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Showing results for tags 'petition'.
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Celiac.com 02/09/2024 - In a push for increased inclusivity, a gluten-intolerant student has garnered overwhelming support for her petition urging McDonald's to offer more gluten-free options in its UK branches. Chloe Radzikowski, a 22-year-old trainee paramedic from Leigh, launched the petition, which highlights the disparity in gluten-free offerings between UK and European outlets of the fast-food giant. So far, the petition has gained over 10,000 signatures. Radzikowski, who developed gluten intolerance last year, expressed her shock and frustration at discovering that McDonald's provided more gluten-free choices in its European locations than in the UK. Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, she emphasized the challenges faced by those with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, describing the limited food choices and the anxiety associated with potential illness from unintentional gluten consumption. In the UK, McDonald's offers a handful of gluten-free items, including fries, hash browns, fruit bags, carrot sticks, salads, and some desserts. However, the chain explicitly states that, due to the setup of their kitchens, they cannot guarantee the prevention of cross-contamination, and burgers are notably absent from the list of gluten-free options. Radzikowski's advocacy gained momentum after her discovery of a more extensive gluten-free menu in McDonald's Spanish restaurants during a family holiday to Lanzarote. Her petition emphasizes the need for a broader range of gluten-free choices in the UK, aligning with the diverse dietary requirements of individuals with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance. A McDonald's spokesperson responded to the petition, noting that all UK staff undergo allergen awareness training, emphasizing the importance of preparing customized orders with clear allergen labeling. Despite the existing gluten-free offerings, the petition draws attention to the unmet demand for gluten-free burgers and a more comprehensive menu that accommodates a wider spectrum of dietary needs. The petition has attracted notable support, including an endorsement from reality TV star Megan McKenna. As the number of signatures continues to climb, the movement highlights the growing demand for increased gluten-free options in popular fast-food chains, shedding light on the importance of accessible and diverse food choices for individuals with specific dietary requirements. McDonald's now faces increasing pressure to address these concerns and enhance its gluten-free offerings in the UK. Read more at BBC News
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Hofstra Students Petition for Gluten-Free Dining Awareness
Jefferson Adams posted an article in Additional Concerns
Celiac.com 04/17/2019 - Hundreds sign petition calling for dining reform at Hofstra. The petition stems from the experience of junior marketing major Sarah Peres, who has celiac disease. Peres began the petition after receiving a salad with wheat croutons on it. First, she was mildly upset, but then she turned toward action with her petition. Peres says that she is tired of feeling hungry and frustrated whenever she is in the dining halls at Hofstra, and that she hopes to make a change in campus' food policy. “It is almost as if Hofstra would rather us starve than be able to eat a safely prepared gluten-free meal,” Peres said in her petition. Her petition, titled “More gluten-free, allergy-free, and dietary restriction food options at Hofstra University,” exposed serious flaws in the dining hall policies. Her efforts have been met with support from more than 500 concerned students, parents and community members. Lisa Ospitale, the District Marketing Director of Campus Dining by Compass Group, said that available options are based on sales, sales history, and requests from the overall community population. Basing food offerings on sales and demand is fine, but schools still have responsibilities under the ADA to offer options for students with food allergies and sensitivities. That means adequate training and policies to ensure student well-being. Speaking of the school’s current allergen-friendly dining area, Ospitale says that the school should “offer G8 in the Student Center, because it is an area that is separate from other areas creating a safe location for those with allergies to eat.” Peres feels that Hofstra still has a ways to go. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” she says. They need to have a second kitchen…They need to educate their staff more. If they don’t have a separate kitchen, then they need to clean their utensils and have separate utensils for everything,” Peres added. Stay tuned for more on this and other stories about gluten-free and allergen-free food options at colleges and universities. What do you think? Do colleges and universities need to do more in general to accommodate students with food allergies? Share your thoughts below. Read more at The Hofstra Chronicle -
Celiac.com 10/08/2012 - Since 2004 when Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, sufferers of celiac disease have awaited some sort of finalized action from the FDA to set a rule for gluten-free labeling. The FDA proposed a gluten-free food labeling rule in 2007 and since then, there have been multiple open comment periods for it, but as of yet, there has been no finalized action to control gluten-free labeling in food products. In an effort to expedite this process, “Jennifer I” of Sebastopol, CA started a petition on the White House's official website. Part of the concern driving this petition stems from the fact that for many, the gluten-free diet is one of necessity, not of choice. 'Gluten-free' has become something of a new marketing buzzword, as the diet's popularity has grown dramatically in recent years. This makes labeling more important than ever: companies seeking to cash in on a growing market may be tempted to cut corners and label products as gluten-free, when in fact they are not. Supposedly, the FDA will be finalizing their rule sometime this year. Whether or not they stick to that time frame, this petition is a quick and easy way of putting more pressure on the federal government to finalize a gluten-free labeling rule. Source: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/finalize-standards-gluten-free-labeling/SsmdZh3C?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl
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Celiac.com 02/06/2009 - Have you, as a Celiac, ever suspected that the medicine you were taking was making you sick? It could be because that pill or capsule was made with gluten. That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows pharmaceutical companies to use wheat gluten, a large protein that celiacs can’t eat, to be used as a mixing agent in drugs. Drug companies use chemical agents called excipients as inert additives to mix and bind the actual active ingredient of a drug so that you can take it in the form of a conveniently sized pill. Currently gluten is on the list of permitted excipients that you might be taking without even knowing it. That’s why I have petitioned the FDA to get gluten out of medicine. In a constitutionally protected act, I have submitted a Citizen’s Petition to the FDA requesting that they take gluten off of their list of permitted excipients. As I write, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has asked the FDA only to label medicines that contain gluten, but this approach will continue to allow gluten to be used at the decision of the manufacturer. The FDA has a decision to make. I believe that they should follow existing law and recognize that gluten is toxic to a significant segment of the population. If the FDA got gluten out of medicine it would mean that you could confidently take aspirin, any generic, or any othe drug whether prescribed or over the counter, and not have to worry about gluten—and that would be true for all drugs. It would not, however, mean that the supplements you were taking would be gluten-free, because supplements aren’t regulated like drugs, but are regulared like food. As you probably know, foods will soon be labeled according to a federal gluten-free standard. But only some food makers will decide to make the products that will be labeled gluten-free. And the same thing might happen to drugs, if the FDA decides it is sufficient only to extend the labeling standard to drugs. As a Celiac, you won’t be able to take a drug unless it says gluten-free, because if doesn’t say gluten-free, who knows what’s inside? Is that Tylenol OK for you? Or how about that generic heart medication you get in the mail? The reality is that some day soon, the FDA might allow pharmaceutical companies to make business decisions on whether or not you can take a necessary medication. Taking medicine isn’t a matter of personal choice like foods. Rather, a doctor might not be able to give you a prescription because it might contain gluten. Maybe there won't be an equivalent drug that is also gluten-free. Time to Take Action! There is, however, something you can do. I petitioned the FDA to get gluten gone for good. I asked my congresswoman to write a letter to the FDA highlighting her concern about my petition. And any citizen can comment to the FDA about my petition, for or against. You can ask your congressman to pay attention to the decision, which the FDA is about to make. Now that I’ve wound you all up, here is how to contact the FDA. Go on the internet and surf to www.regulations.gov and enter the Docket number of my petition, 2008-P-0333, which you might enjoy reading. My petition is called Michael Weber of New York State. Highlight the line for comments of submissions, and then tell them what you think and who you are. Tell the FDA why you think there shouldn’t be any gluten in your medicine—please do it now!
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