluten free on the bottle, because they can't.

[CommonTater]

McCormick's told me if they put gluten into their spices they will indicate so on the bottle HOWEVER they process their gluten-containing spices on the SAME line as their non-gluten spices.

[dilettantesteph]

That would explain my reaction to them then.  Thanks.  

[Geoff Griffith]

I use world seasonings for alot of my spices. A small company out out of San Diego that makes everything fresh. Great blends. All Gluten Free.

[Rosalieblue]

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm also Suuuuuuuper sentitive and started to develop ulcerative colitis from gluten exposure from SImply Organic spices. I had been having the spices for 7 years and no mater what seemed to get worse each year. I eliminated everything except spices one at a time and felt no relief. 

I'm weary about using McCormick pepper this thanksgiving, but I guess ill give it a try. You said you use pepper, right? Do you feel it bothers you?

[cyclinglady]

4 hours ago, Rosalieblue said:

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm also Suuuuuuuper sentitive and started to develop ulcerative colitis from gluten exposure from SImply Organic spices. I had been having the spices for 7 years and no mater what seemed to get worse each year. I eliminated everything except spices one at a time and felt no relief. 

I'm weary about using McCormick pepper this thanksgiving, but I guess ill give it a try. You said you use pepper, right? Do you feel it bothers you?

Rosalie.  What kind of spices?  Are you talking about Curry’s, garlic, onion, or chilis?  In my case, I react because I have intolerances to those items even in whole food form.  My reaction is not a glutening reaction.  I use McCormick or the Costco brands.  I have not been glutened by them. I use just black pepper and pumpkin spices (e.g. cinnamon) because everthing else seems to have garlic, onion or chili peppers).  

I make chili for dinner all the time for my family (Shelby Carroll’s — certified gluten-free).    I do not eat it because of my infuriating food intolerances that have not resolve yet (got milk back though ?).  

I think you need to figure out what might set off your Ulcerative Colitis.  You might need to avoid “spices” food, like me, for life.  I flavor my food with fresh herbs grown right in my kitchen on the window sill.  

Edited November 21, 2017 by cyclinglady

[Ennis-TX]

2 hours ago, Rosalieblue said:

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm also Suuuuuuuper sentitive and started to develop ulcerative colitis from gluten exposure from SImply Organic spices. I had been having the spices for 7 years and no mater what seemed to get worse each year. I eliminated everything except spices one at a time and felt no relief. 

I'm weary about using McCormick pepper this thanksgiving, but I guess ill give it a try. You said you use pepper, right? Do you feel it bothers you?

Umm Spicely is one of the few I trust, and they tested negative after some asshat came here claiming gluten on them last time. I wasted my money and time Nima Testing my spicely organic spices. I use them as a gluten free chef, and baker.

I also have UC and I can tell you, anything but the smallest amounts of garlic, onions, or hot peppers will set off my UC. It HATES garlic and onions and I have to use them just slightly, spicy peppers it is picky some days it is alright with paprika in small amounts same with ancho, and tiny pinches of Cayenne other days even cumin might make it angery. It is a really picky disease, and you sort of have to stick to easy herbs on bad days for seasoning to appease the colon gods. PS Marshmallow Root, Aloe Vera inner filet juice, and Slippery Elm can be great so soothing the beast.

I am doing the family turkey this year with poultry seasoning, and butter flavored coconut oil, avoiding garlic, only using a 1/4 sweet onion and a celery butt on the inside, and for flavor injecting it with liquid smoke and putting bacon over it. My keto dressing this year with my UC also has the onion omitted, just using poultry herbs and a bit of celery sauteed and pulsed ina food processor.

I had to remove grains from my diet completely, fruits, sugars, carbs all caused my UC to flare up so they all had to go. I changed to a ketogenic diet.

[CBB]

As of February 2018 Gluten Free Watchdog has tested several McCormick spices and several have tested rather high for cross contamination, up to 9 ppm in some cases. Be careful with this brand.

Edited February 13, 2018 by CBB

[cyclinglady]

38 minutes ago, CBB said:

As of February 2018 Gluten Free Watchdog has tested several McCormick spices and several have tested rather high for cross contamination, up to 9 ppm in some cases. Be careful with this brand.

Why?  None have tested over 20 ppm for McCormick spices per the Gluten Free Watchdog.  She gives an excellent explanation about spices and how much you would have to consume to even get a reaction.  You have to carefully read the entire report and she cautions that you can not compare 20 ppm found in cereals with 20 ppm with spices unless you are eating the entire spice jar at one sitting.  

https://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/gluten-free-watchdogs-report-on-the-gluten-contamination-of-spices/

I understand you might want to avoid all processed foods if you are a super sensitive celiac.   I thought I  was super sensitive.  Heck, even my antibodies refused to come down, but a recent biopsy showed a healed small intestine.  I do have chronic autoimmune gastritis and active Hashimoto’s which were most likely the cause of my GI issues that continue to plague me.  Unfortunately, gluten free is not helping my issues.  So, your issues might not be related to celiac disease, but to intolerances or an undiscovered autoimmune issue.  Just something to think about.