Gluten Free Chicken? No Such Thing

[Ennis-TX]

9 hours ago, Grosbeak said:

     I am super sensitive to gluten. If I eat a tiny amount, I experience atrial fibrillation. In fact, my  wife and I call my heart the "gluten gauge." My diet has included chicken every day at least once--sometimes twice--a day, for well over a year. Recently I began to experience A fib regularly even though I have taken great pains to remove gluten from my diet. I was beginning to think that celiac disease had somehow ruined my heart as well as my digestive system. One night recently I forgot to cook chicken, so I ended up with a vegetarian dinner. I did not experience an irregular heartbeat that evening or the next morning, so I began to suspect that chicken was causing the A fib. I have stopped eating chicken for several weeks now; my heart is completely back to normal. I thought I was a goner. Now I feel like I have a new lease on life. I never would have believed that chicken could cause such a serious reaction until I experienced it myself. It is definitely not nonsense. By the way, I have always carefully washed off the chicken before cooking it, so I'm pretty sure there is never any gluten on the chicken....

Miight just be digestive issues with the meat or the higher sodium, or cholesterol messing with you. I get sick and vomit eating meats that are not cooked til they practically melt and even then only in small amounts. Now I do use chicken and longhorn in soups to make a broth sometimes then remove the meat to serve to others with out issues. I have found some nice gluten-free labeled quality organic chicken at my local store, and I know a guy locally that raises and butchers his own grass fed longhorns. The meat itself is gluten-free just a issue with the digestion.

Try using the same meat you have been using to make a broth for a process of elimination. perhaps try a different brand of a higher grade.

[Posterboy]

On 11/5/2012 at 0:01 PM, buckwheat said:

I personally I have tried progresso gluten free broth and I reacted within an hour or so.

buckwheat,

First I know this is an old thread (but I didn't know that when I first read it) and began researching what could be the cause or maybe there was hidden gluten in progresso or if chicken could be an allergen not yet diagnosed.

I noticed your progresso comment.

This broth has (had) I think from looking at the online ingredient list has yeast in it.

Have you considered whether you have a yeast allergy or not.

This link should help you decide if it yeast in the broth that is causing the problem or hidden gluten from the chicken (though chicken allergy is a real diagnosis).

You will have to rule that out too.

Here is the link about the yeast allergy symptom's.

Open Original Shared Link

Many people have trouble with yeast and don't even know it.

I had a friend who had a Candidiasis (a yeast infection) before and he thought it might be gluten.  It turned out to be more along the lines of H.Pylori and low stomach acid but he did think it was the yeast infection once.

Maybe this is your case because broth's often have yeast in them.

 I hope this is helpful.

posterboy,

 

[Posterboy]

To Whom It May Concern, (since this is an old threat)

There is a discussion going now in a new thread that could explain why some people are reacting to certain products containing chicken.

see this thread that talks about the food additive transglutaminase is sometimes used in "formed chicken" products which can trigger similar autoimmune reactions.

search for rmj or knitty kitty and they have a lot of good information about the topic.

quoting from the active thread by knitty kitty

"Here's one more article....

Open Original Shared Link

This article says "Tight junction leakage is enhanced by many luminal components, commonly used industrial food additives being some of them. Glucose, salt, emulsifiers, organic solvents, gluten, microbialtransglutaminase, and nanoparticles are extensively and increasingly used by the food industry, claim the manufacturers, to improve the qualities of food. However, all of the aforementioned additives increase intestinal permeability by breaching the integrity of tight junction paracellular transfer. In fact, tight junction dysfunction is common in multiple autoimmune diseases and the central part played by the tight junction in autoimmune diseases pathogenesis is extensively described."

It is very scary that these food additives are being put into our foods without knowing the long term effects.  

Thanks for posting additional sources.  

I think RMJ is correct in saying that transglutaminase is considered a processing aid and doesn't have to be on the label, but I've come across other studies where the transglutaminase is is found in the finished product and is still active and able to cause problems in the gut."

I hope this is helpful for anybody else who happens come across this thread who still might be looking for an answer as to why "formed chicken" or other "formed meat" products can cause a gluten like reaction.

This might be why.

*** this is not medical advice but it couldn't hurt to look in to it more if "formed meat" products are giving you problems despite being gluten free in the rest of your diet choices.

good luck and I hope this is truly helpful.

posterboy,

 

 

 

[kareng]

13 hours ago, Posterboy said:

To Whom It May Concern, (since this is an old threat)

 

 

 

be looking for an answer as to why "formed chicken" or other "formed meat" products can cause a gluten like reaction.

This might be why.

*** this is not medical advice but it couldn't hurt to look in to it more if "formed meat" products are giving you problems despite being gluten free in the rest of your diet choices.

good luck and I hope this is truly helpful.

posterboy,

 

 

 

I do not think anyone was discussing " formed chicken" here.  Obviously, that is a different food than plain fresh chicken.

[Kimberly11]

On November 5, 2012 at 11:01 AM, buckwheat said:

First off I just wanted to say, I'm not one of these whackos suggesting eggs have gluten, ect. The following is a real issue and I hope everyone takes it seriously.

 

Keep getting glutened from chicken and think its the added solutions? Could be, but there is another problem. The problem comes from the slaughter house. It doesn't matter if its a huge tyson factor, or a local farm. As they are slaughtered, there are guts, undigested wheat feed from the stomach ripped open, intestines, ect -not to mention the wheat already on the feathers and skin from rolling around in feed. The tables are absolutely contaminated with wheat. After they are rinsed, they look clean, but the powderous feed is already imbedded in the porous skin. At this point the chicken is reeking of gluten on the skin, and partially absorbed through the areas of the meat (the skin is not air-tight after being cut!). The inside of the chicken is lubricated with undigested feed (gluten) (from the removal and clinching of intestines -squeezes out undigested feed[gluten]) As the breasts, thighs, and legs are cut the knife will cut through this core at some point, contamining all cuts of meat. The unfortunate thing about this too is that gluten free chicken broths, are not 100% gluten free and may contain way more wheat than you would think. I personally I have tried progresso gluten free broth and I reacted within an hour or so.

 

So if your fed up with all of the factory brands, don't be suprised when you get glutened from a chicken at your local butcher.

 

Some folks think they are having a "chicken allergy" but I believe it is because of this issue. Obviously this is only going to effect supersensitve people, but if you really are celiac, you might want to think about cutting out chicken anyway even if you don't react to it.

 

Its hard to accept, and some of you may be in denial. However this is a real issue and I hope a lot of people find this post and it helps them.

I'm deeply grateful for buckwheat's post.  I have celiac disease and I haven't dined out in 4 months.  I only cook at home with gluten-free  ingredients I've used for years.  The only new ingredient that was added to my homemade soup yesterday was Coleman Organic Chicken, so it's easy for me to ascertain that I just got sick from chicken.  There was no other possible source for my symptoms.  Thank you, buckwheat!

[cyclinglady]

1 hour ago, Kimberly11 said:

I'm deeply grateful for buckwheat's post.  I have celiac disease and I haven't dined out in 4 months.  I only cook at home with gluten-free  ingredients I've used for years.  The only new ingredient that was added to my homemade soup yesterday was Coleman Organic Chicken, so it's easy for me to ascertain that I just got sick from chicken.  There was no other possible source for my symptoms.  Thank you, buckwheat!

I am sorry that you are sick.  When was the last time your GI measured your antibodies?  This would confirm if your celiac disease is active.  

Open Original Shared Link

 

[Feeneyja]

Yikes, lots of frustrated folks here!

This topic intrigues me because I have heard repeatedly to watch out for hidden gluten in meat.  I also have raised chickens (layers and meat birds).  So, I looked some things up and thought I would share the resources.  I am not relying on blog warnings, but USDA documents.

First of all, I glutened my daughter with chicken feed. It was a bad moment of not thinking.  Afterwards, I called all over, talked to feed scientists and grain mills. I learned that all commercial feed or feed pellets contain gluten in the form of milling by product. I did find a gluten free feed made by a local feed mill.  There is always the potential of cc of grains in  transportation. But she does not go by the birds and we have a thorough cleaning/safety protocol for those in the family who do.  Problem solved.  Yes, there is absolutely the potential to be glutened by chicken feed.  But washing and cleaning takes care of this.  I have first hand experience with this one.

Secondly, FDA regulates food, USDA regulates agriculture products, including meat.  This is important because they have slightly different rules.  FDA recognizes 20ppm limit as gluten-free, USDA does not recognize any limit.   This is an important distinction.  For the USDA, if it contains gluten, it must be labeled.   Here is the quote from their regulations: "FSIS does not recognize a threshold for any allergenic ingredient. Thus, all allergenic ingredients need to be declared on the product label."  These are relatively new regulations (2015, here's the link Open Original Shared Link).  USDA items have the USDA stamp on them.  That's how you know.  

Thirdly, natural flavorings in USDA products can only include: "Spices, spice extractives, essential oils, oleoresins, onion powder, garlic powder, celery powder, onion juice, and garlic juice."  MSG must be stated and not hidden as flavoring.  All proteins must state their source.  This goes back to 1990's.  Here's the USDA resource for labeling prorietry mixtures:  Open Original Shared Link

Many spices are potentially contaminated. What about the labeling of these?  This is a quote from the USDA document cited above:

"Question: How should an establishment label its product when an incoming seasoning packet contains a “may contain” statement on its labeling? Answer: All the ingredients in a “may contain” or “produced in a facility” statement of a purchased ingredient need not be listed on the final label if the official establishment: 1) Contacts the supplier and confirms in writing that the statement is a cautionary statement, and no such ingredient is in the product; and 2) Includes a written statement in its hazard analysis documentation to support why the “may contain” or “produced in a facility” statement is not carried forward to the finished meat or poultry product label.

Also, within the document is a long protocol for preventing cross contamination.  

After reading all of this information, it seems as if there is a certain amount of legend behind the meat/broth/natural flavoring labeling.  Of course, there is always the possibility that someone is not disclosing something.  Such as the spices listed above.  Not using birds with broth or spices/flavorings eliminates that potential risk.  Look at the label.  If it only says "contains up to x% retained water", that is just the water that sticks to the bird in processing.

There is also the potential for contamination from feed.  I am not going to minimize or mock that.  I have birds, I know how messy they are.  I know what a processing facility looks like (we use a small Amish facility to process our birds).  There is lots of rinsing and water involved.  I THINK the wheat residue should be gone, but I have been surprised by how little gluten it takes.  We have not had a problem with chicken.   I have a pretty sensitive daughter, but I'm sure someone out there is more sensitive to gluten, so I'm not going to say that my experience with her should be yours.  

Bottom line:  Know the source of your food, trust that folks are following regulations, rinse really well, or just avoid it yourself.

[squirmingitch]

Feeneyja,

Thank you very much for that very informative, well documented post. I am sure it will help many people. Your post should have a  lot of impact as well because you personally raise & eat chickens and have a celiac in the family. Nothing like first hand experience is there?

[Feeneyja]

Squirmingitch, I should qualify that my daughter does not have celiac.  But she barely made it through the gluten challenge, has severe neurological symptoms when incidentally glutened (such as the chicken feed incidence) -  loss of use of the right side of her body, dragging leg, unable to grip things, involuntary tremors, heaviness of arms and legs, even could not see for a few seconds once.  We were offered a 12 week gluten challenge again to retest for celiac.  We declined.  We are seeing a neurologist about gluten ataxia.  It's also an auto immune response and newly separated out from celiac disease because there is often not intestinal damage, just nervous system damage.  But yes, first hand experience.  Chickens are messy.  Feed is everywhere!  But hopefully the folks who are processing the birds follow the guidelines put into place by the USDA.  I really researched this for myself since I have wondered about the broth/natural flavoring thing too.  You google it and everyone warns you to watch out.  It's good to know the official guidelines.

[cyclinglady]

55 minutes ago, squirmingitch said:

Feeneyja,

Thank you very much for that very informative, well documented post. I am sure it will help many people. Your post should have a  lot of impact as well because you personally raise & eat chickens and have a celiac in the family. Nothing like first hand experience is there?

Thanks from me too!  ?

[squirmingitch]

21 hours ago, Feeneyja said:

Squirmingitch, I should qualify that my daughter does not have celiac.  But she barely made it through the gluten challenge, has severe neurological symptoms when incidentally glutened (such as the chicken feed incidence) -  loss of use of the right side of her body, dragging leg, unable to grip things, involuntary tremors, heaviness of arms and legs, even could not see for a few seconds once.  We were offered a 12 week gluten challenge again to retest for celiac.  We declined.  We are seeing a neurologist about gluten ataxia.  It's also an auto immune response and newly separated out from celiac disease because there is often not intestinal damage, just nervous system damage.  But yes, first hand experience.  Chickens are messy.  Feed is everywhere!  But hopefully the folks who are processing the birds follow the guidelines put into place by the USDA.  I really researched this for myself since I have wondered about the broth/natural flavoring thing too.  You google it and everyone warns you to watch out.  It's good to know the official guidelines.

Well it doesn't matter if she has celiac or not. It's quite clear that gluten will kill her. Again, thank you for the fine information. I can certainly understand why you declined the 12 week gluten challenge. Hopefully one day we will have reliable testing that does not require us to damage ourselves.