Search the Community

11/30/2022 - We get a lot of questions from people wondering which brands or products are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease. We've recently seen a lot of questions about the meal replacement product called Ka'Chava. Specifically, is Ka'Chava gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance? Ka'Chava is a powdered nutritional meal shake mix made with numerous "superfood" ingredients, and which touts numerous potential health benefits. The good news for anyone wondering about the gluten-free status of Ka'Chava, worry not, Ka'Chava is considered naturally gluten-free, although they don't label it gluten-free. This from the support section of the Ka'Chava website: "All the ingredients in Ka’Chava are Gluten-Free in accordance with FDA specifications. We test every single batch of finished product as part of our Certificate of Analysis. In addition, we have independent, third-party labs test and verify periodically for additional assurance. As always, please review all the ingredients with your doctor first, if you have any health conditions such as Celiacs Disease." Ka'Chava's ingredients can be found here by clicking the link. As for whether Ka'Chava is safe for people with celiac disease, we're going to echo the company advice to check all of the ingredients with your doctor before trying the product.

This is a list of unsafe and forbidden ingredients for those who have celiac disease. We keep it up to date, and feel free to use the comment field below to suggest any changes or additions. A Abyssinian Hard (Wheat triticum durum) Atta Flour Autolyzed yeast (msg) Autolyzed Yeast Extract (msg) B Barley Grass (can contain seeds) Barley Hordeum vulgare Barley Malt Beer (most contain barley or wheat) Bleached Flour Bran (wheat, rye or barley bran) Bread Flour Brewer's Yeast Brown Flour Bulgur (Bulgar Wheat/Nuts) Bulgur Wheat C Cereal Binding Chilton Club Wheat (Triticum aestivum subspecies compactum) Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Cookie Crumbs Cookie Dough Cookie Dough Pieces Couscous Criped Rice D Dinkle (Spelt) Disodium Wheatgermamido Peg-2 Sulfosuccinate Durum wheat (Triticum durum) E Edible Coatings Edible Films Edible Starch Einkorn (Triticum monococcum) Emmer (Triticum dicoccon) Enriched Bleached Flour Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour Enriched Flour F Farik Farina Farina Graham Farro Filler Flour (normally this is wheat) Freekeh Frikeh Fu (dried wheat gluten) G Germ (wheat, rye or barley bran) Graham Flour Granary Flour Groats (barley, wheat) H Hard Wheat Heeng Hing Hordeum Chilense (Wild Barley) Hordeum Vulgare Extract Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein K Kamut (Pasta wheat) Kecap Manis (Soy Sauce) Ketjap Manis (Soy Sauce) Kluski Pasta M Maida (Indian wheat flour) Malt Malted Barley Flour Malted Milk Malt Extract Malt Syrup Malt Flavoring Malt Vinegar Macha Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Matza Matzah Matzo Matzo Semolina Meripro 711 Mir N Nishasta O Oriental Wheat (Triticum turanicum) Orzo Pasta P Pasta Pearl Barley Persian Wheat (Triticum carthlicum) Perungayam Poulard Wheat (Triticum turgidum) Polish Wheat (Triticum polonicum) R Rice Malt (if barley or Koji are used) Roux Rusk Rye S Seitan Semolina Semolina Triticum Shot Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Small Spelt Spirits (Specific Types) Spelt (Triticum spelta) Sprouted Wheat or Barley Stearyldimoniumhydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Strong Flour Suet in Packets T Tabbouleh Tabouli Teriyaki Sauce Timopheevi Wheat (Triticum timopheevii) Triticale X triticosecale Triticum Durum (Durum Wheat) Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Flour Lipids Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil Tritordeum (combination of durum wheat - Triticum Durum - and wild barley (Hordeum Chilense) U Udon (wheat noodles) Unbleached Flour V Vavilovi Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Vital Wheat Gluten W Wheat, Abyssinian Hard triticum durum Wheat Amino Acids Wheat Bran Extract Wheat, Bulgur Wheat Durum Triticum Wheat Germ Extract Wheat Germ Glycerides Wheat Germ Oil Wheat Germamidopropyldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Wheat Grass (can contain seeds) Wheat Nuts Wheat Protein Wheat Starch Wheat Triticum aestivum Wheat Triticum Monococcum Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Bran Extract Whole-Meal Flour Wild Barley (Hordeum Chilense) Wild Einkorn (Triticum boeotictim) Wild Emmer (Triticum dicoccoides) Y Yeast Extract (msg) The following items may or may not contain gluten depending on where and how they are made, and it is sometimes necessary to check with the manufacturer to find out: Amp-Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein2 Artificial Color2 Baking Powder2 Clarifying Agents2 Coloring2 Dry Roasted Nuts2 Emulsifiers2 Enzymes2 Fat Replacer2 Gravy Cubes2 Ground Spices2 Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten2 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein2 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol2 Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch2 Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate2 Hydroxypropylated Starch2 Miso2 Natural Juices2 Non-dairy Creamer2 Pregelatinized Starch2 Protein Hydrolysates2 Seafood Analogs2 Seasonings2 Sirimi2 Soba Noodles2 Soy Sauce2 Soy Sauce Extract2 Soy Sauce Solids2 Sphingolipids2 Stabilizers2 Starch1, 2 Stock Cubes2 Suet2 Tocopherols2 Vegetable Broth2 Vegetable Gum2 Vegetable Protein2 Vegetable Starch2 Vitamins2 1) If this ingredient is made in North America it is likely to be gluten-free. 2) Can utilize a gluten-containing grain or by-product in the manufacturing process, or as an ingredient.

Celiac.com 03/15/2022 - A lawsuit filed in Missouri accuses food retailer Frickenschmidt Foods of mislabeling products as gluten-free, when they actually contain gluten. The suit accuses Frickenschmidt of labeling its Wicked Cutz Teriyaki Beef Stick as gluten-free, despite the fact that, according to plaintiff Oluwakemi Adewol, the product does contain gluten. The plaintiff seeks declaratory, injunctive and monetary relief, including punitive damages and “restitution and disgorgement,” herself and “all others similarly situated," on behalf of three separate classes of product purchasers: a “Multi-State Consumer Class” that includes California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Washington; a specific Maryland Class; and a Nationwide Class. The suit comes in the wake of a finding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), on February 22, 2022, which determined that Frickenschmidt's Wicked Cutz Teriyaki Beef Stick contains wheat and thus is not ‘gluten free,’” and accordingly, that the FSIS “ordered a recall for approximately 6,000 pounds of the Product that remained in the marketplace.” In the complaint, the plaintiffs claim that consumers would not have purchased the product, or have paid a premium for the product, had they known the product contained gluten. The complaint alleges five causes of action: Violation of State Consumer Protection Statutes (On Behalf of the Multi-State Consumer Class); Violation of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act; and Breach of Express Warranty, Breach of the Implied Warranty of Merchantability and Unjust Enrichment, all on behalf of the Nationwide Class. We'll keep you posted if this suit moves forward. Stay tuned for more on this and related stories. Read more at LawStreetMedia.com

Celiac.com 11/30/2021 - We all know symptoms of celiac disease are activated by the consumption of gluten, which can be found in wheat, barley, rye, and even oats that aren’t certified gluten-free. Most individuals who go on a gluten-free diet will think about food only, not necessarily medications. However, the truth of the matter is you need to be careful with both nutritional supplements, and over-the-counter and prescription medications, as they could contain gluten. More often than not, excipients, which are binding agents or inactive ingredients in pills, tend to contain wheat, potato, corn, or rice. Additionally, even if a brand name drug is gluten-free, this does not mean that its generic version is. Nutritional supplements tend to be easier because a lot of companies now label their bottles "gluten-free", or list all ingredients used in them on the packaging. For supplements that are not clearly labelled, checking the product on their company Web site is the best way to be sure, and sometimes you may need to call the manufacturer directly. Currently, however, prescriptions don't include "gluten-free" on their labels, and, unlike foods, are also not required to list any of the top eight common food allergens that they might contain. If you know your pharmacist well, they might be able to assist you, or you could reach out directly to the manufacturer. Another option is the Dailymed Web site which allows you to search for most prescription medications, including their generic equivalents, to find out what inactive ingredients are used to make them. Search for inactive ingredients and allergens contained in prescription medications: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/ Below are some potential suspect inactive ingredients that could contain gluten if their source is not specified: Modified starch Pregelatinized starch Pregelatinized modified starch Dextrates Dextrin Dextrimaltose Caramel coloring So, the next time you have to refill a prescription keep this information handy. That way, you protect your villi from further damage. Reference: beyondceliac.org

Celiac.com 01/24/2019 - It’s just about time for Super Bowl LIII, and longtime party favorite Manwich is in the house. A Super Bowl party favorite since it was first introduced in 1969, Manwich is America’s perennially popular way to serve sloppy joes. But is Manwich gluten-free? The short answer is no. The longer answer is that it is likely gluten-safe. Here’s the skinny. Manwich Contains No Gluten Ingredients ConAgra divides their food offerings into three groups: foods that are gluten-free, foods that should not contain gluten, but have not yet been validated as gluten-free, and foods that contain gluten. Obviously, people seeking gluten-free products are concerned with the first two categories, and sensitive celiacs should only stick with the gluten-free one. The ConAgra company website says that “ConAgra products that are labeled “gluten-free” undergo rigorous ingredient selection and preparation, along with testing to validate the product’s gluten-free status.” Process Key to Eliminating Gluten According to the information on the site, ConAgra reviews both the label and the recipe, and then and then works with their ingredient suppliers to eliminate any sources of gluten. They then review the product preparation and cleaning process. Lastly, they test the food to ensure it contains less than 20 parts per million gluten. Products that pass this process are labeled “Gluten-Free.” The other category of ConAgra foods are foods that shouldn't contain gluten, but have not been tested and confirmed to be gluten-free. For every such product, ConAgra reviews the label, the recipe and the ingredient list to confirm that no gluten is added to a food. Foods that pass this process are added to the list of foods that contain no gluten ingredients, and “should not contain gluten.” Manwich Likely Contains No Gluten Foods that contain no gluten ingredients, but are not confirmed as "gluten-free" may be okay for some people with gluten sensitivities, but these products have not been tested or certified gluten-free. In many cases, foods with no gluten ingredients and listed in the “should not contain gluten” category are in the process of being tested, validated, and may eventually be labeled as “gluten-free.” Check the ConAgra website for updates to the list of officially Gluten-Free products. In addition to Manwich Original flavor, Manwich comes in Bourbon BBQ, Bold, and Thick & Chunky varieties. According to allergen statements on the Manwich.com website, none of the Manwich varieties contain milk, peanuts, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, soy, tree nuts or wheat. As always, people with celiac disease, and serious gluten intolerance should be very cautious about products that are not clearly labeled “Gluten-Free.” Check websites and read labels. That said, many celiacs report tolerating such products with no adverse effects. Use your own judgement, and trust your gut. Meanwhile, if you’re planning on whipping up a big bunch of Manwich sloppy joes for your Super Bowl party friends, remember to check with anyone who might have celiac disease or a serious gluten intolerance. They need to be able to make an informed choice. Also, remember to include gluten-free bread or buns for serving those folks who do opt in. For more about the nutritional status, including gluten and other allergens, in any Manwich product, visit Manwich.com.

Celiac.com 11/12/2021 - Is it possible for a large, multi-billion dollar, multi-national corporation like McDonald’s to make an honest mistake—even if that mistake benefits them directly by increasing their sales and bottom line? For many people the answer is no—never—there must be some conspiracy or greedy modus operandi at work which better explains the situation. If you are a die-hard conspiracy theorist there may be little in this article that will change your position with regard to McDonald’s and their recent “gluten problem.” My hope, however, is that people on both sides of this issue will gain some knowledge here—especially with respect to how difficult it really is for all food companies to determine and guarantee the gluten-free status of their foods. Additionally, I believe that we can all learn something from McDonald’s mistake (or uncovered secret plot!), and how they have dealt with it. For many years McDonald’s has told its customers via their Web site and customer service telephone line that their French fries and hash browns were gluten-free. Due to their wide availability and low price these menu items have become a staple for many people on a gluten-free diet. The drama surrounding these foods began on February 13, 2006, when the Houston Chronicle broke this story: “McDonald’s: Fries Have Potential Allergens.” This article revealed that the natural flavoring used in those menu items actually contains wheat as an ingredient. According to a March 8th email from Catherine E. Adams Ph.D, R.D., McDonald’s Corporate Vice President Worldwide Quality Systems and Nutrition, McDonald’s first noticed this potential problem when one of their ingredient suppliers had to comply with the new Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which required that supplier to list, if present, any of the eight major allergens (or their derivatives) on the packaged food’s product label. The supplier complied and informed McDonald’s of their “use of wheat as an ingredient in the natural flavoring.” A Case for Innocence There are several reasons why I believe that this whole incident was a large, avoidable, mistake on the part of McDonald’s (rather than a secret plot): The timing of the event: This story broke one month after the new labeling laws took effect. McDonald’s likely had no idea that wheat was in the natural flavoring until it was revealed to them by their supplier (of course they should have done due diligence and known this back when they created their gluten-free product listing.); Something that was contained in Ms. Adams’ March 8th email response: “While the new law applies to packaged food products—not the restaurant industry—in our ongoing efforts to communicate to our customers we thought it was important to share this information.” She is legally correct here—the new law does not require McDonald’s to reveal the fact that there is a wheat-derivative in their natural flavoring—the law does not apply to the restaurant industry and only applies to the packaged food consumer market (certainly this is a loophole that needs to be changed in the future). If McDonald’s wanted to keep this a secret from the public they could easily have done so because there is no legal requirement for them to disclose any allergens in their foods. They have done this on a strictly voluntarily basis for many years now; Public image: McDonald’s has gone to a great deal of effort over the years to voluntarily disclose their list of “safe” foods for people with various allergies—mainly because it is good for their public image—and to a certain extent the allergy market has been a source of revenue and has likely increased their sales. Misleading people with regard to the allergens in their foods, whether it is done on purpose or by mistake, would surely lead to major lawsuits that would likely negate any financial gain achieved from this relatively small market—and would create a public relations nightmare. To a company like McDonald’s public image is everything. It seems doubtful that they would intentionally take such a great risk to gain a share in such a small market. Let the Lawsuits Begin Very soon after the newspaper story broke the French fries and hash browns were taken off of McDonald’s gluten-free list on their Web site. On February 19,, 2006, the Wall Street Journal ran the article: “McDonald’s Faces Three Lawsuits,” and thus began the “lawsuit bandwagon” that continues to the present. It has the potential to ultimately cost them tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars through a class action suit. At about this same time I actually had to ban a major Colorado law firm from the Gluten-Free Forum (www.glutenfreeforum.com) because they were trying to use the site to solicit forum users to join a class action suit that they planned to bring against McDonald’s. This violated the site’s rules against advertising. McDonald’s Response On February 20,, 2006, only one day after the Wall Street Journal article appeared, Jack Daly, Senior Vice President of McDonald’s Corporation, issued a media statement on their Web site titled: “McDonald’s Fries are ‘Gluten and Allergen Free,’ According to Expert.” It stated that: “Scientific evaluation by one of the world’s leading experts on gluten sensitivity and allergenicity, Dr. Steven Taylor of the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program of the University of Nebraska, has confirmed again that our fries are gluten free and allergen free. Based on this analysis, we believe the lawsuits filed are without legal merit.” Support Groups to the Rescue Shortly after the release of Jack Daly’s media statement the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) issued a press release titled “McDonald’s: A Safe Place for Celiacs to Eat According to the Gluten Intolerance Group”, which backs up McDonald’s claim that their fries and hash browns are gluten-free. The Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) also released a statement on their Web site that supported McDonald’s, and in much more detail than the GIG’s, including the following statement: “The CSA has examined the commercial manufacturing process of the natural flavoring with wheat as a starting ingredient which is used in connection with the McDonald’s Corporation French fries and hash browns. CSA provides the following statement after knowledgeable, careful evaluation and review of the process and pertinent test results. French fries and hash browns prepared in oils with this flavoring might be considered, commercially, to ‘contain no gluten.’” What Does “Gluten-Free” Mean Anyway? Reliable sources have since revealed that the wheat used in McDonald’s natural flavoring is processed in such a way that nearly all proteins are removed, much like the distillation process removes gluten from wheat, and that the actual gluten content in the French fries and hash browns—according to RidaScreen Gliadin Elisa testing—is less than 3 parts per million (PPM). It is still possible for partially broken down wheat proteins to be present, so a Rast test was also done and no wheat-allergic residue was detected. Together these results are convincing and indicate that McDonald’s French fries and hash browns are indeed gluten-free by any current standards that are in use anywhere. But “less than 3 PPM” is not zero gluten—right? Keep in mind that it is currently impossible for anyone to say that any food or product is 100% gluten-free—there is no analytical technique that can say that there is zero gluten in a sample, and the best detection limits I have seen report low ranges from 2 to 20 PPM—not zero. The Codex Alimentarius, which covers the U.S.A., and Canadian standards for gluten-free is 20 PPM for naturally gluten-free foods, and there is currently no gluten-free standard for the U.S.A. Do the Lawsuits have Merit? Based on the aforementioned test results it is highly doubtful that McDonald’s has hurt anyone with these products—which is what must be shown in such cases—the claimants must demonstrate actual damages, loss or injuries related to the defendant’s actions (or inactions), and if they cannot do this their suits will be without merit and will be thrown out (which is what I believe will happen here). Even if the testing had found higher levels of gluten in the products the claimants would still be facing an uphill battle. This is because they would still have to demonstrate that a specific injury was caused to them by McDonald’s, and that their injury didn’t occur by another means. In other words they would have to show that there were no other sources of gluten contamination in their diets, which is something that is difficult if not impossible to do in a legal context. On top of these problems the claimants must overcome the fact that in the U.S.A. there are no current legal regulations regarding the use of the term “gluten-free” on packaged or restaurant foods. The only thing that comes close is the Codex Alimentarius, which are voluntary industry guidelines and not legal regulations. The Damage Done Whether or not McDonald’s wins or loses these lawsuits may, however, be irrelevant. To a certain extent the damage has already been done—and it does not stop simply with the damage that was done to their public image and reputation. The fact that many people with allergies and intolerances will never again trust McDonald’s (or companies like them) is just the most obvious fallout from this whole mess. There is a much larger picture taking shape that began with McDonald’s no longer listing the gluten-free product information for many of the items that they used to list. Their French fries, hash browns, shakes, dressings, etc., and other companies have also discontinued their “gluten-free” product listings. Some companies have even stopped using the term “gluten-free” on their labels, even though their products remain gluten-free. One company even contacted me and wanted to be removed from the offerings at The Gluten-Free Mall due to liability concerns that began when they heard about the McDonald’s fiasco. For companies like McDonald’s the potential benefits of providing such voluntary information must outweighs the risks. The extensive publicity surrounding these events has made it clear that the risk of being wrong when making the claim that a product is free from an allergen, even if the mistake is an honest one that began with perfectly good intentions, is very great. So why risk making such claims at all? (This will be the question asked by the companies’ lawyers anyway.) The fallout from this may not end for some time. Certainly anyone making, selling or claiming that their products are gluten-free (or free from some other allergen) must be concerned about the possibility of litigation. In the end it will likely be easier for many companies not to bother with the allergen market at all, especially once real gluten-free regulations are created here in the U.S.A., which will happen in the next couple of years. Hindsight How could McDonald’s have avoided all these problems in the first place? The most obvious answer is that they could have avoided making any claims about the allergens in their products. That would have left those of us who have food challenges in the dark. Does that sound like McDonald’s to you? I hope such a negative scenario doesn’t become the norm for such companies. Perhaps the best solution would have been for them to consult with some of the many celiac disease/gluten-free experts, for example the Gluten Intolerance Group’s new Food Certification Program, or with Donald D. Kasarda, Former Research Chemist for the United States Department of Agriculture, and made 100% sure that their lists were accurate (in this case it appears that their lists were accurate, but disclosing ALL of the actual ingredients in their products would have avoided much of this controversy). I think that all food companies can learn a valuable lesson from these events: it is better to test your products before you have any issues, and to continue to test them periodically. It is better to conduct ingredient research up front and consult with experts before publishing any gluten-free product listings—this is an ongoing process and must be done regularly because ingredient suppliers may change. Once the information is compiled and determined to be accurate it is better to disclose ALL ingredients used in every product. Web sites are a great place for such information. Even if you operate a restaurant and are not legally required to do so, public disclosure is best when it comes to things that your customers put in their mouths—and your customers have a right to know exactly what they are eating. Fast food companies should print ALL ingredients on the packaging no matter how scary they sound. Individuals who are concerned about such matters will, or should, be familiar with what is and is not safe for them.

Celiac.com 07/27/2021 - Rising costs for gluten-free wholesale ingredients, like rice flour, are driving up prices and leading manufacturers to look for solutions. The solution for some, might lie in changing recipes. Rising prices for gluten-free ingredients Buyers who already pay premium prices for gluten-free foods could find themselves squeezed a bit more, and rising prices for gluten-free bulk ingredients are driving up manufacturing prices. Gluten-free shoppers already pay more for food than non-gluten-free shoppers, but that reality could fast be compounded by rising costs and logistical difficulties. For example, the wholesale price of rice flour, a key ingredient in numerous gluten-free products, like bread and cakes is up more than twenty-five percent, while freight costs are up ten percent. The problem is both lingering, due in part to disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic, and wide-scale, which could pressure companies to alter recipes with cheaper or more readily available ingredients. Shoppers pay higher prices for gluten-free staples The price pressure comes amid a warning by the Food and Drink Federation that food prices are expected to rise up to 5% by the autumn, as worker pay and other costs increase. Two in five people who eat and buy free-from products said they cut back on them “when money is tight," says Kiti Soininen, category director for UK food and drink research for market research firm Mintel. Concerns are that consumers who need gluten-free foods might be forced to make hard choices when buying groceries, and some will simply choose to do without. “Prices are typically noticeably higher than for standard products,” Soininen said. Studies show that only fifteen percent of households earning under under £25,000 buy gluten-free products compared with twenty-three percent in homes with an annual income of £50,000 or more. Read more in the Guardian

Celiac.com 03/28/2020 - Were you thinking that there wasn't much gluten in your medicine? Had you read that less than 1% of drugs were made with it? Think again, because while pharmaceutical manufacturers don't actually add gluten to drugs in most instances, they very frequently cannot say that their products are gluten free. That's because before some ingredients get into a manufacturing facility, they are purchased from suppliers that are not controlled by the drug maker. Let me explain. When you take a drug, most of what you are swallowing is filler. This is called an excipient in the trade. Excipients are inert stuff that the actual drug is mixed with, and it influences the rate the drug enters your blood. For people with celiac disease, the problem is that the excipient is often made from starches derived from corn, rice, tapioca, etc. If you're reading this, you probably just recognized how gluten could be getting into your medicine even when a drug maker did not intentionally use gluten as the excipient. Drug companies affirm that even when they have not added gluten to a particular drug, there could be gluten in that drug, and they won't say the drug is gluten free. Here is where Sister Jeanne Patricia Crowe Pharm.D. (no relation to the actor) comes into the picture. About ten years ago Sister Jeanne Patricia did a study which established just how much trouble drug makers had even knowing when there was gluten in their products. Working with her research partner Nancy Patin Falini M.A., R.D., Crowe sent out questionnaires to about 170 drug makers asking each what the gluten content of their medicine was. Their results were published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy in 2001 (1). In their peer reviewed article titled Gluten in Pharmaceutical Products, the two researchers were able to conclude the following: Only 5 of 100 pharmaceutical companies that responded to a survey reported having a policy of producing gluten-free products. Many companies believed their products were gluten-free but could not guarantee it. But what Crowe and Falini's results also showed was that drug makers themselves had a hard time making sure that when they bought an ingredient from an outside supplier, that they were not letting gluten get into their manufacturing facility. Two other studies support the Crowe and Falini findings, so they are pretty convincing. Simply put, gluten can be making its way into your drugs, and you can't find out about it because the drug manufacturer also doesn't know it's there. And if the drug maker doesn't know, then when your pharmacist helps you to read the package insert, it really won't matter much what it says on the label. This chaotic situation is not acceptable for the manufacture of medication. At the least, a company that makes drugs needs to determine whether they are making their product with an excipient like corn starch, and whether that the corn starch is gluten-free. Either the excipient is gluten-free or it isn't. Even when a consumer goes to buy a gluten-free food like Cheese Curls, the manufacturer at least has a letter from its raw ingredient suppliers, stating that the ingredients are gluten-free. Some food makers will even test every batch of raw ingredient before it enters their own facility. It isn't too much to ask that drug makers learn what's in their products. The FDA is currently looking at how to address the issue of gluten in medications. One approach is to require that drug makers disclose when a particular drug is gluten-free. At the other extreme, as a petitioner, I have argued that because gluten is toxic, the law of the United States should be satisfied, and gluten should be taken off the list of allowed excipients. But the work of Sister Crowe and Nancy Falini has demonstrated just why the FDA must take a step back and first require drug makers themselves to know exactly what's inside that pill or capsule. I hope that I've gotten at least a few of you wound up. I'm a bit surprised that drug makers would put themselves in a position where they sometimes don't know what's in any given pill they make. Don't they see the liability issues? Where are their lawyers, anyway? In the first article I wrote for celiac.com, I asked readers to let the FDA know that they wanted to get gluten out of drugs, and many people did exactly that. And those comments do get read. Now I am going to make sure that the FDA takes into account the work of Sister Crowe and Nancy Falini. Tell the FDA what you think. Maybe next time you fill a prescription for whatever ails you, it will be possible for you and your pharmacist to determine whether gluten is present in your medication. Michael Weber lives in New York and can still remember what pizza tastes like. References: 1. Crowe, JP, Falini, NP Gluten in pharmaceutical products Am J Health Syst Pharm 2001 58: 396-401

Celiac.com 09/12/2019 (Originally published 04/05/2010) - All of us with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity share something in common: we started eating gluten free to improve and protect our health. But many of us focus on gluten free and few or no other aspects of good nutrition and end up making mistakes with our diet that lead to unhealthy weight gain or other new health problems. Some people can adopt the type of gluten-free diet that is commonly eaten and feel well. But for most people the gluten-free diet is a great starting point but not an end-all. It’s an eating plan that we can gradually adapt in individual ways to form the best diet for each of us. If you want to eat gluten free for what it was meant for – promoting long-term good health – give your diet an upgrade by following these dietary guidelines from my new book Gluten Free Throughout the Year: Go gluten free naturally. It’s tempting to buy a lot of food products that are labeled gluten free, but the main foods that you should purchase are those that are naturally gluten free, such as vegetables, fruits, poultry, fish, and meat. Stocking up on whole foods and creating meals with them is the best way to avoid even trace amounts of gluten and to eat a diet rich in nutrients that support health. Be choosy about the food products you buy. When selecting foods, look for those that are labeled gluten free and that don’t contain hidden sources of gluten. But also look for those that aren’t made with refined white rice flour (often labeled as rice flour as opposed to brown rice flour) and starches, such as potato starch or tapioca starch. Regular eating of nutrient-poor refined ingredients sets us up for nutrient deficiencies, unhealthy weight gain, and chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Become more unrefined. Don’t just avoid refined flour. Do your best to steer clear of foods with other refined ingredients known to promote degenerative disease – namely, refined sugars and refined fats. Refined sugars include sugar (typically listed as “evaporated cane juice” on food labels), high-fructose corn syrup, and fructose. Refined fats include vegetable oils, such as corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and partially hydrogenated oil. Personalize the diet for you. It’s common for gluten-sensitive people to be allergic or sensitive to other foods, such as cow’s milk, soy, eggs, or yeast, and to develop uncomfortable symptoms, including gastrointestinal distress, nasal or sinus congestion, joint aches, or other ailments, from eating them. The only way to clear up the health problem is to avoid the offending food. Customize the diet for your best health by identifying and avoiding the particular foods that are problematic for you. Eat more against the grain than you’re used to. The Western diet we have grown up on and are accustomed to is high in high-carbohydrate, wheat-based grains, which sets us up for weight gain and insulin-related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. When we go gluten free, we tend to think we just have to switch the wheat-based bread, pasta, baked goods, and snack foods we were eating with gluten-free versions of those foods. Gluten-free grains are free of gluten but they are still high in carbohydrates and relatively low in nutrients compared to the carbohydrates and calories they provide. Most vegetables, on the other hand, have considerably fewer carbohydrates and are much higher in vitamins and minerals. It goes against the type of diet most of us are used to, but for many nutritional reasons, it’s important to fight the tendency to trade a standard high-grain diet for a gluten-free, high-grain diet. Instead, eat more vegetables. That is the overlooked secret to long-term weight control and optimal health that many people, including most who go gluten-free, miss. * This article was excerpted and adapted from Gluten Free Throughout the Year: A Two-Year Month-to-Month Guide for Healthy Eating (Against the Grain Nutrition, 2010) by Melissa Diane Smith.

Celiac.com 07/17/2017 - What are the main challenges in developing good gluten-free foods? With the explosion of gluten-free products, food manufacturers have worked to master the challenges of formulating gluten-free products that are both tasty and nutritious. This effort has paid dividends in the last years is due, in part, to advances in formulation, ingredient sourcing, and a focus on making products delicious. Driven in part by a desire by manufacturers to make products that are not just safe and reliable for people with food allergies, an entire product category that was once marginalized to the special diet aisle, lacking in flavor, texture and nutrition, has crossed into the mainstream. More and more, food companies are working to create products that are not just free of the common allergens and artificial substances, but products that are nutritious and delicious in their own right. Still, challenges remain. A recent article in Food Processing highlights some of the challenges faced by manufacturers of gluten-free products. Some of those challenges are: Formulation Challenges In most cases, there are still challenges developing free-from foods, although not as many as in the past. Though much progress has been made on formulation gluten-free products, challenges still remain. In fact, formulation challenges are at the top of the list for things manufacturers must resolve in order to make tasty, delicious gluten-free products. "Wheat flour has many functional attributes that are difficult to replace, as well as a very clean flavor profile," points out Peggy Dantuma, director of technical sales-bakery at Kerry Inc., in Beloit, Wisconsin. Sourcing Pure Ingredients Once upon a time, finding good sources of reliable gluten-free grains was a challenge. Now, with new product protocols, certification and the rise of specialty growers and mills, that problem is not nearly as daunting as in the past. Kasondra Shippen, general manager at Washington's Flax4Life maker of certified gluten-free flax muffins, brownies, granola and other items says she has no trouble finding good natural ingredients. Quinn Snacks of Boulder, Colorado, makes its new non-GMO pretzels gluten-free as well as free of dairy, soy and corn. It uses Kansas whole-grain sorghum flour, organic wild blossom honey, apple cider vinegar and brown rice and potato flour among its other "real" ingredients. In addition to sourcing pure ingredients, many manufacturers operate their own dedicated production facilities to ensure product purity from start to finish. Like a number of other manufacturers, Flax4Life operates a dedicated facility free of gluten, dairy and nuts. Formulating Unique Products In the early days, and to some extent today, many gluten-free products were formulated to be basic copies of existing non-gluten-free products. The result was often and inferior product that was a pale comparison to its original. More and more, manufacturers are looking to create unique products that also happen to be free of gluten and many other common allergies. Riverside Natural Foods in Ontario, Canada, "doesn't try to replicate existing products with gluten-free ingredients," says Nima Fotovat, president. Fotovat goes on to say that "[d]eveloping allergen-free product is the same process as any product. We start with the best, freshest ingredients from reliable suppliers who can offer certified allergen-free credentials, and process them minimally to preserve the original nutrients as much as possible. We conduct limited consumer testing to ensure that taste is delivered." Riverside's MadeGood Crispy Squares, and MadeGood granola bars are free from gluten and the eight common allergens. Both products are certified USDA organic and non-GMO. Making Products Delicious In looking to formulate unique products, manufacturers have embraced the concept that gluten-free foods need to taste good and to be appealing to consumers in their own right. That has led to a focus on making products taste delicious. "The most important thing is that the products must taste delicious," says Shippen of Flax4Life. Transparency and Sustainability More and more, manufacturers are embracing transparency and sustainability as a key part of their food delivery mission. Kristy Homes-Lewis, co-founder and CEO of Quinn Snacks, says that the company works "only with growers and suppliers who share our vision." That vision includes sourcing organic ingredients whenever possible and supporting other green businesses. Quinn's products are distinguished, in part by the company's use of "farm-to-bag" tracking that allows the company and its customers to track ingredients back to the source. All of Quinn Snacks products are traceable on its website, where consumers can find information on suppliers, and explanations about each ingredient. Though many challenges still face producers of gluten- and allergen-free foods, manufacturers are meeting many of them head-on and, more often than not, prevailing in the production of tasty, nutrition, gluten- and allergen-free snacks. Look for the industry to continue their efforts to make progress in all areas of food manufacture, and look for more good, high-quality products in the future. Source: Foodprocessing.com

Celiac.com 09/20/2013 - New technologies and ingredients are helping manufacturers to improve the look, taste and nutritional profile of gluten-free food products, a market that is expected to grow to $6 billion by 2017, according to a presentation at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Chicago. In addition to growing numbers of people with celiac disease, and gluten sensitivity, much of the demand is being driven by people with preference for gluten-free foods, said Chris Thomas, senior food technologist at Ingredion, Inc. Manufacturers of gluten-free foods have historically focused on the 'gluten-free' aspects of their products. This approach as resulted in gluten-free products which are gritty, or dry in texture and have a short shelf life. To mask these negative features, or to enhance bland flavor, many gluten-free products contain high amounts of sugar and offer little nutritional value. That is changing rapidly. "Now, consumers want nutrition quality, variety and appearance," says Thomas. Consumer demand and new manufacturing approaches, including the development and use of flours, starches and bran made from alternative ingredients, are leading to gluten-free products with better texture, flavor and nutritional profiles than in the past. By using native functional tapioca and rice-based flours, manufacturers of gluten-free foods are eliminating grittiness and crumbliness, and crafting products with texture, color and appearance that is similar to wheat-containing counterparts. The resulting gluten-free products are also similar to wheat-based products in term of calories, fat content, overall nutrition and shelf life. One huge advance toward better gluten-free food products comes from the commercial use of pulses. These are the edible seeds of leguminous crops, such as peas, lentils, chickpeas and edible beans, which have a high viscosity, as well as high levels of protein, fiber and other nutrients. They are being used to create flour and starch-like substances for better gluten-free products. So far, pulses have been used to create a number of gluten-free pastas, baked goods, snacks, breadcrumb substitutes, and even milk-like beverages in the international food market, says Mehmet Tulbek, Ph.D, the global director of the research, development and innovation division of Alliance Grain Traders (AGT). All of these developments, coupled with strong market growth, mean that consumers of gluten-free foods can look forward to more and better gluten-free products coming very soon. Source: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-07-technologies-ingredients-options-gluten-free.html