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

Peanut Butter M&m's...sooo Sick!

MitziG
 Share

Recommended Posts

MitziG Enthusiast
MitziG
Posted

Everything I have read says they are gluten free. But this is twice in a row now that I have gotten sick within minutes of finishing a bag. Last time I thought it was a fluke. This time, my celiac son and I were munching them in the car, and by the time we got into the store, we both had to go running for the bathroom. I am kind of fortunate in that gluten usually gives me a very quick and noticeable reaction, so I can identify the culprit at least. Are M&M's likely to have been cross contaminated? This has NEVER happened witht he regular ones. Hours later and my stomach is still really hurting. I am never touching them again, that is for sure!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I have never had a problem with M&Ms, but I don't have any specific experience with the peanut butter ones.

giggleburger Rookie
giggleburger
Posted

Is it possible you have some sort of issue with peanuts or whatever is mixed to make the peanut buttery part of the M&Ms?

gluten free overseas Apprentice
gluten free overseas
Posted

Do dyes bother you? Even the gluten free dyes can bother some folks.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

They now make pretzel M&Ms. I wonder if CC is now an issue when it wasn't before?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I believe it was on here that I read this, but not sure. You could contact M&Ms and get it verified.

Special flavors like, the pretzel or raspberry or strawberry were produced on thier "extra" lines. So were holiday colors. The regular flavors stayed together on the main machines. I don't know if pretzel has become a standard flavor now or a temporary one.

Since you had a reaction, maybe you would like to email them & then post the response for all of us inquiring minds?

I never get to eat the PB ones at my house as they are the first in a mixed bag to be sucked down by the boys here.

bumblebee-carnival Newbie
bumblebee-carnival
Posted

I had the same problem with Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. No gluten listed in the ingredients, but I had a reaction shortly after eating one.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MitziG Enthusiast
MitziG
Posted
  • Author

No problems with dyes or peanuts ever- so I am going to email the company as suggested. I will let you know what I hear back!

LabyrinthRunner13 Rookie
LabyrinthRunner13
Posted

No problems with dyes or peanuts ever- so I am going to email the company as suggested. I will let you know what I hear back!

I'd be really interested to hear what they say... I got a bag out of the vending machine at work today and 30 minutes later I was running for the bathroom. It is now several hours later and I am developing a rash on my arms, and (for the first time) on my chest. I was given to believe that they were gluten free and safe...

Duhlina Apprentice
Duhlina
Posted

I had a reaction to the mini Reese's peanut butter cups and vowed to never touch them again!

beverlyann5 Newbie
beverlyann5
Posted

I am new at this, but find myself always getting answers from this site and various members. I was looking up Peanut Butter M&M's and of course found comments here. I eas the Peanut M&M's all the time with no adverse affects. However, after reading the ingredients as we all do on the Peanut Butter ones, I ate 3. Three. That's all. Ten minutes later I was having a reaction and had to leave the work floor. So they are definitely off my list of edibles. By the way I have Celiac Disease and am now living a Gluten Freedom life! Wow! Beverly

Everything I have read says they are gluten free. But this is twice in a row now that I have gotten sick within minutes of finishing a bag. Last time I thought it was a fluke. This time, my celiac son and I were munching them in the car, and by the time we got into the store, we both had to go running for the bathroom. I am kind of fortunate in that gluten usually gives me a very quick and noticeable reaction, so I can identify the culprit at least. Are M&M's likely to have been cross contaminated? This has NEVER happened witht he regular ones. Hours later and my stomach is still really hurting. I am never touching them again, that is for sure!

MitziG Enthusiast
MitziG
Posted
  • Author

So I finally heard back from the company...sort of. makes me wonder if a real person even READS the emails? They are treating it like a complaint! Argh. I just want to know their processing procedure. Anyway...this is what they said:

In response to your email regarding M&M'S PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CANDIES.

Thank you for your email.

We're sorry to hear of your experience with M&M'S PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CANDIES. At Mars Chocolate North America we take all consumer feedback very seriously, and we would like the opportunity to provide you with the highest level of service.

In compliance with the requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we ask for limited personal information as a part of our initial online feedback process. COPPA restricts the amount of personal information that website operators can collect online. In order to respond to your email, we need to collect further information from you (i.e., address, upc and manufacturing code stamped on the wrapper). Please contact us on our toll-free number, 1-800-627-7852, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

When calling please refer to file reference # 011674967A. We look forward to assisting you further.

Sincerely,

Consumer Care

Like I KEPT the packaging? Really? They think I am a hoarder? (ok, so maybe I am a little, but only important stuff...) Anyway, I will call them tomorrow if I get a chance and post what I find out. If anything....

MitziG Enthusiast
MitziG
Posted
  • Author

I am new at this, but find myself always getting answers from this site and various members. I was looking up Peanut Butter M&M's and of course found comments here. I eas the Peanut M&M's all the time with no adverse affects. However, after reading the ingredients as we all do on the Peanut Butter ones, I ate 3. Three. That's all. Ten minutes later I was having a reaction and had to leave the work floor. So they are definitely off my list of edibles. By the way I have Celiac Disease and am now living a Gluten Freedom life! Wow! Beverly

BAM! As Emeril would say...if he had Celiac that is...lol

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Like I KEPT the packaging? Really? They think I am a hoarder? (ok, so maybe I am a little, but only important stuff...) Anyway, I will call them tomorrow if I get a chance and post what I find out. If anything....

This is normal. The people in the call centers who respond to such questions routinely ask for this sort of information. They do need it.

If you are in doubt about a product, ALWAYS keep the package so you can refer to it when the manufacturer's rep asks these questions. Ingredients and facilities change. Some companies have more than one plant. The production code, combined with the UPC, is the only way that they can know that the answers they give relate to the product you actually bought.

  • 4 weeks later...
srsly Newbie
srsly
Posted

I had a reaction this week as well and the only thing I can think of that was out of the ordinary for my diet was peanut butter M&Ms.

Please do follow up if you found out anything else.

  • 3 months later...
jay22deb Newbie
jay22deb
Posted

My wife, with Celiacs, just had a similar experience. Last night she became ill, and we narrowed down the possible causes to peanut butter M&Ms or salad dressing. Tonight she is again sick, and the only outlier she ate were peanut butter M&Ms. (She has never had problems with regular M&Ms.) She has no history of reacting to peanut butter and related products before. Could Mars be experience a cross-contamination problem??

heatherjane Contributor
heatherjane
Posted

Here's a recent M&Ms thread with some helpful info.

Also, make sure you are checking the label for "May contain wheat".

  • 1 year later...
Sdjoly Newbie
Sdjoly
Posted

I see no one has posted here in a while, but I have a severe gluten sensitivity, had a bag of these M&M's Peanut Butter today and got serious intestinal upset within 3 hours. Just letting everyone know there is still a problem with these. 4 hours later still not doing well....

  • 1 month later...
Cee-CeeC Newbie
Cee-CeeC
Posted

I see no one has posted here in a while, but I have a severe gluten sensitivity, had a bag of these M&M's Peanut Butter today and got serious intestinal upset within 3 hours. Just letting everyone know there is still a problem with these. 4 hours later still not doing well....

 

Same here, but happened with a couple hours today. Wish I would have found this thread earlier -- but lesson learned. Hate when it happens the hard way, though.

GF Lover Rising Star
GF Lover
Posted

Mars M&Ms clearly marks packaging with allergy information and a "may contain" statement.

 

Peanut Butter M&Ms do not contain gluten.  If they continue to make you sick you should not eat them.

 

All the best.

 

Colleen 

  • 1 year later...
Natalie319 Newbie
Natalie319
Posted

I find this so interesting.

I'm gluten-intolerant. I'm not so sensitive that cross-contamination bothers me. For instance, I can eat fries if they're in the same oil as something else. It won't upset me. But if I eat something with actual gluten, it will.

I ate peanut butter m&ms and I got a bad migraine that night (one of the things that happens to me) and I've had a major stomachache for two days. I haven't had this kind of pain in probably a year. So I know that it can't just be a small cross-contamination issue making me this sick.

 

There must be something in peanut butter M&Ms that we are also sensitive too, or the company is just oblivious to their ingredients! It's odd that so many of us would get sick off of them.

gilligan Enthusiast
gilligan
Posted

I hardly doubt that Mars is oblivious to their ingredients.  They have a reputation to protect.  Perhaps you are becoming more sensitive and something else you ate earlier upset you, or you have developed additional food sensitivities.  Always check label ingredients.  You're also posting on a thread that's two years old, so you would need to recheck Mars website for up to date info.

Natalie319 Newbie
Natalie319
Posted

Well, I was mostly joking about the oblivious. My point being there's obviously something going on that we're not seeing.

 

I definitely have additional sensitivities. I've been going through some pretty extensive allergy testing for allergies/sensitives. That's how I know it's the M&Ms, because I've been on a super strict diet with only foods that have tested "safe," but I did, stupidly, cheat and have the M&Ms. There's nothing else I ate out of the ordinary. But I'm on day 5 of being sick from them, still. A slight amount of gluten has never, ever made me this sick. And I've definitely had accidental mishaps here and there.

And of course I checked the ingredients. I'm very regimented about that for years. I just posted here because I noticed it was clearly a problem for other celiac/gluten intolerants, and wanted to add my experience. It's a strange coincidence. 

gilligan Enthusiast
gilligan
Posted

I was on a very strict diet for months, also.  And, when I could finally have a taste of chocolate it was bad news!  It was months before I was slowly able to eat it again.  Perhaps that is what is happening to you.  

CK1901 Explorer
CK1901
Posted

I've been fine with peanut butter m&ms, but I usually prefer to stick with Hershey's brand candy, Endangered Species Chocolate, or Justin's brand since they actually address the issue of gluten directly.

 

Reeses eggs and the mini reeses cups and any other speciality/holiday shapes are not safe. Only the regular reeses cups are gluten free.

 

http://www.thehersheycompany.com/our-ingredients/nutrition-information/special-dietary-needs/gluten-free-products.aspx

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      128,872
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Captain Happypants
    Newest Member
    Captain Happypants
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.1k
    • Total Posts
      71.3k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Recent blood test results check in - TTG- IGA

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Most likely cross-contamination I believe.
    • cristiana
      How long after being diagnosed with Celiac do you feel better?

      By cristiana · Posted

      I think it takes different people different amounts of time, but in my own case I had pain,  bloating and loose stools for some time, exacerbated by a lactose intolerance, which eventually went.  I would say the really bad diarrhea got better quite quickly, but the bloating pain carried on for a few months, until I was told to give up lactose for a few weeks.  That helped enormously and once I realised milk and yoghurt was the cause, after a short break I went back to lactose very gradually and felt a lot better.  Now I can tolerate it well. From Coeliac UK "The enzyme lactase is found in the brush border of the small intestine. This is why people with coeliac disease can be deficient in lactase at diagnosis. Once established on a gluten free diet, the gut is able to heal and lactose digestion returns to normal. Lactose intolerance is therefore usually temporary." So if this helps your daughter, this doesn't mean you have to give up lactose forever, especially as dairy is such a good source of calcium for growing kids.   Bear in mind you should be able to reintroduce it. As for fatigue, this can be due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies,such as iron, vitamin D and B12.  Were these levels tested?  If not, I would suggest you get them done.  If your daughter is deficient in these, it is vital you address the deficiencies, and get the tests redone in a few months, particularly the iron, because too much can be dangerous.
    • knitty kitty
      Inhaler problem

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello,   The medication in these inhalers can cause a thiamine deficiency if used by someone already low in thiamine.  We don't absorb sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals due to the inflammation and damage done to our villi in Celiac Disease.  Even a long term strict gluten free diet may not provide sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals.  There are eight B vitamins that all work together.  Thiamine deficiency often shows up first because our bodies use so much of it and it can't be stored very long. Thiamine deficiency symptoms can appear in as little as three days.  Without thiamine, the other B vitamins may not be able to function properly.   Thiamine is needed to clear lactic acid accumulation caused by the inhalers: Shoshin beriberi provoked by the inhalation of salbutamol https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12951730/    Significant Lactic Acidosis from Albuterol https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5965110/ Albuterol-Induced Type B Lactic Acidosis: Not an Uncommon Finding https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7263006/ Lessons of the month 1: Salbutamol induced lactic acidosis: clinically recognised but often forgotten https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6964186/ An Overview of Type B Lactic Acidosis Due to Thiamine (B1) Deficiency https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10731935/   Thiamine has antifungal and antibacterial properties.  Thiamine helps keep Candida in check.  Thiamine helps keep SIBO in check.  Thiamine helps with black mold, Aspergillis infection.  Riboflavin helps fight Candida infection in the mouth. Riboflavin Targets the Cellular Metabolic and Ribosomal Pathways of Candida albicans In Vitro and Exhibits Efficacy against Oropharyngeal Candidiasis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36625571/   Thiamine deficiency can make ones voice hoarse and can cause localized edema.  Niacin deficiency can make ones voice hoarse.  (Niacin deficiency and Thiamine deficiency can each cause irritability, agitation, and lability.) Hoarseness in pellagra https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21507655/ Hidden Hunger: A Pellagra Case Report https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8152714/   Anesthesia can cause B12 deficiency.  B12 deficiency can show up as mouth sores and geographic tongue, diarrhea, and dementia. Vitamin deficiency, a neglected risk factor for post-anesthesia complications: a systematic review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11823251/ Neurologic degeneration associated with nitrous oxide anesthesia in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8250714/ Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord following nitrous oxide anesthesia: A systematic review of cases https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30144777/ The Effect of Vitamin B12 Infusion on Prevention of Nitrous Oxide-induced Homocysteine Increase: A Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4052402/     Eating a diet that is heavy in carbohydrates can precipitate a thiamine deficiency.  As the amount of carbohydrates consumed increases, additional thiamine is needed, otherwise the carbs will be stored as fat.   Thiamine deficiency disorders: a clinical perspective https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8451766/   Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8533683/   The deficiency symptoms of some of the B vitamins cause gastrointestinal symptoms that resemble the same symptoms as when being glutened.   Thiamine deficiency can present as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain (Gastrointestinal Beriberi).  Niacin deficiency can present as diarrhea (Pellagra = diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, then death ).  B12 deficiency can present as diarrhea or dementia.  Not everything is caused by hidden gluten.  Gluten free processed foods are not required to be enriched with vitamins lost in processing like gluten containing foods are. Blood tests are not accurate measurements of vitamin levels, but do talk to your doctor and nutritionist about supplementing with the eight B vitamins, Vitamin C, the four fat soluble vitamins and minerals like magnesium.  Your physician can give you a shot of B12 before anesthesia administration.   By the way, Celiac Disease genes have been traced back to having originated in Neanderthals.  I'm not a singing teacher on the net.  I earned a degree in Microbiology after studying nutrition because I wanted to know what vitamins are doing inside the body.  I've experienced nutritional deficiencies myself. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
    • trents
      How long after being diagnosed with Celiac do you feel better?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @jnstefan! She should start feeling better within a week or two if she is truly avoiding gluten and if she isn't also showing intolerance to other foods. It is quite common for celiacs to be dairy intolerant (not just the lactose but the protein casein in dairy) and to oats (protein is avenin). Casein and avenin have structures similar to gluten. We call this cross reactivity (not to be confused with cross contamination). So, you might look at pulling these two food items from her diet to see if there is improvement. But achieving a gluten free state is more challenging than people realize when the first start in. It is hidden in so many foods you would never expect to find it in like soy sauce and canned tomato soup, just to site two examples. This might help:  
    • jnstefan
      How long after being diagnosed with Celiac do you feel better?

      By jnstefan · Posted

      My 10 year old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac 2 weeks ago. We've been on gluten free diet now for 2 weeks. She still experiences abdominal pain at times , and is struggling with fatigue. What is everyone's experience with how long it takes for the body to heal and stabilize after starting the gluten free diet? Thanks for any feedback!
×
×
  • Create New...