Michi8

The vast majority of kitchens represented on this board would then not be able to compliant with providing a product safe for a celiac diet, by those standards - because most people on here have *some* item of gluten allowed for the non-celiacs in the household, even if it's nothing more than a granola bar.

So what of all the concern I read here about cc with washed cooking utensils, storage containers, personal products, etc? It seems that a good number of people are very concerned about (minute?) risks...is cc at the factory level not as big a concern? I'm having a hard time understanding how particular a celiac needs to be about how and where cc may happen.

There are standard practices for maintaining cleanliness in production facilities, and standard practices for reducing contamination. Assuming they follow them, they are as safe as anyone who allows gluten into their house in any form.

Is it safe to assume that companies follow those procedures properly? Again, as I mentioned further down in this thread, that assumption is not safe for someone who is avoiding other severe allergens (eg peanuts,) why would it different with celiac?

Heck, the grocery store you buy your produce and meat from is a facility that also produces wheat products, and hence is unsafe. Saying that you can only label something as safe if it's never been in the same building as wheat is unrealistic and would make our food costs prohibitively expensive, even to the well-to-do. That they provide the label allows for informed decisions so that those unwilling to take the risk are aware that such a risk exists in the first place.

I never said "that you can only label something as safe if it's never been in the same building as wheat." However, I am questioning issue of a product proudly displaying a celiac endorsement, while carrying a CYA label about cc on the flip side. That endorsement is misleading.

Michelle

I had contacted Blue Diamond directly because I was concerned about the cross contamination issue. I was reassured by their response. Although I realize that this is a personal decision, I felt comfortable that they take the potential cross-contamination issues seriously and the fact that they test the product for gluten is an added bonus. This is a quote from their e-mail:

"The issue of producing products that are

They are very good! Plus a serving size is 16 crackers! I do understand it's all about personal acceptable risk too.

Consider, though, that as I am navigating the world of gluten free eating, I'm hearing the message that minute risks are unacceptable (cc risks of teflon cookware, plastic storage containers, makeups, etc.) yet eating a product that has been produced in a cc-risk facility is okay. That same type of CYA labelling is not an okay risk for someone who has a severe peanut allergy (ie a product produced with no nut ingredients, but made in a peanut producing facility) why is it an okay risk for celiac sufferers? If it's okay, then just how careful of cc do I really need to be to give this gluten free diet a real chance of working?

Michelle

FYI, 99% of food companies should be putting this on the label - 100% purely gluten free companies are rare...

I like that they are honest about it. At least you aware of the risk. Are you saying that only companies that are 100% gluten free should be able to donate to CDF? That doesn't make much sense. CDF needs as ,uch money as possible. I could care less if Wheat thins donated money to them.

BB

p.s. I have never gotten sick from the Nut Thins. I really like the Ranch!

Do you think I'm saying only 100% gluten free companies can donate? Of course not! The clear advertising of that fact, though, implies that they are compliant with providing a product safe for a celiac diet. They don't have that label/advertisement on their products that are made with gluten-containing ingredients. The CYA statement about being processed in a facility that also produces wheat products makes this product unsafe due to cc.

Michelle

I'm trying to eat gluten free now. I'm stumbling a bit along the way...like today...I grabbed and ate a granola bar without thinking -- oops! But I'm trying.

So I bought a product to try: Almond Nut-Thins by Blue Diamond. They come in a few different flavours, and right on the front of the box it says, "Proud Sponsors of the Celiac Disease Foundation." Elsewhere on the box it lists more info on the Foundation along with a phone number and website address: 818-990-2354 www.celiac.org

Great! There are no gluten ingredients. They look good...and taste good! They're safe to eat, right?

Wrong! There is a paragraph I didn't originally notice stating: Produced in a facility that also makes products containing: pecans, hazelnuts, sesame and wheat.

What the heck are they doing "sponsoring" the Celiac Disease Foundation, but offering a product with a chance of cross contamination?!

Michelle

I can probably add more if you are doubting that I have Celiac LOL!!

I'm not doubting anything, just going by the way you have worded your messages...I want to make sure that you look at all the possible health issues/diagnoses before settling on celiac being the answer.

I, too, have a long list of symptoms and am trying to figure out if it is gluten, or something else, that is causing my health issues. Every test I do seems to come back normal, but I know that something is amiss. I've had the celiac panel done: normal. I've had the endoscopy: still awaiting results, but the dr didn't take enough biopsy samples, so a neg may just be inconclusive. I'm trying the diet: too early to tell if it helps yet. Based on my many symptoms, I'll be doing further testing for thyroid issues as well as checking to see if my ferritin levels have risen. I "can't" have B12 deficiency, because I'm allergic to the supplement (cobalt)...so I wouldn't be able to safely take treatment. And I have a colonoscopy scheduled for March next year.

On top of that I have three children with different health issues that I believe are related to diet, and am working through the process of figuring that out. To know definitively that I am or am not celiac would help a lot, but I don't think it will be a clear answer for me...so I'll keep stumbling through.

Michelle

Ok well surprise, surprise my B12 is VERY, VERY LOW. My hemoglobin is also low and whatever else they tested in the Celiac Panel is also LOW!! Does anyone know what this means in relation to Celiac. I know that B-12 difficiency is a tell tale sign of Celiac, but the others I have no idea!! AHA I just looked up low Hemoglobin and that points to Anemia another sign of Celiac!!

While B12 deficiency is one possible symptom/result of celiac, it is not the only possible reason for B12 deficiency. There is some good info on B12 deficiency here, including causes and symptoms:

Open Original Shared Link

Anemia (whether related to iron or B12) can also come from causes other than celiac.

Michelle

I don't know if "they" know for sure whether gluten passes into breastmilk or not, but it certainly doesn't hurt (and could definitely help) to err on the side of caution and eliminate it from your diet. Also worthwhile to eliminate other potential allergens from your diet...milk in mom's diet can also be a big culprit for baby's health.

Michelle

Oatmeal is controversial, but for practical purposes, out of the question. Grits should be fine. Just check for cross contamination and make sure they haven't added anything bad too them.

Can you post a link to the CVS list?

Have you tried Open Original Shared Link for bread? It's my favorite.

Apparently you can get oatmeal that is not cross contaminated...those should be okay to eat. Most of the brands out there are not safe though, because they've been processed along side wheat.

Michelle

I have heard some people have better luck using Picosalax (it's much less fluid...and is supposed to taste better.) Talk to your dr to see if she will accept you using it instead of the colyte/golytely prep. I'd hate to see you turned down for the procedure at the last minute if the dr feels you did not prep properly.

Michelle

Well what doesn't make sense to me is that I have been on a low carb (actually no carb for me) diet before and I have felt better then I've ever felt before, so if it were Porphyria Disease then the no carb diet would surely cause me some pain, but if it were Celiac Disease then no carbs would definitely make me feel better!! That's the one thing that keeps me believeing that it's Celiac and not Porphyria?? Not knowing is the worst part of all!! I'm impatient to boot, so the waiting and anticipation is killing me UG!!

Celiac Disease is an intolerance to gluten (the protein in wheat, barley, rye, etc), not an intolerance to carbohydrates. As Nancym mentioned, there are carbs in potatoes, rice, corn, millet, etc...and those are gluten free. Fruits, vegetables and legumes all have carbohydrates too. To be completely carbohydrate free is not a healthy way to eat.

Michelle

I get the issue of leaky flour bags, but sealed packages sitting next to each other does not bother me. One plus for having some items integrated is that it is less likely to isolate celiacs, make gluten-free products more of a normal part of *normal* shopping, and expose others to gluten-free products that may not be aware of them.

That is a good point. I do like having the cereals with other cereals, pasta with pasta, breads with bread, etc. It was mainly the messy flour aisle that surprised me. The other issue is that this particular Safeway has an extremely small selection of gluten free products. We're talking one or two bags of Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour on the very tip top shelf of the flour aisle, surrounded by glutenous bags and packaging. There was one package of gluten free cereal down the entire aisle. Two, maybe three, choices of pasta. To have such a small selection spread out over an entire store makes gluten free shopping frustrating. At this location, they would serve the celiac community better to centralize the products.

Save On Foods, OTOH, has clearly marked "natural products" down each aisle. So, in the cereal aisle, the gluten free products are placed in a special area that is combined with organic and specialty cereals. Same with all the other ailses. I think it works very well.

Michelle

Thank you all so much, so I need to watch for caramel as well as malt. Boy, like the labels aren't hard enough to read I've also got to check for all these little sneaky things.

As mentioned, caramel in North American products is not an issue. Wheat is a typical part of soya sauce, but there are brands that are without wheat. Personally, I find they aren't as good tasting as traditionally brewed soya sauce (like Kikkoman) though.

Michelle

I asked our local store if they could at least place the gluten free stuff on the top shelf that way the gluten free would spill onto the gluten and not the other way around. (I talked with the manager and she changed it that week!)

That's a good point! Though, I still think it would be better stored away from gluten flours altogether ...and away from boxes of wheat gluten!

Michelle

I wonder if this... thoroughness has been added recently, because I can't even link to the main site, and I some how doubt that a probe therometer is a competitive gluten-free niche item....

I doubt that as well. (I had responded without noticing what you were specifically linking to.) Does the filter affect other online retail links as well? Or is it just Amazon?

Michelle

I ran into the same problem when I tried linking to Amazon in another thread (linking to Dr Green's book.) There was no way I could get it to work. Because I've not had problems linking other books from there, I suspected it was because the book being sold at Amazon was in competition with that be sold through the Celiac.com store.

Michelle

The biggest worry about flours being next to each other is when children go shopping with their parents. Children love to help put things in the buggy, and if they are getting all that flour, that is on the outside of a gluten free cake mix for instance, on their fingers, then they put their hands near or in their mouths, you will have a very ill child. I think everyone should point out the problem to the staff and manager. Only we can change things for the better if we get together and be persistent.

It's a worry for me too. The gluten free flours (of which there were only two!) were on the very top shelf, above shelves of gigantic bags of flour. I'm petite...I pretty much have to climb up to reach if the product isn't close to the front of the shelf!

Michelle

You really should go to Kinnikinnick if you can because they have a points system for local shoppers and when you have enough points you get money off of your purchases. Also, they have really cool baked items for local shoppers, like pies, special cookies, foccaccia, and sometimes samples to try. It is also nice to buy direct from the factory, fresh unfrozen products.

I tried to get there yesterday, but shopping in the South took so long, I didn't have time to get there. I will definitely try again!

I know what you mean, more people seem to be knowledgeable about celiac these days. You mention it and they usually have a friend or family member with it.

I'm assuming you are in Edmonton or near to it. We don't have a gluten-free restaurant/coffee shop, etc here. My husband suggested that I should open one. Not that I would have money, or a clue on how to do that!

Yes, I'm near Edmonton. I think you should open a restaurant. Please make it a gluten free De Dutch Pannekoek House. It used to be my favourite breakfast/brunch place when I lived in Vancouver. Of course they aren't actually gluten free...it would be nice if you could accommodate so I could have my apple, onion and bacon pannekoeks again.

Michelle

Thanks. I will check out Heinz--the Pablum is for me I love hot cereal and do make cream of rice but really miss my oatmeal.

You could try buckwheat kasha as a cereal (served with scalded milk.)

Michelle

I think it's Lea and Perrin's. I'm out, but need to get more for Christmas time "Chex Mix". Probably should have thought to save the bottle or wrapper so I could get the same brand. I don't think mine had soy in it - I'm allergic to soy. I'll be so bummed if they've changed the recipe.

I believe that all worcestershire sauces have soy sauce...and so it is a risk for gluten. However, after checking the Lea and Perrin's site, I see that they say it is "suitable for a celiac diet"...but does that means it meets the Codex 200ppm or that it is truly gluten free? They don't say, on their website, that it is soy free though.

Their worcestershire sauce is one of their main products...I doubt they would ever change it.

Michelle

I've been making meatloaf without eggs for over 10 years. I don't even bother to substitute anything for the eggs and I've never had one fall apart. I used to use the flax meal/water, but then ran out once and discovered it didn't need it. I leave out eggs for meatballs too and they've never fallen apart. I use ground turkey - maybe it works better than beef? I dump in worcestershire sauce, ketchup, seasonings, crispy rice cereal, onions (usually dried, minced) and don't even measure anything. I can't imagine how a meatloaf could fall apart.

What brand of worcestershire sauce do you use? I have a Heinz one at home, but it lists soy sauce as an ingredient. Now, the ingredients in brackets beside that listing say: water, salt, hydrolyzed soy protein, corn syrup, caramel. Does that mean it is actually safe to use? There are no other gluten ingredients listed on the label.

Thanks,

Michelle

I need your help...will anyone recommend a gluten free pablem? Milupa did sau gluten free right on the box and now they don't. Thanks.

How old is the baby? Are there other foods you can try instead? Maybe something like regular cream of rice cereal?

Michelle

I wish our Costco carried the cereals! I keep checking, but never see them on the shelves.

I do like buying Kozy Shack rice pudding (individual servings) there though.

Michelle

Edit: I have no idea why the smiley face is here instead of the letter "B" that I typed. I can't figure out how to get it out of there. When I edit it, it looks right.

Sorry, I'm not adding anything to the thread, except to explain why the smiley showed up.

The code for is "B" and ")". I often type the code in, rather than selecting a smiley from the list. Not sure how to make it show up correctly in your post though.

Michelle (which is ":" and ")" )

Since I am also in Alberta I know exactly what you are talking about. Depending on your location, you may or may not have a Save-On Foods. They have a "natural section" in each aisle and that way the gluten-free products are kept away from some of the other products.

It would be better if Safeway could keep the gluten-free flour away from contaminating products, but I don't think they make a lot of money from our specialty purchases.

I buy my flour either from Kinnikinnick (since they are located where I live) or from Planet Organic. But that may be because I reacted to Bob's products. I also buy asian flours (rice, etc) from Superstore.

I think we may live in the same area. I haven't been to Kinnikinnick yet...but am planning on going...might be able to get there tomorrow. Save-On does have a good selection, so will have to get there too. However, Safeway may improve their placement and selection if enough people give them feedback.

I am surprised at, when I question ingredients, how many people ask, "are you celiac?" and then mention they are, or have a relative or friend who is. The gal at the tea shop the other day was knowledgable when I asked about the ingredients of certain products...and also mentioned that they occassionally bring in gluten free goodies for sale too. Given the number of people who know about it and the number that are now being diagnosed, I think that it would be worthwhile for reatilers to offer a better selection...especially when it is requested by customers. The manager at Safeway now knows that I will be shopping at Save-On instead...might be worth stepping up and offering some good competition.

Michelle

I officially started eating gluten free on Monday...so I am now trying to navigate grocery stores with gluten ingredients in mind.

Yesterday I found that my local Safeway has a good selection of frozen gluten-free baking (Kinnikinnik and other brands) so I bought some to try. Unfortunately, they don't have much in the way of gluten-free cereals, pastas or flours. They've also eliminated their "Natural Foods" aisle where they used to keep gluten-free stuff. Instead, they items are found amongst all the other gluten-filled choices.

I found a couple of Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour choices down the flour aisle. I found it odd that they would place these flours in the same place as large packages of regular wheat flour, especially since they tend to be covered in flour. Especially odd was that a gluten free flour mix was placed on the shelf right next to a box of "Essential Wheat Gluten!"

I ended up chatting with the manager about the placement of the products (and potential cc issues from residual flour...those big bags are hardly spill proof), and how I'm disappointed that they've removed the "Natural Foods" aisle in favour of spreading the product throughout the store. Am I wrong to be concerned about cross contamination down that aisle? Anyone else see the same in their local grocery store?

Michelle

I'm not able to listen to it today...did anyone catch it? Was it a good interview? Any interesting points?

Michelle