Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

"gluten Free" Items That "got You"

NorthernElf

Recommended Posts

Larry Gessner Newbie
Larry Gessner
Posted

In researching this to learn more I have come across many, many complaints from the public with restaurants and coffee shops that cant seem to get it that cross contamination is a real problem. We live in a small town and I am sure that every other small town is dealing with trying to provide a gluten free food ( without doing the right things)

When it comes to the big companies it seems like they aren't doing their homework when creating the products.

Does the medical field have any way to rate a person's gluten intolerance as to severity? It sounds as if this all becomes trial and error after a person has been diagnosed.  I am interested in this because I would like all of my gluten intolerant friends to be able to live a normal life so I appreciate forums like this where people can share ideas. Perhaps the certification standards for gluten free facilities and the people in research and development need more training. 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • Replies 102
  • Created
  • Last Reply
kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted
7 hours ago, Larry Gessner said:

In researching this to learn more I have come across many, many complaints from the public with restaurants and coffee shops that cant seem to get it that cross contamination is a real problem. We live in a small town and I am sure that every other small town is dealing with trying to provide a gluten free food ( without doing the right things)

When it comes to the big companies it seems like they aren't doing their homework when creating the products.

Does the medical field have any way to rate a person's gluten intolerance as to severity? It sounds as if this all becomes trial and error after a person has been diagnosed.  I am interested in this because I would like all of my gluten intolerant friends to be able to live a normal life so I appreciate forums like this where people can share ideas. Perhaps the certification standards for gluten free facilities and the people in research and development need more training. 

non Celiac gluten sensitivity can vary, I suppose.  celiac disease is always " severe".  Less than 20 ppm has been established as the highest amount of accidental gluten that may be safe.  But  we aim for 0.  

 

I don't really understand your comments about " the certification standards for gluten free facilities".  If the facility is certified, they must meet the standards of the certifying entity.  Some are less than 10 ppm -so stricter than the law requires.  

Larry Gessner Newbie
Larry Gessner
Posted

One of the problems faced with any gluten free facility or any facility that is allergen free, is that employees that work there may not be aware that they are contaminating the products. this came to light during a conversation with an inspector who had relayed an incident where an allergen free facility was being inspected and during that inspection the inspector decided to check the trash in a packaging room. To the inspectors surprise there was a half eaten snickers bar in the trash. The entire facility was shut down and an investigation revealed that one of the employees was starving and snuck the candy bar into the packaging room. No one witnessed this, but to be safe the owner did a voluntary recall  of all the product that was packaged that day and a through cleaning of the facility had to be done. So my point is that even with the best measures in place someone still violated a stand fast rule with no regard for the people who would consume that product. These are the kind of things I put into our training so that employees know that if you violate a rule like that you might cause someone to become ill or die from them being exposed to an allergen. Everyone who works at a food facility is trained in allergen management. What I believe should be done is more examples of recalls shared and the consequences that the contamination caused. 

Just wearing gloves only separates the skin from the product. If a worker is sweating and they run their hand across their face, they deposit their sweat onto the glove and that possibly gets transferred to the product. We all do involuntary things like this until we are made aware of the problems they pose.

Since I work in a food industry, I have a concern when I read all of the problems associated with Celiac afflicted people experiencing gluten exposure from supposedly gluten free products.  This problem needs to be addressed on a larger scale.

I listened to a podcast the other night from a woman who is celiac and she will not purchase any pre-packaged gluten free mixes because she cant trust them. This problem is new to me and I am trying to understand where the root of the problem is so that if there is anything I can do to help, I make it part of what we do at our plant.

I realize I have a lot to learn and my goal is to find a solution that works for you and everyone who is afflicted by this.

 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,674
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Angela Chaisson
    Newest Member
    Angela Chaisson
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.3k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • AuntieAutoimmune
      Royal Caribbean Only, Please

      By AuntieAutoimmune · Posted

      Hi, Everyone, My husband and I are contemplating an RCL cruise and would like to hear from anyone who has sailed on RCL. Please do not post information on other cruise lines. We are either going on Celebrity (which we've sailed many times and know is good—we don't need any information) or Royal Caribbean. So, RCL only, please, and only those who have already sailed. Thanks!  
    • Scott Adams
      Testing positive for antibodies, are there visible changes to the colon that could be seen without a biopsy?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease.     
    • trents
      Testing positive for antibodies, are there visible changes to the colon that could be seen without a biopsy?

      By trents · Posted

      There are third party home test kits for celiac disease that do not involve needles. They use a cheek swab I believe. The cost is a little over $100 USD I believe for most of them.  A 7 week "gluten challenge" should be more than enough. The absolute minimum according to guidelines is 2 weeks but I would not cut it that close. I usually recommend four weeks but the more the better in so far as ensuring valid testing. "My daughter was told by her doctor to eliminate american grains due to the fortifying process." What's this about? Are you referring to the vitamins and minerals added to processed cereal grain products in the USA? Is this supposed to be harmful according to this doctor? What kind of doctor is this? MD? Naturopath? What is interesting is that when people go gluten free they often need to supplement with vitamins and minerals to compensate for the loss of vitamins and minerals they were getting in wheat products. Most gluten free facsimile flours are nutritionally bankrupt.  Yes, there is a significant statistical correlation between Hashimotos and celiac disease. Autoimmune disorders tend to cluster. Omeprazole and other PPI meds are concerning when used long term in that they raise gut PH (lower acidity) and inhibit the digestion and assimilation of nutrients. They are some of the most over prescribed and under monitored meds in all of pharmacology. I was on Omeprazole for years and weaned myself off it. It was a real fight because of rebound. I bridged with TUMS which is much better option when used for spot coverage. The interesting thing is, a lot of GERD is actually caused by hypoacidity rather than hyperacidity. If you have a lot of GERD you might want to look into MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome)/histamine intolerance which is another medical problem very common in the celiac community.
    • cameo674
      Testing positive for antibodies, are there visible changes to the colon that could be seen without a biopsy?

      By cameo674 · Posted

      Thank you, Trents.  This is exactly why I ask questions.  The reference range was anything over 15 was out of range for all 3 antibody tests where I was out of range, Tissue Transglutaminase (IgG)<1.0 was the top of the normal range and 47-310 is the range for the IgA.   I started limiting my gluten (American Grains) exposure in 2020 when my daughter tested homozygous for the MTHFR gene so the numbers in 2024 are definitely reduced from what they probably were in 2020.  My daughter was told by her doctor to eliminate american grains due to the fortifying process.     I have been changing up my diet since 2018 when I could not stay out of the bathroom.  I attributed my stomach issues a generic medication that I had been taking for my lymphedema since they started at the same time. I had gone from being unable to use the bathroom to being unable to leave the house with spare clothes.  I mostly stick to a protein and a vegetable for my meals now-a-days.  Gluten exposure is usually through family events.  I just added pre and probiotics into my diet in 2024 because of gerd like issues that I was told was related to another gene issue.  I am trying to stop eating tums and Omeprazole like they are candy.  I have Hashimoto’s so I always thought my ANA Pattern/Titer scores were just pointing to the thyroid issues not any other conditions.     I will make sure that I restart/guarantee my gluten intake at the end of April before my June appointment.  7 weeks should be enough? Though 6 pieces of bread a day is a lot higher than I have ever consumed.    I will prompt the kids to start their journeys.  They all have stomach issues, but their doctors were attributing them to various other reasons since no one in our family has ever been diagnosed with celiac.   Anxiety was always what the doctors said their stomachs hurt so they eat tums alot too.   Thank you again for your anatomy help. The people who I have personally known that had a celiac diagnosis got so sick when they accidentally consumed gluten that I never considered that I might have it myself.  I would not have done the test myself if my daughter wasn’t so anxious about needles.  
    • Scott Adams
      Did I outgrow celiac

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Celiac disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition. Unlike some food allergies, which children may outgrow, celiac disease does not go away. Even if you don’t experience immediate symptoms after consuming gluten, it doesn’t mean the disease is gone. The absence of symptoms does not equal safety. Gluten can still be causing damage to your small intestine, even if you don’t feel it right away. As @trents mentioned, this is called "silent celiac disease," where there is internal damage without obvious symptoms. The fact that you didn’t react to the wheat-containing cookie or the donut doesn’t mean you’ve outgrown celiac disease. It’s possible that your body didn’t react strongly at that moment, but repeated exposure to gluten could lead to long-term complications, such as nutrient deficiencies, osteoporosis, or other autoimmune conditions. The damage caused by gluten can be cumulative, even if symptoms aren’t immediate. Your doctor’s suggestion to “experiment” is concerning. Celiac disease should never be tested by intentionally consuming gluten unless it’s under strict medical supervision for diagnostic purposes (like a gluten challenge before testing). Even then, it’s risky and can cause significant harm. If you’re curious about whether your celiac disease is still active, the best course of action is to consult a gastroenterologist and undergo proper testing, such as blood tests (tTG-IgA) or an endoscopy with biopsy, rather than self-experimentation. Your mom’s skepticism is understandable and warranted. Celiac disease requires strict, lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet, even if you feel fine after eating gluten. It’s not worth risking your long-term health for a donut or cookie, no matter how delicious they may be. I strongly encourage you to avoid gluten entirely and continue following a strict gluten-free diet. If you have further questions or concerns, please discuss them with a healthcare professional who specializes in celiac disease. 
×
×
  • Create New...