Food
GIG of ECW - News

Heat and the Destruction of Gluten

12/13/2017 18:53
firebrats
"What temperature is required to destroy gluten?"

This question has been asked countless times over the years. Until now, we have not had any concrete answers.

All too often the gluten-free community runs into restaurants using the same deep frier for gluten items and their gluten-free items. Of course, we know this practice is not acceptable for those requiring truly gluten-free foods, but the uneducated think otherwise.

This study appearing at the International Celiac Symposium 2017 India, shows it's quite difficult to destroy gluten with temperatures used in customary cooking methods. And when it is destroyed, it's not safe to eat [not that gluten is safe to eat in its uncarbonized state...]

Resistance of gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) to heat elimination in a homelike environment. Lessons for cross contamination prevention.

Rodriguez Herrera A2, Garcia Sanchez M2, Lamprea Moruno M2, Monje J3, Comino I1
1 Facultad de Farmacia, Spain, 2 IHP Group, Spain, 3 Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain

Background
Verify effective elimination of Gluten Immunogenic Peptides (GIP) by home cooking techniques.

Methods
Batches of samples of gluten containing flour, potatoes, and potatoes plus flour matched to controls were tested. Each batch was cooked in laboratory by use of electric stove, gas stove, oil deep fryer, induction stove and water bath and was cooked at temperature range from 91-233°C (196-452 F) for 5 up to 30 minutes. GIP content was tested by GlutenTox® Sticks (KT- 5340 Biomedal Diagnostics) based on antibody G12.

Results
On gas stove was necessary to keep 233 °C (451 °F) for 10 minutes to have absence of GIP detection.

In range 190-200°C (374-392°F) incubation for 30 minutes was needed to have absence of GIP detection. Tests in temperatures below 190°C (374°F) showed presence of GIP at 10 and 20 minutes.

On induction stove temperature up to 246°C (475°F) for 6 minutes was needed to have negativity to GIP.

Lower temperature ranges in spite of extended time up to 30 minutes were unable to get negative GIP. In oven processing never was got negative GIP signal, in spite of processing up to 210°C (410°F) and extended incubation time up to 45 minutes.

Samples processed on electric stove, water bath and deep frying showed presence of GIP in all ranges of time and temperature.

Conclusion
It is not realistic the elimination of gluten (GIP) at home kitchen by heat as temperatures higher that 200°C (392°F) are needed. Extended processing time is no compatible with conventional recipes. Fat processing over 200 is link with toxic metabolites generation which may be harmful. Use of oven or deep frying without proper cleaning may transfer GIP to meals when previously gluten containing meals were processed in these appliances.

Source: http://bit.ly/2CevzOY

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Gluten-Free Turkeys 2017

10/14/2017 20:08

The 2017 holidays are upon us, here is a list of turkeys that are labeled as gluten-free. If a turkey isn't on this list, it may be gluten-free, it just means it wasn't checked.

Some turkeys are not gluten-free. Always check the ingredient list! If you are unsure, call the manufacturer and ask questions.

Be aware that the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) regulates labeling for meat, poultry, egg products. USDA regulations for labeling allergens [like wheat] are not the same as the FDA regulations. Companies may voluntarily comply with FDA regs, but they are not required to disclose wheat, or barley, rye, or oats or any derivatives.

If you see any of these ingredients in a USDA product…

Modified Food Starch
Starch
Food Starch
Dextrin

Call the company to verify the source as they could be derived from gluten sources.

About 80-90% of the USDA companies follow FDA allergen labeling regulations.


Stuffing a gluten-free turkey with gluten stuffing contaminates the turkey - it should not be eaten by those following a gluten-free/gluten-zero diet.



If you are making a turkey for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross Contamination. They'll love you even more!


navigatingholidays small

If this is your first gluten-free holiday season, you might check out our Navigating The Holidays article for some hints and tips.

"For many, the holiday season is filled with smiles, laughter and lots of merriment. However, for those with dietary restrictions, it can be the complete opposite – fear, dread and lots of worriment."



pie-966498_640
Looking for some holiday recipes?
Check out some of our favorites.



Butterball

Gluten-Free Holiday Dinner Guide - complete with a few recipes!

butterball_ismyturkeyGF

INCREDIBLY EASY GLUTEN FREE TURKEY GUIDE

Need to prepare a gluten-free holiday dinner? Butterball can help! Our Butterball fresh and frozen raw unstuffed turkeys are always gluten-free, and our gravy pack included with our Butterball Whole and Boneless Breast items is also gluten-free. And for all the trimmings, check out the recipes below to find a variety of gluten-free side dishes and desserts sure to please all your holiday guests.

For a detailed explanation on our gluten-free products, visit Are Butterball Turkeys Gluten Free on our Frequently Asked Questions Page.

Q: ARE BUTTERBALL TURKEYS GLUTEN FREE?

A: All of the Butterball products are gluten free except for Butterball Stuffed Turkey (bread stuffing) and Butterball Frozen Meatballs. For our products that are packaged with gravy packets, the gravy packets are gluten free as well. The gravy contains rice flour instead of wheat flour and the modified food starch is corn based.



Gluten-Free Butterball Turkeys:



Butterball lists several gluten free products on their website. Type type "gluten-free" into their "Search for a product" text box and click Search


Butterball Contact:
http://www.butterball.com/contact-us



HoneyBaked

Do your hams or turkey breast contain glutens?


Do your hams or turkey breast contain glutens?

Our hams and turkey breasts DO NOT contain glutens.





Honeysuckle White

Honeysuckle White Whole Turkeys:



Bone-in Turkey Breasts:


Honeysuckle While offers several gluten-free products, however, you have to check each product.



Jennie-O Whole Turkeys

Jenni-O is a Hormel Company. Hormel will clearly gluten (wheat, barley/malt, rye, oats).

Although our products are labeled in compliance with government regulations, we believe the best practice is for you to read the labels on the products to determine if the food product meets your required needs. Parents and individuals with food allergies and/or food intolerances are responsible for reading the label of all products they intend to use regardless of how the product is represented on this site. To help those dealing with gluten sensitivity or allergies, we have a provided a list detailing the wide range of products we offer that are gluten-free.

If you have any questions we would to talk to you.

Please call our Customer Service Representatives at 1-800-523-4635 or submit your question online.



Hormel's Gluten-Free List (See Jenni-O Brand)

Whole turkeys:



Turkey Breasts:



Jennie-O has many items on their gluten-free list.


Perdue

http://www.perdue.com/

Gluten-free products from website using their Filters. See Preferences in the left side bar - select Gluten-Free.

• HARVESTLAND® CHICKEN BURGERS, FLORENTINE, FULLY COOKED

• HARVESTLAND® ORGANIC CHICKEN & APPLE SAUSAGE

• HARVESTLAND® ORGANIC GLUTEN FREE GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS

• HARVESTLAND® ORGANIC ITALIAN STYLE CHICKEN SAUSAGE

• HARVESTLAND® ORGANIC SPINACH CHICKEN SAUSAGE


• INDIVIDUALLY FROZEN BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS (3 LBS.)


• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, GRILLED FAJITA STYLE (9 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, ROTISSERIE SEASONED, (9 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, GRILLED (9 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, GRILLED FAJITA STYLE, (26 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, GRILLED ITALIAN STYLE (9 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, GRILLED, (16 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, HONEY ROASTED (9 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, ORIGINAL ROASTED (26 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, ORIGINAL ROASTED (9 OZ.)


• SHORT CUTS® CARVED CHICKEN BREAST, SOUTHWESTERN STYLE (9 OZ.)

• SHORT CUTS® CARVED TURKEY BREAST, OVEN ROASTED (8 OZ.)

• SIMPLY SMART® BREADED CHICKEN BREAST TENDERS, GLUTEN FREE (22 OZ.), FROZEN

• SIMPLY SMART® GLUTEN FREE BREADED CHICKEN BREAST TENDERS (11.2 OZ.)

• SIMPLY SMART® LEMON AND HERB CHICKEN STRIPS (8 OZ.)

• SIMPLY SMART® LIGHTLY BREADED CHICKEN NUGGETS - GLUTEN FREE


Perdue has many GFCO Certified products. You can find them on GFCO's Certified Product List - January 2017 PDF Format

Should you have further questions, please feel free to contact a consumer representative at 1-800-473-7383 Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET, or email us at www.Perdue.com.



Plainville Farms

http://plainvillefarms.com/faq/

Is your turkey gluten free?

Yes, our turkey is gluten free and casein free. However, our turkey gravy and our homestyle dressing contain wheat. Our marinated teriyaki turkey tenderloins contain soy. Please read the ingredients labels.



Shady Brook Farms


Whole Turkeys:



Turkey Breast:



Hams

Verywell.com Gluten-Free Ham List

An extensive list of companies

https://www.verywell.com/gluten-free-ham-562432



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Grain-Free for the Gluten-Free

11/25/2016 19:34
A version of this article was originally published in our January 2016 Newsletter.


At this stage of the game, you’ve probably heard about some type of low or no carb diet template. As the name suggests, these diets remove all grains - yes, even the gluten-free grains.


glutenfreeschooljenniferfugo
Hidden Danger of “Grain Free” Food Companies Don’t Want You to Know
by Jennifer Fugo of GlutenFreeSchool.com

Jennifer’s excellent article explores several facets - benefits and the hidden danger - of grain-free foods.

“Grain Free” doesn’t mean gluten-free.”

“Grain free is not (nor may ever be) a safe substitute for gluten free, nor is any sort of paleo certification labeling.“

Full Article: http://bit.ly/1mJMakK


Grain-free diets are known by several different names: Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Caveman, Ancestral, Paleolithic, Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS), Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP), Wheat Belly.

These diets tout a host of benefits that extend beyond a traditional gluten-free diet. Many members of the gluten-free community feel best when they’re grain-free as well.

By definition, grain-free should be gluten-free. “Gluten” is the generic name for the various proteins found in grains. You ditch the grains, you ditch the gluten. It’s a no-brainer! Um, not so fast Slick…

The purpose of this article is to make you aware of an important fact that is not always discussed by the proponents of grain-free diets.

Don't be lulled into a false sense of gluten-free safety by a grain-free food - even though it may be “Paleo Certified”. Sure, the food itself may be naturally gluten-free, but gluten-cross contamination could still be a threat. My concern is for those who may not know to be concerned about cross contact. The unknowing may wonder why they’re not feeling better while being grain-free due to gluten contamination.

GFWDLogo2

Gluten contamination of grains, seeds, and flours in the United States: a pilot study - July 2010

Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, Ann Lee, EdD(c), RD, LD, and Thomas Grace

This study tested twenty-two single ingredient naturally gluten-free grains, seeds and flours.

“Seven of 22 samples (32%) contained mean gluten levels >/=20 ppm”

“Gluten contamination of inherently gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours not labeled gluten-free is a legitimate concern.”

Read more: http://bit.ly/1OQVXSN

Almond flour, coconut flour, chick pea flour, flax seeds (whole or ground), whole nuts of all kinds, herbs, spices, and seasonings are some of the popular ingredients in many grain-free foods. Sure, those are all single ingredient foods - but if these foods are ground, processed, packaged on lines used for gluten containing foods, then the end product could have detrimental levels of gluten.

The bottom-line for those with gluten-related disorders who want to be grain-free - make sure your grain-free foods/ingredients are labeled or certified gluten-free.


Alan Klapperich
GIG of ECW Branch Manager


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Gluten-Free Turkeys 2016

10/12/2016 07:18

The 2016 holidays are upon us, here is a list of turkeys that are labeled as gluten-free. If a turkey isn't on this list, it may be gluten-free, it just means it wasn't checked.

Some turkeys are not gluten-free. Always check the ingredient list! If you are unsure, call the manufacturer and ask questions.

Be aware that the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) regulates labeling for meat, poultry, egg products. USDA regulations for labeling allergens [like wheat] are not the same as the FDA regulations. Companies may voluntarily comply with FDA regs, but they are not required to disclose wheat, or barley, rye, or oats or any derivatives.

If you see any of these as ingredients in a USDA product…

Modified Food Starch
Starch
Food Starch
Dextrin

Call the company to verify the source as they could be derived from gluten sources.

About 80-90% of the USDA companies follow FDA allergen labeling regulations.


If you are making a turkey for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross Contamination. They'll love you even more!


Stuffing a gluten-free turkey with gluten stuffing contaminates the turkey - it should not be eaten by those following a gluten-free/gluten-zero diet.



navigatingholidays small
If this is your first gluten-free holiday season, you might check out our Navigating The Holidays article for some hints and tips.

"For many, the holiday season is filled with smiles, laughter and lots of merriment. However, for those with dietary restrictions, it can be the complete opposite – fear, dread and lots of worriment."



pie-966498_640
Looking for some holiday recipes?
Check out some of our favorites.




festival holiday
Festival Foods offers a very nice Gluten-Free Holiday Guide with recipes and product info.

Thanks to Andi from Manitowoc CDF Group for sharing this link.



Butterball

Gluten-Free Holiday Dinner Guide - complete with a few recipes!

butterball_ismyturkeyGF

INCREDIBLY EASY GLUTEN FREE TURKEY GUIDE

Need to prepare a gluten-free holiday dinner? Butterball can help! Our Butterball fresh and frozen raw unstuffed turkeys are always gluten-free, and our gravy pack included with our Butterball Whole and Boneless Breast items is also gluten-free. And for all the trimmings, check out the recipes below to find a variety of gluten-free side dishes and desserts sure to please all your holiday guests.

For a detailed explanation on our gluten-free products, visit Are Butterball Turkeys Gluten Free on our Frequently Asked Questions Page.

Q: ARE BUTTERBALL TURKEYS GLUTEN FREE?

A: All of the Butterball products are gluten free except for Butterball Stuffed Turkey (bread stuffing) and Butterball Frozen Meatballs. For our products that are packaged with gravy packets, the gravy packets are gluten free as well. The gravy contains rice flour instead of wheat flour and the modified food starch is corn based.



Gluten-Free Butterball Turkeys:

Fresh Whole Turkey - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/fresh-whole-turkey

Fresh L'il Butterball - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/fresh-lil-butterball

Frozen Whole Turkey - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/frozen-whole-turkey

Frozen L'il Butterball - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/frozen-lil-butterball

Frozen Fully Cooked Smoked Turkey: http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkey/frozen-fully-cooked-smoked-turkey

Frozen Fully Cooked Baked Turkey: http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkey/frozen-fully-cooked-baked-turkey


Butterball lists several gluten free products on their website. Type type "gluten-free" into their "Search for a product" text box and click Search

Butterball Contact:
http://www.butterball.com/contact-us



HoneyBaked

http://www.HoneyBakedOnline.com/category/customer+service/faq.do#10

Do your hams or turkey breast contain glutens?

Our hams and turkey breasts DO NOT contain glutens.





Honeysuckle White

Honeysuckle White Whole Turkeys:
Fresh - http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/fresh-whole-turkey/
Frozen - http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-whole-turkey/
Fully Cooked - http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-avna-whole-turkey/

Bone-in Turkey Breasts:
http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-bone-in-turkey-breast-with-gravy/
http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-bone-in-turkey-breast-2/
http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/fresh-bone-in-turkey-breast/

Honeysuckle While offers several gluten-free products, however, you have to check each product:
http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/


Jennie-O Whole Turkeys

Jenni-O is a Hormel Company. Hormel will clearly gluten (wheat, barley/malt, rye, oats).

Products without Gluten Containing Ingredients

We are providing the following list of products as a general guideline for those presently produced and distributed in the United States with formulas that do not have gluten containing ingredients in the form of wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Although our products are labeled in compliance with government regulations, it is always necessary to read the labels on the products to determine if the food product meets your required needs. Parents and individuals with food allergies and/or food intolerances are responsible for reading the label of all products they intend to use regardless of how the product is represented on this site.

If you have any questions, please call our Customer Service Representatives at 1-800-523-4635.



Hormel's "Product without Gluten Ingredient" List

Tender & Juicy Young Turkey (Gravy packet contains gluten)
https://www.jennieo.com/products/124-Tender-and-Juicy-Young-Turkey

Fresh All Natural Young Turkey
https://www.jennieo.com/products/125-Fresh-All-Natural-Young-Turkey

Premium Fresh Young Turkey
https://www.jennieo.com/products/149-Premium-Fresh-Young-Turkey


Jennie-O has many items on their gluten-free list.


Perdue

http://www.perdue.com/

Gluten-free products from website using their Filters. See Preferences in the left side bar - select Gluten-Free.

  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled Fajita Style (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Rotisserie Seasoned, (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled Fajita Style, (26 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled Italian Style (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled, (16 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Honey Roasted (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roasted (26 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roasted (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Southwestern Style (9 oz.)
  • PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Turkey Breast, Oven Roasted (8 oz.)
  • PERDUE® TENDER & TASTY™ Individually Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (3 lbs.)

    • PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART® Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders (11.2 oz.)
    • PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART® Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders (18 oz.)
    • PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART® Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Nuggets (20 oz.)
    • PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART® Lemon and Herb Chicken Strips (8 oz.)

    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Chicken Burgers, Florentine, Fully Cooked
    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Organic Chicken & Apple Sausage
    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Organic Italian Style Chicken Sausage
    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Organic Spinach Chicken Sausage

    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Organic Chicken & Apple Sausage
    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Organic Italian Style Chicken Sausage
    • PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® Organic Spinach Chicken Sausage

    Perdue has many GFCO Certified products. You can find them on GFCO's Certified Product List - January 2016 PDF Format

    Should you have further questions, please feel free to contact a consumer representative at 1-800-473-7383 Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET, or email us at www.Perdue.com.


    Plainville Farms

    http://plainvillefarms.com/faq/

    Is your turkey gluten free?

    Yes, our turkey is gluten free and casein free. However, our turkey gravy and our homestyle dressing contain wheat. Our marinated teriyaki turkey tenderloins contain soy. Please read the ingredients labels.



    Shady Brook Farms

    Fresh Whole Turkey (3% basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/products/fresh-whole-turkey-3-basted/

    Fresh Whole Turkey (not basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/products/fresh-whole-turkey-0-basted/

    Frozen Whole Turkey (basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/products/frozen-whole-turkey-2/




    Hams

    Verywell.com Gluten-Free Ham List

    An extensive list of companies

    https://www.verywell.com/gluten-free-ham-562432



    Tags: , , ,

    May Contain Statements Updated

    07/02/2016 19:34

    May Contain, Manufactured in a facility, etc
    Voluntary Food Allergen Advisory Statements

    Updated March 30th 2018

    A version of this article was originally published in our May 2016 Newsletter. I see a lot of confusion over these statements. Hopefully this will help clarify what these statements actually mean.

    I've added the Allergen Advisory Statements Study that was published in Sept. 2016.

    Alan Klapperch
    Branch Manager


    For an in-depth look label reading, please see:
    ECW Logo nobkg 260
    "Gluten-Free Label Reading"
    http://bit.ly/GIGECW-GF-Label-Reading


    You may find a product labeled “Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free” that bears a GFCO gluten-free certification logo, but, it also has a “May contain traces of” statement that includes wheat. WHOA!

    Believe it or not, this product is in compliance with current FDA     Food Allergen Labeling and consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) labeling laws.

    Pasted Graphic 1
    “Contains” statements address the top eight food allergens found in the product as ingredients. (Mandatory)

    “May Contain” statements address potential, inadvertent cross contamination due to processing/packaging. (Voluntary)

    Gluten-Free labeling supersedes voluntary advisory statements.
    “    May Contain”, “Processed in the same facility as”, or “Processed on the same equipment as” are known as Food Allergen Advisory statements. They are voluntary and are not regulated, unlike the required “Contains” statement for food allergen ingredients. According to the FDA, companies may use advisory statements as long as they are “truthful and not misleading”.

    For years, the gluten-free community has been warned about using advisory statements for determining the gluten-free status. Their usefulness is diminished due to the lack of definition and regulation.

    We covered this information in our March 19th 2011 newsletter and meeting, but it bears repeating. In 2010, HealthNow hosted their 2nd Annual Gluten Sensitivity & Celiac Forum. Cynthia Kupper, RD, GIG Executive Director was a featured speaker. She was asked this question during her Q&A session:

    Q: The ingredient list contains no gluten, but there's a statement about “Processed in the same facility as...”or “Processed on the same equipment as...” what do you do?

    A: That’s a voluntary advisory statement designed for people with IgE allergies. Many companies use it as a “CYA”. No meaning for celiacs. A group of RD's determined that it would reckless of them to suggest that statement should be used to determine gluten-free status. If you have an IgE (anaphylactic reaction), you need to think about it.

    A "Contains..." statement is an allergen statement and required by law. "May Contain" is not an allergen statement.”

    Source: 2010 HealthNow Gluten Sensitivity & Celiac Forum DVD



    Check out this example of Aldi's Baker's Corner Instant Pudding. After the ingredient list, you'll see a statement that reads: "    MANUFACTURED IN A FACILITY THAT USES TREE NUTS, SOY, MILK, AND WHEAT."

    Update: While it may still be gluten-free, this product is no longer labeled gluten-free.

    Baker's Corner Instant pudding

    I reached out to Aldi's to ask about this product. On May 15th, 2015, the Quality Control Supervisor from Subco Foods in Sheboygan, WI (the company that does the pudding) called me. I asked about the production lines for this product - did they run any gluten products on this line?

    Tamela’s answer was very thorough! The pudding lines are dedicated - only pudding is done on them - nothing else - no gluten. They test raw materials for gluten coming into the plant - they test during production and they also send samples out to a private lab for finished product testing. Between pudding flavor runs (vanilla/chocolate/etc), they follow a strict teardown and cleaning process. They are very serious about food allergens.

    Also the pudding lines are isolated from their jello lines. She said they do not want dairy getting into the jello lines.


    So, what do we do with products like this? Call the manufacturer to ask questions. Ask about the facilities, the production lines, and their policies and procedures for allergen handling. If they do not answer the questions to your satisfaction, find another manufacturer with a similar product that does meet your needs.


    Additional information on Advisory Statements



    Allergen Advisory Statements Studies

    Building upon their 2016 paper [see below], Tricia Thompson, Amy Keller, and Trisha B. Lyons published "When foods contain both a gluten-free claim and an allergen advisory statement for wheat: should consumers be concerned?" on March 26, 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

    This retrospective database analysis included a total of 328 gluten-free labeled products previously tested for gluten content by     Gluten-Free Watchdog.

    Here's what they found…


    • 14/328 (4%) labeled gluten-free products contained a level of gluten of at least 20 p.p.m. Of these products, 12/14 (86%) did not include an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten on product packaging.

    • The 14 products that contained a level of gluten of at least 20 p.p.m. included two beverages, one spice, and 11 grain-based foods. Of the grain-based foods, 5/11 (45%) were oat products.

    • 31/328 (9%) foods tested for gluten included an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten on product packaging. Three of these 31 (10%) products contained quantifiable gluten of at least 5 p.p.m.

    SUMMARY
    On the basis of this retrospective data analysis, the use of allergen advisory statements (regardless of type) on foods labeled gluten-free was not indicative that a food was out of compliance with the gluten-free label ing rule.     Due to the current lack of federal regulations for allergen advisory statements, consumers with celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders should not make gluten-free purchasing decisions based solely on the presence or absence of an allergen advisory statement for wheat.


    Some other notable information in this paper…

    One issue that may be causing mistrust among gluten-free consumers when products contain both a gluten-free claim and a precautionary statement for wheat is the lack of required testing for foods labeled gluten-free. In the US,while foods must contain <20 p.p.m. of gluten to be labeled gluten-free, testing is not included in the FDA’s codified rule.

    Increased education is needed to advise consumers that a gluten-free claim applies to gluten that may be in a product due to ingredients and cross-contact. Under the gluten-free labeling rule, a gluten-free claim on product packaging means the food must comply with all criteria of the rule,including containing <20 p.p.m. of gluten. This is true regardless of the presence or absence of an allergen advisory statement for wheat [2].


    When combining the results of both studies…

    4/45 (9%) products that DID include an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten on product packaging contained quantifiable gluten.

    52/384 (14%) products that did NOT include an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten on product packaging contained quantifiable gluten.

    The FDA should strongly consider regulating allergen advisory statements, especially in light of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

    Read more: http://bit.ly/2GWIaM2



    A handy one page summary of the study. Click image for full PDF

    EJCN 2018 May Contain




    Tricia Thompson, Trisha B. Lyons, and Amy Jones analyzed allergen advisory statements of 101 products previously tested for gluten content by Gluten-Free Watchdog. These products were not labeled gluten-free, however the ingredient list did not include any gluten containing ingredients (no wheat, barley, rye, malt, or brewers yeast).

    On September 14th 2016, they published Allergen Advisory Statements for Wheat: NOT a Useful Predictor of Gluten Content.

    Here's what they found…

    In this database review, precautionary labeling for wheat or gluten on products not labeled gluten-free but appearing to be free of gluten-containing ingredients was NOT a useful predictor of gluten content. In some cases, consumer reliance on precautionary statements for wheat or gluten could have resulted in choosing a product contaminated with gluten.

    • 87/101 (86%) products tested for gluten did NOT include an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten on product packaging.

    • Fourteen products (14%) tested for gluten DID include an allergen advisory statement for wheat or gluten on product packaging.

     • Of the 87 products that did NOT include an advisory statement, 13 (15%) contained quantifiable gluten at or above 5 ppm including 4 products (5%) that tested at or above 20 ppm of gluten.

    • Of the 14 products that DID include an advisory statement, only 1 (7%) contained quantifiable gluten at or above 5 ppm.

    SUMMARY
    On the basis of this analysis, the current use of allergen advisory statements for wheat or gluten are not useful predictors of whether or not a single or multi-ingredient food product contains 20 or more p.p.m. of gluten. Precautionary statements should be regulated and standardized so that they are helpful to the consumer.


    Some other useful information found in this study…

    In terms of foods labeled gluten-free, consumers are advised to trust the label regardless of allergen advisory statements for wheat or gluten. This is due to the gluten-free labeling rule applying to both gluten in ingredients and gluten that may be found in a product due to cross contact. However, when it comes to foods not labeled gluten-free but appearing to be "gluten-free" based on ingredients, there are no established guidelines for individuals with celiac disease on whether they should avoid products with allergen advisory statements for wheat or gluten.

    Increased education is also required to let consumers know that FALCPA includes ingredients only and does not include allergens that may be in a product unintentionally due to cross contact. Increased education is also needed to let consumers know that a gluten-free label applies to gluten that may be in a product due to ingredients and cross contact and that regardless of the source of gluten the product must contain less than 20 p.p.m. gluten.


    A handy one page summary of the study. Click image for full PDF

    FNCEAAS2016 small


    Gluten-Free Watchdog Videos

    GFWLogo
    To learn more about this confusing matter, please watch these excellent Q&A videos from Gluten-Free Watchdog.
    Can Foods Labeled Gluten-Free
    Include a Contains Statement for Wheat?

    http://bit.ly/1XksHWB

    Can Foods Labeled Gluten-Free
    Include a May Contain Statement for Wheat?

    http://bit.ly/1TzClPJ

    May Contain Statements for Wheat:
    Part Two aka Aldi’s Cheesecake

    http://bit.ly/1T52ohT




    Allergic Living "'May Contains’ on Food Labels: What You Need to Know"

    allergicliving
    “‘May Contains’ on Food Labels: What You Need to Know"
    By: Claire Gagné
    http://bit.ly/27fg1ok


    “Advisory labels or “may contains” (also called precautionary warnings) alert customers that traces of an allergenic food might unintentionally have wound up in a packaged food.

    This inadvertent cross-contact can occur because of shared processing lines or baking equipment, or because workers use the same gloves while producing a number of products.

    – The wording of the warning label does not give an indication as to the risk of the allergen being present.

    – Because advisory labels are voluntary, there is no guarantee products without these warnings will not contain traces of allergens. If you are ever unsure about a packaged food, Allergic Living suggests calling the manufacturer to find out about its food allergy management practices. If company representatives can’t adequately answer your questions, avoid the food.”

    Read More…




    Snack Safely - "Understand the Limitations of the Label"

    SnackSafelyUnderstand-Limitations

    Updates:
    3/30/18 - Updated to include "When foods contain both a gluten-free claim and an allergen advisory statement for wheat…" paper

    10/20/16 - Updated to include "Allergen advisory statements for wheat: do they help US consumers with celiac disease make safe food choices?"

    Tags: , , , ,

    What oats...

    04/30/2016 08:11
    Through Yonder Package Breaks?

    This article was originally published in our November 2015 newsletter. Due to the importance of pure oats, I decided to beef it up a bit and post it here. Thanks!

    Alan Klapperch
    Branch Manager

    updated 04/20/17 - Add Healio article "Oats appear safe for patients with celiac disease" .
    updated 04/11/17 - Add GIG's Purity Protocol definition.
    updated 03/02/17 - Added Trader Joes GF Rolled Oats to Purity Protocol Heros
    updated 01/25/17 - Added Gluten-Free Watchdog's Updated Position Statement on Oats
    updated 01/05/17 - Add more Gluten-Free Watchdog links
    updated 10/28/16 - Added video and Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Diseases (DIGID) Oats handout
    updated 06/08/16 - Added Bakery on Main to Purity Protocol Rebels
    updated 05/18/16 - Added GFW oat product analysis.


    oats-701299_640
    Oats and products made with oats have been burning up the internet lately. People in the gluten-free community started asking manufacturers exactly what kind of oats are used in their products…with surprising results.

    More on that later, but first a little background information on said ingredient of discussion.

    Oats have been controversial for over 20 years. Are they acceptable on a GF diet or not?


    The Scoop on Oats

    Please use these excellent articles to help you and your medical professionals to make an educated decision if oats are right for you.

    Oats appear safe for patients with celiac disease by Adam Leitenberger Healio.com April 20,2017
    Pinto-Sánchez MI, et al. Gastroenterol. 2017;doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.04.009.

    "Adding oats to increase the nutritional value of a gluten-free diet does not appear to affect symptoms, histology, immunity or serologic features of patients with celiac disease, according to new research published in Gastroenterology."

    "These results are “reassuring, and suggest that non-contaminated oats are tolerated by the great majority of patients,” Peter H. R. Green, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, and director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, and colleagues wrote. However, they noted that their “confidence is limited by the low quality and limited geographic distribution of the data.”"

    To better address the controversies surrounding the safety of adding oats to a gluten-free diet, Green and colleagues reviewed studies evaluating the safety of oats as part of a gluten-free diet in patients diagnosed with celiac disease or the related skin condition dermatitis herpetiformis. They ultimately included 28 studies published up to January 2017 in their analysis, six of which were randomized controlled trials that used pure uncontaminated oats, and two of which were non-randomized controlled trials (RCTs, n = 661), while the rest were observational studies. Only RCT data were included in a meta-analysis.

    One year of eating oats showed no significant effects on symptoms, histologic findings, intraepithelial lymphocyte counts, or serologic test results. These findings were comparable in both adults and children.

    Further, the results of three non-RCTs suggested that dermatitis herpetiformis lesions did not worsen after consumption of oats. No studies compared regular vs. pure oats.

    The investigators noted that all available RCTs were conducted in Europe, and because the purity of oats depends on the country of origin and its regulations, there is an “urgent need for studies in North America and other regions of the world where [celiac disease] is prevalent. Results from studies in Europe using locally sourced oats cannot be extrapolated to North America.”

    They concluded that available data suggest celiac patients can safely consume non-contaminated oats, but more rigorous data are needed

    Read more: Healio.com April 20,2017

    Be sure to read the entire comment from Dr. DiMarino, Jr.,MD at the end of article.

    "Prolamines are the alcohol-soluble portion of the protein in wheat, rye and barley, and are antigenic in celiac patients. The prolamines in oats are not antigenic, so theoretically it’s possible that eating oats should not be harmful to celiac patients. However, some prior studies have suggested that celiac patients may experience a reaction to eating oats.

    At the Jefferson Celiac Center, we believe the science behind the idea that the prolamine component of oats is safe as compared with the prolamine in wheat, rye and barley. However, we also recognize that cross-contamination of the oat supply is more likely in the U.S. than in Europe. Therefore, we advise newly diagnosed celiac patients who are still symptomatic to avoid oats. Once their anti-tissue transglutaminase or deamidated anti-gliadin antibody levels normalize, and they become asymptomatic, we advise them to cautiously introduce the purest form of oats available as there are several products that avoid cross contamination. If they become symptomatic again after consuming oats, we know that either cross-contamination has occurred, or they may be one of the perhaps 5% to 10% of patients who also may have an intolerance of oats for reasons unrelated to celiac disease."

    Anthony J. DiMarino, Jr., MD
    William Rorer Professor of Medicine
    Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
    Thomas Jefferson University Hospital


    verywell.com - Oats and the Gluten-Free Diet by Nancy Lapid:
    http://abt.cm/1HZsDSD

    Nancy Lapid’s article contains summaries of all the North American celiac/gluten free organizations and treatment centers recommendations on oat consumption.


    verywell.com - Can People Who Can't Have Gluten Eat Oats? by Jane Anderson:
    http://abt.cm/1F2Qwuk

    Gluten-Free Watchdog - Updated Position Statement on Oats (1/25/17):
    http://bit.ly/2lcn52D

    Gluten-Free Watchdog - Special Report: The Use of Oats in Gluten-Free Foods:
    http://bit.ly/1qK6wwi

    Gluten-Free Watchdog - Controversy continues to swirl around oats & their suitability for a gluten-free diet:
    http://bit.ly/2ieJN88

    Gluten-Free Watchdog - The gluten-free oats situation & why it is such a sticky wicket:
    http://bit.ly/GFWD-Oats-A-Sticky-Wicket


    almond-milk-1074596_960_720
    Currently, most medical professionals say pure, gluten-free oats can be tolerated in limited amounts [up to a 1/2 cup per day for adults].

    Many in the gluten-free community would beg to differ with that recommendation because they react to gluten-free oats as well. Those in the grain-free/low-carb community offer convincing evidence that supports their lifestyle too.

    Regular followup testing is also advised to make sure intestinal damage is not occurring. For those newly diagnosed, it’s suggested to restrict the use of oats for up to one year.

    Also be aware that some celiacs react to the protein found in oats [known as avenin] just as they react to the proteins in wheat, barley, rye.

    If you know they cause you discomfort, do not eat them.

    The experts who recommend oats, all agree that only pure, uncontaminated gluten-free oats be used - no commercial oats allowed.

    Why? Cross contamination with gluten [wheat, barley, rye].

    Often times oats are grown in rotation with wheat, barley, and rye. Stray plants can be left behind that get harvested with the oats. Harvesting, transporting, and processing of oats can use the same equipment as gluten-containing grains, thus exposing oats to further contamination.

    A 2004 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals "regular" oats should not be considered safe for those requiring a gluten-free diet. Four different lots from three different companies found gluten content ranging from less than 3 parts per million to 1807 parts per million. Gluten Contamination of Commercial Oat Products in the United States by Tricia Thompson, MS, RD

    Update January 5th, 2017 - Tricia, founder of Gluten-Free Watchdog, shares another article from PepsiCo (owners of Quaker Oats brand) about testing oats.

    PepsiCo scientists recently published a second article in the scientific peer-reviewed literature on the difficulties associated with testing oats for gluten contamination. This article entitled “Kernel-based gluten contamination of gluten-free oatmeal complicates gluten assessment as it causes binary-like test outcomes” compliments their first article entitled, “Gluten-containing grains skew gluten assessment in oats due to sample grind non-homogeneity.”

    Bottom Line. Based on the findings of the research by scientists from PepsiCo, Gluten Free Watchdog calls on ALL suppliers and manufacturers of gluten-free oats whether purity protocol or mechanically/optically sorted, and their certifying bodies to reevaluate their testing methodology and requirements for certification, respectively.

    Recommendation. The situation with oats continues to evolve. As mentioned above, Gluten Free Watchdog’s position statement on oats will be updated in the near future. In the meantime, my advice is:

    Choose your oat products based on your comfort level with regard to the level of information provided to you by manufacturers. You may want to consider the following:

    Does the manufacturer disclose whether they use purity protocol or sorted oats?

    Do they disclose their testing protocols?

    Do they disclose the assay they use to test oats for gluten contamination?

    If a manufacturer refuses to answer any of these questions or responds by saying the information is proprietary, the advice of Gluten Free Watchdog is to move on to another company.


    Read More: http://bit.ly/2iePfrv
    Quaker's first article on oat testing:     http://bit.ly/2hX1JpU




    Update May 18th, 2016 - Mining through five years of testing, Gluten-Free Watchdog finds oat products are at higher risk of gluten contamination compared to gluten-free labeled foods as a whole. 35 products containing oats as first or second ingredient were tested. Analysis shows:

    • 28 of 35 (80%) of oat products tested below 5 parts per million of gluten.
    • 5 of 35 (14%) of oat products contained 20 ppm of gluten or more.
    • 2 or 35 (6%) of oat products contained more than 5 ppm but less than 20 ppm of gluten.

    • Approximately 5% of all gluten-free labeled foods tested at or above 20 ppm of gluten vs 14% of oat products.

    Update October 28th, 2016 - Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Diseases (DIGID) held a breakfast meeting at this year's Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE). Topic: Oats.

    This event was sponsored by purity protocol oats producer, GF Harvest Oats. GF Harvest Oats owner, Seaton Smith was the keynote speaker. A mechanically & optically sorted oats supplier was also asked to participate, but declined to speak. Tricia Thompson, RD, MS of Gluten-Free Watchdog volunteered to present information about sorted oats.

    Tricia was kind enough for create     a video to accompany the DIGID oats meeting handout. Please have the handout open while watching the video.

    The presentation includes:
    • Basic definitions.
    • Background information on gluten contamination levels found within commercial oats.
    • Gluten content testing results of oats.
    • Testing protocols of millers of mechanically sorted oats (Quaker, General Mills/Cheerios, Grain Millers, La Crosse Milling).
    • A PepsiCo Inc./Quaker Foods and Snacks (QFS) study on testing oats for gluten content. This important study reveals the difficulties in testing grains for gluten. Bottom line: Final product testing for oats must be extensive!

      For an easy-to-understand write up on this study (and links to actual study), please check out "      Must Read Study Courtesy of Quaker on Testing Oats for Gluten" by Tricia Thompson, RD

    OK - back to the issue at hand…

    Shortly after Cheerios announced their     recall of 1.8 million boxes due to gluten contamination, Quaker Oats announced they will now be offering “gluten-free" oat products.

    Like General Mills, Quaker Oats will not be using oats grown/harvested/transported using a purity protocol. They are using regular oats that will be "cleaned" via mechanical or optical sorting methods.


    What is a Purity Protocol?

    On April 7th, 2017, Gluten Intolerance Group of North America and four of the largest Purity Protocol oat producers in North America (Montana Gluten Free Processors LLC, Cream Hill Estates, Ltd., Gluten Free Harvest/Canyon Oats, Avena Foods Limited) published a consensus definition of Purity Protocol oats.

    Having a standard definition allows consumers and buyers to know that oat suppliers are following industry-accepted or uniform best practices.

    Protocol Requirements.
    Purity Protocol oat packagers/processor/millers must ensure that their grower network is adhering to the following farm requirements (as specified in grower agreements):

    • Seed Purity: All gluten-free oats must start from seed, either purchased or harvested from the previous crop, that is free from all gluten-containing grains as determined by seed counts.
    • Crop Rotations: Growers shall follow a nongluten crop rotation, or a minimum three-year crop rotation between the last gluten-containing crop and the first pure oat crop, and document all previous crops grown.
    • Isolation Strips: Isolation strips are required between adjacent gluten-containing crops or conventional oat crops and must be a minimum of 6 feet in width.
    • Field Inspection: There must be inspections for potential sources of gluten cross-contamination during the growing season; these should be performed by third party inspectors trained specifically for gluten-free inspection.
    • Traceability: The farm must identify the oats by land location, and document the harvesting equipment, cleaning equipment, transports, storage facilities, and final distribution for the grain from each location.
    • Equipment Cleaning (trucks, cutters, harvesters, augurs, conveyors): Whenever possible, growers should use dedicated equipment. If not, they must use a validated cleaning process prior to handling gluten-free crops. Growers must also maintain documentation of the previous grains in the equipment.
    • Harvest Samples: These must be visually inspected, preferably by a third party laboratory, for purity. Sometimes referred to as a “seed count.”
    • Storage: Dedicated storage should be maintained for gluten-free oats.
    • Cleaned Samples: Growers must visually inspect samples for gluten-containing grains prior to scheduling deliveries.

    Conformance with the grower agreement must be documented either by the grower or through an audit by the purchaser. There must be validation that the grower agreement is in compliance with these requirements through documentation and inspection records. The documentation must be reviewed and verified. Samples must be visually inspected by the purchaser for purity prior to receipt or unloading at the purchaser’s facility.

    Purity Protocol oat packagers/processor/millers must also ensure that they meet the following processing requirements:

    • Dedicated gluten-free receiving systems.
    • Dedicated gluten-free in-process tanks/silos/storage.
    • Dedicated gluten-free grain cleaners, or appropriate procedures for cleaning grain-cleaning equipment and for the storage of portable grain cleaners.
    • Dedicated gluten-free milling equipment.
    • Dust control/collection procedures and schedules for changing or cleaning filters.
    • Dedicated pneumatic equipment/aspirators.
    • Dedicated extrusion equipment, or written procedures for cleaning or purging extrusion equipment, if applicable. Must document purge volume, and that purge material tests negative for gluten prior to beginning gluten-free processing.
    • Dedicated baggers/fillers.
    • Dedicated pre- and postprocess containers (such as totes).
    • Dedicated rail cars, trucks, or transports, or procedures for the cleaning and inspection of rail cars, trucks, or transports used to deliver product to other facilities or customers.
    • Sorting equipment may not be used for oats as a substitute for obtaining purity, but may be used as a supplement to the purity protocol to ensure purity.
    • The final product must meet the 20 ppm threshold in order to be labeled gluten-free in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries following the Codex Alimentarius guidelines. The product must meet the regulations for gluten-free labeling in the country of sale.
    • The final product must meet the 10 ppm threshold in order to be certified gluten-free by GFCO.

    While the requirements of the Purity Protocol are excellent for reducing the risk of gluten contamination from wheat, rye, barley, and their hybrids and related grains, these steps do not remove the requirement that the final product be verified as containing less than 20 ppm gluten in order to be labeled gluten-free, or less than 10 ppm gluten to be certified gluten-free by GFCO.

    Definition of the “Purity Protocol” for Producing Gluten-Free Oats
    Read more: http://bit.ly/2oqTmpZ




    What is Mechanical/Optical Sorting?

    Mechanical or optical sorting are methods to remove all unwanted kernels of wheat, barley, and rye from the oats. These processes "clean" regular oats after they've been harvested and transported to the processing facility.

    Mechanical sorting methods of grains and seeds have been around since the late 1960s, according to the USDA. These sorters use a variety of physical characteristics like size, shape, density, texture, terminal velocity, electrical conductivity, color, and resilience.

    As technology advances, these processes improve (but is it enough?) General Mills spent five years and millions of dollars to build a seven-story tall building to "clean" the oats.


    Optical sorting uses high speed, high resolution cameras and proprietary software to detect size, shape, and color parameters. Rejected items are ejected from the system using blasts of precise, high pressure air.


    The jury is still out on the effectiveness of these cleaning methods. Will they create a product that is truly gluten-free? Only time and proper extensive testing will tell.


    Quaker Oats have also opted for the optical and mechanical sorting methods (aka “proprietary”) of removing gluten grains from their oats. However, Quaker Oats reportedly have instituted better testing protocols than their competitor.

    Quaker Oats describes their gluten-free oats processing and testing protocols to Gluten Free Watchdog:     http://bit.ly/1OiMboT


    Purity Protocol Heros

    Tricia Thompson, RD, founder of     Gluten Free Watch Dog started building a list of companies that produce and use purity protocol oats.

    Purity Protocol Oats List includes:


    For a detail description of their policies & procedures, and their products, see Gluten-Free Watchdog's webpage:
    http://bit.ly/GFWD-Pure-Oat-Producers


    Take a listen to GF Jules BlogTalk Radio Interview with Seaton Smith of GF Harvest - A Gluten-Free Oats Company. You'll hear how they do gluten-free oats and what it means to their family of celiacs: http://bit.ly/1VwyFEm


    It didn’t go unnoticed that a few popular gluten free companies are missing from the list above.

    Why the fuss over Purity Protocol Oats? Again, it goes back to [the lack of] cross contamination with gluten [wheat, barley, rye].

    For years, the gluten-free community have been told to only use pure, certified gluten-free oats due to the gluten contamination risks. In the past, this meant acceptable oats were produced and processed according to a purity protocol similar to the one described above.

    Most recently, it's been difficult to determine the pedigree of oats used in a product. Companies do not always give clear answers when asked about the oats in their products. As some of the manufacturer's statements have shown (see below), they are using a combination of purity protocol oats and "cleaned" oats, or straight "cleaned" oats.

    For a more detailed look at this aspect, please read Gluten-Free Watchdog's     "Gluten-free oat production: Purity protocol versus mechanical or optical sorting: Does it matter to you?"


    Purity Protocol Rebels

    Below is a list companies using "cleaned" oats, according to Gluten-Free Watchdog's list.


    Bakery On Main, based in East Hartford, CT

    Statement dated: May 22, 2016 to Gluten-Free Watchdog.

    "A brand and communications marketing associate responded in part (via email on May 22, 2016), “Bakery On Main’s top priority has always been to provide great tasting products that all those with Celiac Disease can trust and know are safe. We recently decided to soon begin using the mechanically sorted oats in some of our products only due to the fact that the supplier that we will be working with has been third party certified gluten free by the GFCO.” Please contact Bakery On Main for more information."


    Bob’s Red Mill, based in Milwaukie, OR

    Statement dated: November 12, 2015

    They first describe their gluten-free product protocol:

    “For all of our gluten free products, we thoroughly batch test every product in our quality control laboratory upon delivery, during production and after packaging. We adhere to a standard of no more than 19 parts per million of gluten. Should a test show that a product exceeds that limit, it would be simply rejected and made unavailable for distribution to anyone. Every step in the production of our gluten free products is done in a separate gluten free packaging division complete with specialized machinery to make sure that our products maintain their purity.”


    Then their oats (note, they use both purity protocol oats and optically sorted oats):

    “Oats require special care to ensure that they are safely free from gluten. Bob’s Red Mill only sources from oat suppliers who are committed to practices for eliminating the presence of gluten. Our suppliers are innovative in controlling the presence of gluten by either avoiding crop rotation with gluten containing grains or using optical sorting technology to remove grain containing gluten. Regardless of our suppliers’ chosen methods for meeting our gluten free specification, we require that each lot is tested and confirmed gluten free before authorization for shipment to Bob’s Red Mill. To ensure that they stay just as gluten free as the day their seedlings sprouted from the earth, we test each batch in our quality control laboratory when they arrive from the farm, during production and once again after they are packaged in our dedicated gluten free facility.”


    Nature's Path, based in Richmond, British Columbia Canada

    Statement dated: November 2, 2015

    They describe their oats:

    “This is to confirm that Natures Path Foods has purchased the Country Choice brand name from Grain Millers. Grain Millers continue to be the supplier of our gluten free oats.”


    Grain Millers have been mechanically separating oats since 2012, according to Gluten Free Watchdog.


    Cream Hill Estates, based in LaSalle, Québec Canada

    Statement dated: March 31st, 2016

    “Cream Hill Estates sources our gluten-free oats from a mill that successfully uses extensive mechanical and optical sorting to minimize the likelihood of gluten cross-contamination in their products.

    The mill uses both select commodity and purity protocol oats and does frequent sampling throughout the process from arrival of the oats at the mill to finished product, and we are satisfied that cleaning, sorting, sampling and testing at the mill produce gluten-content results that are well within acceptable limits for celiac disease (CD) and wheat sensitive consumers, including CD members in our own family.

    The mill provides us with test results for each lot number, an 1,800 pound tote bag, and we also do random independent third-party gluten testing of representative samples obtained by us from those totes.

    Test results from the mill and from third-party testing are always less than 10 parts per million (ppm) of gluten with the vast majority being less than 5ppm using S-ELISA and R5-ELISA test methodologies.

    Our products are certified gluten-free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

    Our dedicated gluten-free manufacturing and packaging facility in Montreal is also free from any of the top 8 food allergens identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the 10 priority food allergens identified by Health Canada.

    As a finished food supplier to consumers and an ingredient supplier to manufacturers, we guarantee the purity of our products.”


    Quaker Oats based in Chicago, IL

    Statement updated: January 20th, 2016

    Quaker Gluten-Free Oatmeal
    Quaker uses traditionally grown oats that have been mechanically and optically sorted to be gluten-free.
    
    Finished product testing (as reported to Gluten Free Watchdog and confirmed July, 2016)

    16 pouches or tubes are pulled during a production run (approximately 1 pouch or tube every 1⁄2 hour).

    Note: Approximately 400,000 single serving pouches are produced during a lot run; 50,000 tubes are produced during a lot run.

    A 40-gram sample is taken from each pouch or tube.

    The sample is homogenized.

    Two extractions are taken from the homogenized sample and tested using the Ridascreen Gliadin R5 ELISA (R7001) Mendez Method.

    If any single extraction from any of the 16 pouches or tubes is above 12 ppm gluten the entire lot is discarded.

    Since beginning commercial runs, three early runs were above 12 ppm gluten and these lots were destroyed. Since taking corrective action, 25 additional lots have been run. All but one extraction from finished product gluten-free oatmeal tested below 5 ppm gluten; one extraction tested just above the lower limit of quantification of 5 ppm gluten (6 ppm).

    UPDATE Jan 20, 2016: In email correspondence, Quaker writes, “we have continued to implement the testing protocol we shared with you for finished product. Out of our last 50 lots produced, we have had one lot test above 12 ppm; as a result, that entire lot of finished product was destroyed. All other lots produced met or exceeded our standards and were released into market.”



    Quaker Oats Gluten-Free FAQ - Answers many questions consumers might ask about their oats.


    Yes, even a gluten-free certified product may use mechanically separated or optically sorted oats in their products.

    Bottom line, we don’t always know what type of oats are used in the product unless we ask the food manufacturer.


    The "Mainstreamification" and "Walmarting" of Gluten-Free
    If you're wondering - yes, yes I do like to make up words.

    The gluten-free landscape began its transformation as the gluten-free lifestyle slowly seeped into mainstream consciousness.

    Those of you who have been gluten-free for any length of time, think back to when you first started your journey. How many people had even heard about gluten/celiac disease/non celiac gluten sensitivity/gluten-related disorders? Right, not very many.

    Fast forward to today, gluten-free is everywhere - TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, on and on. It's even being called *gasp* "a fad diet". We, the gluten-free community have been wanting mainstream recognition for a long time. It may not be in the exact form we were hoping for, but GF is now mainstream.

    The increased awareness is a double edged sword. One of the biggest examples of this is gluten-free food availability. Most of the processed gluten-free foods available today were not available ten or even five years ago. Not all of the changes to the GF food landscape have been beneficial.


    Gluten-Free Foods Market Research
    With this amount of money on the table, it's no surprise companies want a piece of the gluten-free pie. Are the BigFood companies simply chasing the gold-rush of all things labeled gluten-free?


    Back in the day, the small "Mom & Pop" companies built their businesses with hard work and a passion for doing what's right for their gluten-free customers. In many cases, the owners and employees themselves were directly affected by a gluten-related disorder. They knew and fully understood the     zen of gluten-freedom - in other words - how to do it right. These pioneers have served us well. They brought excellent products to the gluten-free party, however they were often scarce and not widely available.

    Enter stage right, the 800 pound gorillas. These large companies have the means to develop and distribute products faster, farther, and cheaper. All is great, right? What seemed like a great idea at the time just might have been a wolf in sheep's clothing.

    I think you probably know where this is heading. If this sound vaguely familiar to you, there's a reason. It has happened all across America. After retail giant Walmart sets up shop in a town, the economic environment is often times severely damaged, particularly in smaller towns.

    Doing what an 800 pound business gorilla does (    anything it wants), it forces the small business to close because it's impossible to compete against a giant with deep pockets.


    The Walmart Effect
    • Time.com - The New Way That Walmart is Ruining America's Small Towns - Jan. 25, 2016

      "When a Walmart comes to town, the local economic framework is immediately thrown into turmoil. Many small and regional businesses get trampled by the low prices made possible by the massive economies of scale of the giant retailer. It’s nearly impossible to compete."


    • NYDailyNews.com - Study proves it: Walmart super-stores kill off local small businesses - May 4th, 2011

      "In 2006, the big-box retailer promised to bring jobs to the cash-strapped community. But according to a landmark study by Loyola University, the company's rhetoric didn't match reality: Within two years of Walmart's opening its doors, 82 local stores went out of business."


    We are seeing a similar scenario play out in the gluten-free arena right now. Yep, the 800 pound gorillas (and many smaller primates) are using mechanically/optically separated oats in their products. Not only is this creating a health issue for the gluten-free community, it's also creating a financial problem for the pure oat producers.

    GF Harvest comments on this situation     via their Facebook Page:

    "We have noticed a change going through the oat market. With once having trucks heading out with 50lb bags to your favorite vendors who use oats in their product. Now we are seeing that that change because of mechanical and optical separation. The part that scares me is that newly diagnosed family or even someone who has been on a gluten free diet for a while. When they are looking at some products that might have oats that could get them sick and they won't know where they got it from, since they say "GF" or even could be certified.

    We want to thank you for your support and want to let you know that we are going to readjust our focus to try and see the best place to serve our gluten free customers. You are like family to us and want to serve you the best we can."


    Powell Tribune
    Gluten Free Oats operation at pivotal point competitively
    by Dave Bonner
    March 28, 2016

    "Planting of 2016 crop tentatively on hold

    Not all gluten-free oats are created equally.

    It’s a reality that has roiled the marketplace for a Powell company, Gluten Free Oats, and its GF Harvest branded oats products.

    The Powell business, now in its 12th year, was founded with the sole purpose of providing gluten-free oats products for the percentage of the population that suffers from celiac disease. The mission is personal for Seaton Smith and his son Forrest Smith, who is credited with the vision for the gluten-free oats start-up as a high school FFA entrepreneurial project.

    Read More…



    So, is there anything we can do support GF Harvest, and other purity protocol oat companies? Of course!

    Questions to ask food manufacturers…
    • Ask directly if any of their gluten-free oats are mechanically or optically sorted. We know they can use a mixture.
    • Ask at what point in production or pre-production they test.
    • Ask how often they test.
    • Ask if they test each final end product, do they test batches.
    • Ask if they are using the fully validated R5 ELISA R7001 Mendez method.
    If they use mechanically/optically sorted oats - tell them you will not buy their products until they use purity protocol oats. Point them to this list: http://bit.ly/GFWD-Pure-Oat-Producers

    Several fellow gluten-free advocates* called for a virtual     Cash Mob to help our favorite gluten-free oat producer.

    How do you participate in virtual Cash Mob? Simple…just click the links below and order some purity protocol oats!


    Get your pure oats

    GF Harvest offers a $29.95 Pure Oats Starter Pack that includes a bonus "I Make Gluten Free Look Hot" T-shirt or GF Harvest travel cup (while supplies last)
    and FREE SHIPPING.

    GFHarvestStarter

    Look for their products at a local retailor.

    If your favorite store doesn't carry GF Harvest oats,
    give them this handy     new product request form.

    If all else fails, there's always     Amazon.



    *Gluten-Free Advocates for Pure Oats*

    In Johanna's Kitchen -
    Support a Gluten-Free Farm and Trust Your Oats

    Celiac In The City -
    Truly Safe Gluten-Free Oats (and helping our farmer friends)!

    Gluten-Free & More.com -
    A Grassroots Cash Mob in the Name of Gluten-Free Oats




    Tags: , , , , ,

    Gluten-Free Turkeys 2015

    11/17/2015 22:24

    The 2015 holidays are upon us, here is a list of turkeys that are labeled as gluten-free. If a turkey isn't on this list, it may be gluten-free, it just means it wasn't checked.

    Some turkeys are not gluten-free. Always, always, always check the ingredient list! If you are unsure, call the manufacturer and ask questions.

    Be aware that the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) regulates labeling for meat, poultry, egg products. USDA regulations for labeling allergens [like wheat] are not the same as the FDA regulations. Companies may voluntarily comply with FDA regs, but they are not required to disclose wheat, or barley, rye, or oats or any derivatives.

    If you see modified food starch, starch, dextrin as ingredients in a USDA product, it's best to call the company to verify the source [are they derived from gluten sources?].

    If you are making a turkey for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross Contamination. They'll love you even more!


    navigatingholidays small
    If this is your first gluten-free holiday season, you might check out our Navigating The Holidays article for some hints and tips.

    "For many, the holiday season is filled with smiles, laughter and lots of merriment. However, for those with dietary restrictions, it can be the complete opposite – fear, dread and lots of worriment."



    festival holiday
    Festival Foods offers a very nice 2015 Gluten-Free Holiday Guide with recipes and product info: http://bit.ly/FestivalFoodsHolidayGuide2015





    Butterball

    Something new! Gluten-Free Holiday Dinner Guide - complete with a few recipes!

    butterball_ismyturkeyGF

    INCREDIBLY EASY GLUTEN FREE TURKEY GUIDE

    Need to prepare a gluten-free holiday dinner? Butterball can help! Our Butterball fresh and frozen raw unstuffed turkeys are always gluten-free, and our gravy pack included with our Butterball Whole and Boneless Breast items is also gluten-free. And for all the trimmings, check out the recipes below to find a variety of gluten-free side dishes and desserts sure to please all your holiday guests.




    ** Note: Stuffing a gluten-free turkey with gluten stuffing contaminates the turkey - it should not be eaten by those following a gluten-free/gluten-zero diet.


    Gluten-Free Butterball Turkeys:

    Fresh Whole Turkey - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/fresh-whole-turkey

    Fresh L'il Butterball - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/fresh-lil-butterball

    Frozen Whole Turkey - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/frozen-whole-turkey

    Frozen L'il Butterball - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/frozen-lil-butterball

    Frozen Fully Cooked Smoked Turkey: http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkey/frozen-fully-cooked-smoked-turkey

    Frozen Fully Cooked Baked Turkey: http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkey/frozen-fully-cooked-baked-turkey


    Butterball lists several gluten free products on their website. Type type "gluten-free" into their "Search for a product" text box and click Search

    http://www.butterball.com/faqs/product-information/gluten-free

    Q: ARE BUTTERBALL TURKEYS GLUTEN FREE?

    A: With the exception of the seven products listed below, all other retail products produced at Butterball, LLC are gluten free; meaning they contain no wheat, barley, rye, triticale or any triticum species such as spelt or kamut..

    NOT GLUTEN FREE Products:

    22655-07100 Butterball Ready To Cook Premium Stuffed Young Turkey with Herb Roasted Stuffing

    22655-82925 Butterball Fully Cooked Natural Inspirations Meatballs - Original - Bite Sized Original Turkey Meatballs

    22655-82926 Butterball Fully Cooked Natural Inspirations Meatballs - Italian - Dinner Sized

    22655-81005 Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey & Gravy

    22655-60105 Butterball Fully Cooked Chef Selects Turkey Roast with Vegetables

    22655-60106 Butterball Fully Cooked Chef Selects Turkey Meatloaf

    22655-60107 Butterball Fully Cooked Chef Selects Turkey Breast & Gravy

    For our products that are packaged with gravy packets, the gravy packets are gluten free as well. The gravy contains rice flour instead of wheat flour and the modified food starch is corn based (as of 2007).

    However, our product formulations are subject to change. Therefore, please be certain to always read the label for any allergen concerns you may have.



    Butterball Contact:
    http://www.butterball.com/contact-us



    HoneyBaked

    http://www.HoneyBakedOnline.com/category/customer+service/faq.do#10

    Do your hams or turkey breast contain glutens?

    Our hams and turkey breasts DO NOT contain glutens.





    Honeysuckle White

    Honeysuckle White Whole Turkeys:
    Fresh - http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/fresh-whole-turkey/
    Frozen - http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-whole-turkey/
    Fully Cooked - http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-avna-whole-turkey/

    Bone-in Turkey Breasts:
    http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-bone-in-turkey-breast-with-gravy/
    http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/frozen-bone-in-turkey-breast-2/
    http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/fresh-bone-in-turkey-breast/

    Honeysuckle While offers several gluten-free products, however, you have to check each product:
    http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/products/


    Jennie-O Whole Turkeys

    Jenni-O is a Hormel Company. Hormel will clearly gluten (wheat, barley/malt, rye, oats). Hormel's "Product without Gluten Ingredient" List

    Tender & Juicy Young Turkey (Gravy packet contains gluten)
    https://www.jennieo.com/products/124-Tender-and-Juicy-Young-Turkey

    Fresh All Natural Young Turkey
    https://www.jennieo.com/products/125-Fresh-All-Natural-Young-Turkey

    Premium Fresh Young Turkey
    https://www.jennieo.com/products/149-Premium-Fresh-Young-Turkey


    Jennie-O has many items on their gluten-free list.


    Perdue

    Response from Perdue Customer Service 10/29/14 (waiting for 2015 verification)

    http://www.perdue.com/

    Below is a list of the products on the GFCO list.

    All products on this certificate are under the supervision of the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

    UPC
    54394 HARVESTLAND Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Tender Harvestland
    54370 HARVESTLAND Grilled Chicken Breast Strips Harvestland
    80489 PERDUE Simply Smart Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Tender Perdue
    80489 GF Breaded Chicken Tenders Perdue Simply Smart
    97394 SIMPLE TRUTH Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Tender Simple Truth
    97370 SIMPLE TRUTH Grilled Chicken Breast Strips Simple Truth

    UPC
    54241 HARVESTLAND Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast Harvestland
    54700 HARVESTLAND Oven Roasted Boneless Chicken Breast w rib me Harvestland
    54243 HARVESTLAND Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Harvestland
    56250 HARVESTLAND Roasted Turkey Breast Harvestland
    75519 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Bourbon Peppercorn Chicken Br Perdue
    75546 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Bourbon Peppercorn Turkey Bre Perdue

    75523PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Buffalo Style Chicken Breast Perdue
    75544 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Buffalo Style Turkey Breast Perdue
    75525 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Chicken Breast, Herb Rubbed Perdue
    75520 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Golden Brown Chicken Breast Perdue
    75548 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Golden Brown Turkey Breast Perdue
    75540 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Herb Rubbed Turkey Breast Perdue
    75536 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Honey Turkey Breast Perdue
    75534 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Lower Sodium Golden Brown Tu Perdue
    75538 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast Perdue
    246 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled (9 oz.) Perdue
    81230 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Honey Roasted Perdue
    224 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Honey Roasted Perdue
    81030 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roaste Perdue
    221 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roaste Perdue
    222 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Southwestern Perdue
    235 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Turkey Breast, Oven Roasted (9 Perdue
    150 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey Perdue
    00143 GF Breaded Chicken Tenders Perdue Simply Smart

    Should you have further questions, please feel free to contact a consumer representative at 1-800-473-7383 Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET, or email us at www.Perdue.com.




    Plainville Farms

    http://plainvillefarms.com/faq/

    Is your turkey gluten free?

    Yes, our turkey is gluten free and casein free. However, our turkey gravy and our homestyle dressing contain wheat. Our marinated teriyaki turkey tenderloins contain soy. Please read the ingredients labels.


    Shady Brook Farms

    Fresh Whole Turkey (3% basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/products/fresh-whole-turkey-3-basted/

    Fresh Whole Turkey (not basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/products/fresh-whole-turkey-0-basted/

    Frozen Whole Turkey (basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/products/frozen-whole-turkey-2/




    Hams


    Farmland Hams

    Farmland offers an extensive gluten-free product list: http://www.farmlandfoodservice.com/food/gluten-free-products/

    BILINGUAL, HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE

    BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, HONEY CURED, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, REDUCED SODIUM, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    COOKED HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    COOKED HAM, W/A, 30% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, 23% AI, REDUCED SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, SEMI- BONLESS HALF HAM, REDUCED SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, STEAK & BUTT PORTIONS, 23% AI, REDUCED SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S SLICED HAM W/NJ, BREAKFAST SLICED, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S BONELESS HAM CHOPS,W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, HONEY CURED, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S FARMLAND SAFEWAY, HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S HICKORY SMOKED PORTIONS, STEAKS, & HAMS, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S HICKORY SMOKED, WATER ADDED, PORTIONS, STEAKS, & HAMS, GLUTEN FREE

    COOK’S REDUCED SODIUM, HAM STEAK, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    DELI STYLE HONEY HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND BAVARIAN BRAND HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND BLACK FOREST HAM WITH NJ, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND BROWN SUGAR HAM WITH NJ, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND CARVEMASTER FLAT HAM W/NJ, APPLEWOOD SMOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND DELI HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND JULIENNE HAM STRIPS, WA, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND PREMIUM DELI, CHOPPED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND SLICED HAM W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND SMB, BREAKFAST HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT BLACK FOREST HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE.

    FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT BROWN SUGAR CURED HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, 30% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE, SPANISH

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, 35% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE, SPANISH

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, 48% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE, SPANISH

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM & WATER PROD, 35% AI, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND COOKED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND COUNTRY LEAN BRAND COOKED HAM W/A, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND COUNTRY LEAN CKD HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND DELI STYLE HONEY HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND FULLY COOKED CHOPPED HAM WATER ADDED SAND STYLE, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND GOLD MEDAL BRAND HAM W/NJ, BONELESS, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND HAM & WATER PROD, 35% AI, A PORTION OF GROUND HAM ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND PIT HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND ROYAL DANISH BRAND HAM W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT, BLACK FOREST HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT, LOWER SODIUM HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND TRADITION HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    FARMLAND TRADITION HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 23% AI, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 23% AI, WHOLE, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 35% AI, A PORTION OF GROUND HAM ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM MEDALLIONS, BONELESS, W/NJ, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM STEAKS, BONELESS, W/NJ, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE

    HAM, WATER ADDED, REDUCED SODIUM, STEAKS, BUTT AND SHANK PORTIONS, GLUTEN FREE

    ROYAL DANISH BRAND HAM W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE

    SPRING HILL BRAND COOKED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE

    SPRING HILL BRAND HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE




    Hormel

    Hormel's "Product without Gluten Ingredient" List

    Hormel Refrigerated Meat Products Without Gluten Containing Ingredients:

    • HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Canned Ham

    • HORMEL® CURE 81® Ham and Ham Steaks


    FARMER JOHN® Refrigerated/Frozen Items Without Gluten Containing Ingredients:

    •FARMER JOHN® Boneless Hams – Golden Tradition Premium Original Whole and Half, Golden Tradition Black Forest Premium Black Forest, Pee Wee Half, Golden Tradition Premium Tradition Brown Sugar and Honey, Golden Tradition, Canless Honey Ham (Glaze Packets contain Wheat)

    • FARMER JOHN® Bone In Hams – Premium Butt and Shank Portions, Premium Gold Wrap, Premium Sliced Ham Steaks, Premium Spiral Sliced, Premium Half, Premium Spiral Sliced Half, Whole (Glaze Packets contain Wheat)




    Sugardale Pestige Smoked Ham

    Sugardale offers an extensive gluten-free product list: http://www.sugardale.com/gluteninformation.aspx

    Sugardale Ham Items
    All Sugardale ham items are gluten-free.

    • Country Inn Boneless Hams (whole, half, quarter, sliced quarter, slices)
    • Virginia Classic
    • Prestige Portions
    • Prestige Ham Steaks
    • Old-Fashioned Natural Juice Semi-Boneless Honey Half Ham
    • Skinless Shankless Whole Ham
    • Spiral Sliced Half Ham
    • Semi-Boneless Hams (whole, half)
    • Ham Roast
    • Tavern Boneless Ham








    Tags: , , ,

    Gluten-Free Turkeys 2014

    10/26/2014 11:05

    The 2014 holidays are upon us, here is a list of turkeys that are gluten-free. If a turkey isn't on this list, it may be gluten-free, it just means it wasn't checked.

    Always, always, always check the ingredient list! If you are unsure, call the manufacturer and ask questions.

    Be aware that the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) regulates labeling for meat, poultry, egg products. USDA regulations for labeling allergens [like wheat] are not the same as the FDA regulations. Companies may voluntarily comply with FDA regs, but they are not required to disclose wheat, or barley, rye, or oats or any derivatives.

    If you see modified food starch, starch, dextrin as ingredients in a USDA product, it's best to call the company to verify the source [are they derived from gluten sources?].

    If you are making a turkey for a gluten-free guest, please read our Guide to Gluten Cross Contamination. They'll love you even more!


    navigatingholidays small
    If this is your first gluten-free holiday season, you might check out our Navigating The Holidays article for some hints and tips.

    "For many, the holiday season is filled with smiles, laughter and lots of merriment. However, for those with dietary restrictions, it can be the complete opposite – fear, dread and lots of worriment."



    festival holiday
    Festival Foods offers a very nice Gluten-Free Holiday Guide with recipes and product info: http://eatwell.festfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Gluten-Free-Holiday-Guide.pdf

    Thanks Andi at Manitowoc CDF Group for sharing!




    Butterball

    Something new! Gluten-Free Holiday Dinner Guide - complete with a few recipes!

    butterball_ismyturkeyGF

    INCREDIBLY EASY GLUTEN FREE TURKEY GUIDE

    Need to prepare a gluten-free holiday dinner? Butterball can help! Our Butterball fresh and frozen raw unstuffed turkeys are always gluten-free, and our gravy pack included with our Butterball Whole and Boneless Breast items is also gluten-free. And for all the trimmings, check out the recipes below to find a variety of gluten-free side dishes and desserts sure to please all your holiday guests.




    ** Note: Stuffing a gluten-free turkey with gluten stuffing contaminates the turkey - it should not be eaten by those following a gluten-free/gluten-zero diet.


    Gluten-Free Butterball Turkeys:

    Fresh Whole Turkey - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/fresh-whole-turkey
    Fresh L'il Butterball - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/fresh-lil-butterball
    Frozen Whole Turkey - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/frozen-whole-turkey
    Frozen L'il Butterball - http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkeys/frozen-lil-butterball
    Frozen Fully Cooked Smoked Turkey: http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkey/frozen-fully-cooked-smoked-turkey
    Frozen Fully Cooked Baked Turkey: http://www.butterball.com/products/whole-turkey/frozen-fully-cooked-baked-turkey


    Butterball lists several gluten free products on their website. Type type "gluten-free" into their "Search for a product" text box and click Search

    http://www.butterball.com/faqs/product-information/gluten-free

    Q: ARE BUTTERBALL TURKEYS GLUTEN FREE?

    A: With the exception of the nine products listed below, all other retail products produced at Butterball, LLC are gluten free; meaning they contain no wheat, barley, rye, triticale or any triticum species such as spelt or kamut.

    NOT GLUTEN FREE Products:

    22655-07100 Butterball Ready To Cook Premium Stuffed Young Turkey with Herb Roasted Stuffing
    22655-72406 Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey Sliders
    22655-82903/82913 Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey Meatballs-Italian Style Seasoned
    22655-82924 Butterball Fully Cooked All Natural Turkey Meatballs
    22655-82925 Butterball Fully Cooked All Natural Bite Sized Original Turkey Meatballs
    22655-82926 Butterball Fully Cooked All Natural Italian Style Turkey Meatballs
    22655-81005 Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey & Gravy
    22655-60105 Butterball Fully Cooked Chef Selects Turkey Pot Roast with Vegetables
    22655-60106 Butterball Fully Cooked Chef Selects Turkey Meatloaf
    22655-60107 Butterball Fully Cooked Chef Selects Turkey Breast & Gravy

    For our products that are packaged with gravy packets, the gravy packets are gluten free as well. The gravy contains rice flour instead of wheat flour and the modified food starch is corn based.

    However, our product formulations are subject to change. Therefore, please be certain to always read the label for any allergen concerns you may have.



    Butterball Contact:
    http://www.butterball.com/contact-us



    HoneyBaked

    http://www.HoneyBakedOnline.com/category/customer+service/faq.do#10

    Do your hams or turkey breast contain glutens?

    Our hams and turkey breasts DO NOT contain glutens.





    Honeysuckle White

    A link to their Honeysuckle White Whole Turkeys:
    http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/ProductFamilies.aspx?product_category_id=1


    http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/FaqNutrition.aspx#nutrition1

    Does Honeysuckle White® Turkey contain gluten or MSG?

    All of our products are free of MSG.


    The majority of Honeysuckle White® products do not contain Gluten. However, the following list of products do contain Gluten:


    Teriyaki Flavor Turkey Breast Tenderloin
    Frozen Italian Style Meatballs
    Fresh Italian Style Turkey Meatballs


    Always refer to product packaging for accurate ingredient statements.


    We don't use flour on the conveyor belts in any of our Honeysuckle White® processing plants.



    Jennie-O Whole Turkeys

    Jenni-O is a Hormel Company. Hormel will clearly gluten (wheat, barley/malt, rye, oats). Hormel's "Product without Gluten Ingredient" List

    http://www.jennieo.com/products/124-Premium-Basted-Young-Turkey-Frozen
    http://www.jennieo.com/products/125-All-Natural-Fresh-Whole-Turkey
    http://www.jennieo.com/products/149-Premium-Basted-Whole-Turkey-Fresh

    Jennie-O has many items on their gluten-free list.


    Perdue

    Response from Perdue Customer Service 10/29/14:

    http://www.perdue.com/

    Below is a list of the products on the GFCO list.

    All products on this certificate are under the supervision of the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

    UPC
    54394 HARVESTLAND Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Tender Harvestland
    54370 HARVESTLAND Grilled Chicken Breast Strips Harvestland
    80489 PERDUE Simply Smart Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Tender Perdue
    80489 GF Breaded Chicken Tenders Perdue Simply Smart
    97394 SIMPLE TRUTH Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Tender Simple Truth
    97370 SIMPLE TRUTH Grilled Chicken Breast Strips Simple Truth

    UPC
    54241 HARVESTLAND Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast Harvestland
    54700 HARVESTLAND Oven Roasted Boneless Chicken Breast w rib me Harvestland
    54243 HARVESTLAND Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Harvestland
    56250 HARVESTLAND Roasted Turkey Breast Harvestland
    75519 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Bourbon Peppercorn Chicken Br Perdue
    75546 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Bourbon Peppercorn Turkey Bre Perdue

    75523PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Buffalo Style Chicken Breast Perdue
    75544 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Buffalo Style Turkey Breast Perdue
    75525 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Chicken Breast, Herb Rubbed Perdue
    75520 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Golden Brown Chicken Breast Perdue
    75548 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Golden Brown Turkey Breast Perdue
    75540 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Herb Rubbed Turkey Breast Perdue
    75536 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Honey Turkey Breast Perdue
    75534 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Lower Sodium Golden Brown Tu Perdue
    75538 PERDUE® CARVING CLASSICS® Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast Perdue
    246 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Grilled (9 oz.) Perdue
    81230 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Honey Roasted Perdue
    224 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Honey Roasted Perdue
    81030 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roaste Perdue
    221 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roaste Perdue
    222 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Chicken Breast, Southwestern Perdue
    235 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Carved Turkey Breast, Oven Roasted (9 Perdue
    150 PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Italian Seasoned Ground Turkey Perdue
    00143 GF Breaded Chicken Tenders Perdue Simply Smart

    Should you have further questions, please feel free to contact a consumer representative at 1-800-473-7383 Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET, or email us at www.Perdue.com.




    Plainville Farms

    http://plainvillefarms.com/faq/

    Is your turkey gluten free?

    Yes, our turkey is gluten free and casein free. However, our turkey gravy and our homestyle dressing contain wheat. Our marinated teriyaki turkey tenderloins contain soy. Please read the ingredients labels.


    Shady Brook Farms

    Fresh Whole Turkey (basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/ProductDetail.aspx?product_category_id=10&product_id=611

    Fresh Whole Turkey (no basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/ProductDetail.aspx?product_category_id=10&product_id=181

    Frozen Whole Turkey (basted):
    http://www.shadybrookfarms.com/ProductDetail.aspx?product_category_id=10&product_id=412

    This product does not contain Gluten.This product does not contain MSG.






    Hams


    Farmland Hams

    Farmland offers an extensive gluten-free product list: http://www.farmlandfoodservice.com/food/gluten-free-products/

    • BILINGUAL, HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE
    • BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, HONEY CURED, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, REDUCED SODIUM, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOKED HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOKED HAM, W/A, 30% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, 23% AI, REDUCED SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, SEMI- BONLESS HALF HAM, REDUCED SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S HAM AND WATER PRODUCT, STEAK & BUTT PORTIONS, 23% AI, REDUCED SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S SLICED HAM W/NJ, BREAKFAST SLICED, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S BONELESS HAM CHOPS,W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S BONELESS STEAKS HAM W/NJ, HONEY CURED, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S FARMLAND SAFEWAY, HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S HICKORY SMOKED PORTIONS, STEAKS, & HAMS, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S HICKORY SMOKED, WATER ADDED, PORTIONS, STEAKS, & HAMS, GLUTEN FREE
    • COOK’S REDUCED SODIUM, HAM STEAK, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • DELI STYLE HONEY HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND BAVARIAN BRAND HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND BLACK FOREST HAM WITH NJ, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND BROWN SUGAR HAM WITH NJ, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND CARVEMASTER FLAT HAM W/NJ, APPLEWOOD SMOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND DELI HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND JULIENNE HAM STRIPS, WA, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND PREMIUM DELI, CHOPPED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND SLICED HAM W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND SMB, BREAKFAST HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT BLACK FOREST HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE.
    • FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT BROWN SUGAR CURED HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, 30% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE, SPANISH
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, 35% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE, SPANISH
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, 48% LESS SODIUM, GLUTEN FREE, SPANISH
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM, W/A, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM & WATER PROD, 35% AI, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND COOKED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND COUNTRY LEAN BRAND COOKED HAM W/A, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND COUNTRY LEAN CKD HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND DELI STYLE HONEY HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND FULLY COOKED CHOPPED HAM WATER ADDED SAND STYLE, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND GOLD MEDAL BRAND HAM W/NJ, BONELESS, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND HAM & WATER PROD, 35% AI, A PORTION OF GROUND HAM ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND PIT HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND ROYAL DANISH BRAND HAM W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT, BLACK FOREST HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND SPECIAL SELECT, LOWER SODIUM HAM, WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND TRADITION HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • FARMLAND TRADITION HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 23% AI, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 23% AI, WHOLE, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 35% AI, A PORTION OF GROUND HAM ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM MEDALLIONS, BONELESS, W/NJ, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM STEAKS, BONELESS, W/NJ, FULLY COOKED, GLUTEN FREE
    • HAM, WATER ADDED, REDUCED SODIUM, STEAKS, BUTT AND SHANK PORTIONS, GLUTEN FREE
    • ROYAL DANISH BRAND HAM W/NJ, GLUTEN FREE
    • SPRING HILL BRAND COOKED HAM WATER ADDED, GLUTEN FREE
    • SPRING HILL BRAND HAM & WATER PRODUCT, 48% AI, GLUTEN FREE



    Hormel

    Hormel's "Product without Gluten Ingredient" List

    Hormel Refrigerated Meat Products Without Gluten Containing Ingredients:

    • HORMEL® CURE 81® Ham and Ham Steaks


    FARMER JOHN® Refrigerated/Frozen Items Without Gluten Containing Ingredients:

    • FARMER JOHN® Boneless Hams – Golden Tradition Premium Original Whole and Half, Golden Tradition Black Forest Premium Black Forest, Pee Wee Half, Golden Tradition Premium Tradition Brown Sugar and Honey, Golden Tradition, Canless Honey Ham (Glaze Packets contain Wheat)

    • FARMER JOHN® Bone In Hams – Premium Butt and Shank Portions, Premium Gold Wrap, Premium Sliced Ham Steaks, Premium Spiral Sliced, Premium Half, Premium Spiral Sliced Half, Whole (Glaze Packets contain Wheat)



    Kretschmar Hams

    You can find Kretschmar products at Festival Food locations.

    http://www.kretschmardeli.com/about

    Kretschmar® Boneless & Bone-in Hams (The company states that “All Kretschmar boneless hams are glutenfree.The Kretschmar bone-in spiral ham itself is gluten free, but the glaze packet is not.”)



    Sugardale Pestige Smoked Ham

    Sugardale offers an extensive gluten-free product list: http://www.sugardale.com/gluteninformation.aspx

    Sugardale Ham Items
    All Sugardale ham items are gluten-free.

    • Country Inn Boneless Hams (whole, half, quarter, sliced quarter, slices)
    • Virginia Classic
    • Prestige Portions
    • Prestige Ham Steaks
    • Old-Fashioned Natural Juice Semi-Boneless Honey Half Ham
    • Skinless Shankless Whole Ham
    • Spiral Sliced Half Ham
    • Semi-Boneless Hams (whole, half)
    • Ham Roast
    • Tavern Boneless Ham




    Updated 11/9/14 - Added more options. Added Festival Foods Holiday GF Guide




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    Confusing Ingredients - GF or Not GF?

    01/27/2014 20:28
    confused
    If you are new to the gluten-free/gluten zero lifestyle, you've probably already figured out that navigating it isn't always easy.

    So many changes, so many details to remember; enough to make your head spin 'round-n-round. It's no wonder there is fear, dread and confusion.

    Label reading skills are on the "must have" list in order to be successful. [Sorry, this will not be a How to Read Labels article; I'm saving that for another time, but you can learn more about reading labels here and here]

    If you wish to by-pass almost all labeling reading - stick to single-ingredient whole foods. Fresh fruits and veggies, plain meats, seafood and poultry. Ever see an ingredient label on a head of broccoli? By far, this will be your best and most healthiest option.

    However, in the event you find yourself in the packaged food aisles reading labels, you'll run into some strange and confusing ingredients. You'll need to know what they are and if they are gluten-free. Keep in mind, if the ingredient is gluten-free, it does not mean that it's healthy for you. Choose wisely!

    Check out the links below...


    Gluten-Free Living Magazine
    'Ingredients'

    http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/gluten-free-foods/ingredients/ingredients-index/
    Amaranth Herbs Quinoa Tapioca
    Arrowroot HVP or HPP Rice Teff
    Barley Lecithin Rye Teriyaki sauce
    Brewers yeast Malt Seasonings Tofu
    Buckwheat Maltodextrin Seitan Triticale
    Caramel color Millet Soba Vanilla
    Citric Acid Modified food starch Sorghum Vinegar
    Corn Mono and diglycerides Soy Wheat
    Dextrin Montina Soy Sauce Wheat Starch
    Flavors MSG Spelt Whey
    Glucose syrup Oat gum Spices* Xanthan gum
    Gluten Oats Starch Yeast
    Guar Gum Potato Sweet Potato




    Gluten-Free Living Magazine
    'Top 10 Ingredients you really don't need to worry about'

    http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/the-magazine/featured-stories/top-10-ingredients-you-really-dont-need-to-worry-about/
    1. Caramel Color 4. Glucose Syrup 7. Maltodextrin 10. Vinegar
    2. Citric Acid 5. Glue (envelopes) 8. Mono and diglycerides
    3. Dextrose 6. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein and Hydrolyzed Plant Protein 9. Spices*



    *Ground spices have been undergoing some investigation as of late. While single spices are inherently gluten-free, testing is beginning to show that various levels of contamination can be found - even if the spices are processed in a facility without gluten [they are presumably coming in contaminated].

    Please check out these links...

    Gluten Free Watchdog Report: Gluten Contamination of Spices
    https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/reports/Gluten_Free_Watchdog_Special_Report_on_Spices_Public.pdf

    Canadian Food Inspection Agency Report: Gluten in Ground Spices
    http://www.celiaccentral.org/celiac-disease-in-the-news/Celiac-in-the-News/161/vobid--10269/

    http://allergicliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Gluten_Report-FSAP-FY301-FINAL-FORMATTED-EN.pdf



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    Updated: 12/10/15 - Fixed Gluten-Free Living link for Ingredients.

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