Hershey's Does Not Necessarily Disclose All Gluten

[rbh]

I had been under the impression that Hershey's was like Kraft, and did not "hide" gluten, so that if the word "natural flavors" was used, and the words wheat, rye, barley, oats or malt were not, the product was safe. However, when I contacted them to double check the status of their sundae toppings, I was told that they did not know whether the natural flavors that they used in the toppings contained gluten. I emailed to confirm this, and this is what they sent back: "Thank you for contacting The Hershey Company. Your comments about our chocolate product are important.

Natural flavors are derived from natural sources which could have gluten. The Sundae Syrups you are referring to have not been tested to determine if they are gluten free. I am sorry, that is all the info we can provide you."

So, it seems that the words "natural flavors" on a Hershey's product might mean -- we don't know what's in it.

(Forgive me for posting this in two sections -- I'm new to the board, and wasn't sure whether this topic belonged here or in the product section.)

[DingoGirl]

Hi and welcome. Hershey's is kind of iffy....companies say things like that to cover their butts, really. Often they truly can't know or guarantee the source of their ingredients - I mean, SOMEONE in the company can, but not necessarily the person(s) to whom the public will speak.

I adore Hershey's nuggets....if I eat just a few, I'm fine. If I eat half the bag, as I am wont to do then there is a problem. but I do know other people on this forum have had a problem with Hershey's...probably best just to avoid it, and I need to take my own advice!

[psawyer]

The Sundae Syrups you are referring to have not been tested to determine if they are gluten free. I am sorry, that is all the info we can provide you.

Everybody sing, "CYA, CYA, CYA-A-A..."

This is an increasingly common disclaimer statement which means that they do not make all of the ingredients they use, and so they will not accept legal responsibility for them. Okay, so they will not legally guarantee the gluten-free status. That does not mean that there is any gluten present, it just means that they will not be responsible if a third party (their supplier) accidently introduces cross-contamination.

"The first thing we must do is kill all the lawyers" -- William Shakespeare

<<posted twice, once in each copy of this thread>>

[Ursa Major]

I absolutely cannot eat Hershey's chocolates, they make me feel terrible. Why exactly? I have no idea. But I avoid their products.

[Simply-V]

I absolutely cannot eat Hershey's chocolates, they make me feel terrible. Why exactly? I have no idea. But I avoid their products.

Hershey's contains corn (that abbreviation thing on the ingredients) which I noticed that you're sensitive to lectins (lectins are in corn) so that could be it.

[jerseyangel]

I can't eat Hershey's products, either. I could never really figure out why--maybe corn, maybe CC--who knows?

[jaten]

Everybody sing, "CYA, CYA, CYA-A-A..."

This is an increasingly common disclaimer statement which means that they do not make all of the ingredients they use, and so they will not accept legal responsibility for them. Okay, so they will not legally guarantee the gluten-free status. That does not mean that there is any gluten present, it just means that they will not be responsible if a third party (their supplier) accidently introduces cross-contamination.

Respectfully, I don't read it that way at all. I read that it is untested. Untested=may contain gluten; may not contain gluten. If a vendor says, "We don't know about some of our ingredients" then I am not willing to assume that risk. That would be Gluten Roulette.