Are All Smarties Created Equal?

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

I'm talking about the candy, those little round pasel colored sugar thingies.  Their web site says they are gluten free as to several other sites.  But some of the packaging says they are processed in a facility with wheat etc.  But other packaging says they are processed in a facilty with eggs, soy, etc, everything BUT wheat.  It all depends on what store brand I am looking at (such as Target, CVS, Price Chopper, etc.)  If it says wheat on it I don't buy them but otherwise I will pick up a bag every 2 or 3 months.

 

I ask because I have been munching on these the past couple of days and today my intestines are rumbling something awful and I feel generally yukky.  The only things different in my diet are the smarties and Utz sweet potato chips which clearly say "This is a gluten free food" on the bag

 

Any thoughts?  Is the label just a cyb kind of statement or should this be taken seriously.  The ones I am eating do not mention gluten so I don't think that could be the problem.  But I can't imagine what else it could be.

 

[cyclinglady]

I buy only the original Smarties made in the USA and Canada.  I pass them out on Halloween (we get over 500 kids at our door).  However, I don't eat them throughout the year.  Too much sugar and lots of dyes.  Let's face it.  I'd rather eat good chocolate!

 

Maybe you've just picked up a bug? 

[psawyer]

A product can be gluten-free as the term is generally understood without having to be made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Do any gluten-containing products ever enter your home? If so, your home is a shared facility.

Do these products get eaten with dedicated plates and utensils that are washed in a dedicated sink or dishwasher? If not, you have shared equipment in your shared facility.

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

  On 8/3/2013 at 12:22 AM, psawyer said:

A product can be gluten-free as the term is generally understood without having to be made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Do any gluten-containing products ever enter your home? If so, your home is a shared facility.

Do these products get eaten with dedicated plates and utensils that are washed in a dedicated sink or dishwasher? If not, you have shared equipment in your shared facility.

I'm probably dense because I really don't understand what you are saying.   Are you saying if a product isn't made in a dedicated gluten-free facility it is or isn't gluten-free?  If the label says it's processed in a facility with wheat is it safe to eat?  Are my bag of smarties, which note that everything but wheat may be processed in their facility, safer than another bag which does mention wheat?

[psawyer]

I am saying that just because the product is made in a facility where wheat is also used does not necessarily mean that it contains gluten. It may mean that there is a slight risk of contamination. If you are unsure, call the company. I also consider the type of product.

Many products which are safe for us are made in facilities where there is wheat present--somewhere on the premises.

Consider also that this label is completely voluntary. If you don't see a disclosure, don't assume that the facility is gluten-free.

And frankly, I don't personally believe that gluten-free facilities exist at all. Just because you don't intentionally bring gluten onto the premises doesn't mean it isn't there. An employee may accidentally (or intentionally) bring it in. That driver who just delivered the tapioca starch had a Big Mac for lunch and didn't wash after eating. Why would he? We are taught to wash BEFORE eating (many don't bother with that either). The postal worker had a donut on her break, and then handled your mail. I could go on and on.

In short, for me, a shared facility is not a concern. Shared equipment, more so.

[Adalaide]

I know you checked the Smarties website but from your post I am wondering if you are saying that you are buying the Smarties brand name candy or the store brand candy. You say the label depends on what store brand you are looking at, you you mean Target brand candy or Smarties brand candy at a Target store? There is a significant difference there, especially since many large chains have their own brands with their own ingredient list which can be different with every package of similar candy.

 

The statement on a package that it is manufactured in a shared facility is completely voluntary. It is quite possible that you would put one package down and pick up another that doesn't say that and put it in your cart, but the product may in fact still be from a shared facility. Buying from reputable companies with good manufacturing processes is the best way to be safe. If you are unsure about a product or company, contact them rather than just dismissing them. A for instance is that many M&Ms will say that they are manufactured in a facility with wheat because of pretzel ones, that does not mean that all M&Ms have gluten in them. Good manufacturing processes prevent CC and allow us to consume M&Ms safely.

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

  On 8/4/2013 at 7:50 PM, Adalaide said:

I know you checked the Smarties website but from your post I am wondering if you are saying that you are buying the Smarties brand name candy or the store brand candy. You say the label depends on what store brand you are looking at, you you mean Target brand candy or Smarties brand candy at a Target store? There is a significant difference there, especially since many large chains have their own brands with their own ingredient list which can be different with every package of similar candy.

 

 

Adelaide - all the smarties candies I see say "smarties" on the bag and are wrapped the same cellophane wrapper thas says "smarties."  So what I am wondering is are ALL smarties the same, that is do they all come from the same smarites factory, or are all smarties different, that is CVS smarties are different than Target smarties and they are different than Whole Foods smarties.   Store brand Peanut Butter cups can't say Reese's on them and I would assume they are made in a different factory than Reese's (but maybe not).  But because all smarties say smaties I'm wondering if they are all the same.  Make sense?

[JaneWhoLovesRain]

  On 8/3/2013 at 2:46 AM, psawyer said:

I am saying that just because the product is made in a facility where wheat is also used does not necessarily mean that it contains gluten. It may mean that there is a slight risk of contamination. If you are unsure, call the company. I also consider the type of product.

Many products which are safe for us are made in facilities where there is wheat present--somewhere on the premises.

Consider also that this label is completely voluntary. If you don't see a disclosure, don't assume that the facility is gluten-free.

And frankly, I don't personally believe that gluten-free facilities exist at all. Just because you don't intentionally bring gluten onto the premises doesn't mean it isn't there. An employee may accidentally (or intentionally) bring it in. That driver who just delivered the tapioca starch had a Big Mac for lunch and didn't wash after eating. Why would he? We are taught to wash BEFORE eating (many don't bother with that either). The postal worker had a donut on her break, and then handled your mail. I could go on and on.

In short, for me, a shared facility is not a concern. Shared equipment, more so.

Thank you for the explanation Peter.  I appreciate it.

[Adalaide]

Open Original Shared Link

 

If they are Smarties brand this will cover your question. Just check the UPC against what the website says, or keep a note of the UPC in your phone since everything starting with that UPC is safe and you'll be able to identify the safe ones easily.

[psawyer]

Additional thoughts: It depends on where you are. In most countries, but NOT the US, Open Original Shared Link is a registered trademark of Nestle for a sugar-coated-chocolate candy, similar to M&Ms.

The product sold under the Smarties name in the Unites States is quite different. Here, too, it is a trademark, so the Smarties name on the label specifically identifies the candy made by Smarties Candy Company.

If you are using "smarties" as a generic term to describe a type of candy rather than the specific brand associated with the trademarked name, all bets are off.

[nvsmom]

I know that the Smarties up here in Canada as seen Open Original Shared Link have wheat in them, at least their Halloween small packs do.

[Adalaide]

  On 8/22/2013 at 6:26 AM, nvsmom said:

I know that the Smarties up here in Canada as seen Open Original Shared Link have wheat in them, at least their Halloween small packs do.

 

In the US those are not Smarties. I've never actually seen those here. It never occurred to me that another company would actually make a completely different candy and give it the same name.

 

Smarties in the US are what I linked. Little sugar candies that are circular and concave on both sides, stacked together and wrapped in plastic with the ends twisted together. With the page I linked anyone can check the UPC code for them, it lists a beginning part of the code which will always indicate that they are Smarties brand candy and are gluten free, manufactured in a gluten free facility.

[nvsmom]

  On 8/23/2013 at 6:46 AM, Adalaide said:

In the US those are not Smarties. I've never actually seen those here. It never occurred to me that another company would actually make a completely different candy and give it the same name.

 

Smarties in the US are what I linked. Little sugar candies that are circular and concave on both sides, stacked together and wrapped in plastic with the ends twisted together. With the page I linked anyone can check the UPC code for them, it lists a beginning part of the code which will always indicate that they are Smarties brand candy and are gluten free, manufactured in a gluten free facility.

 

Up here, American Smarties are called Rockets and they are gluten-free up here too. My oldest loves them - he is my sugar junkie.