8 replies to this topic

[bridgetm]

I remember we were all excited in the last few weeks about the new 'official' gluten-free label on Fruity/Cocoa Pebbles... Is anyone having trouble with them?

I have noticed an all-over DH breakout; most patches are minor, but it's making my scalp raw and shoulders/back really itchy and my face is pink. For the last week I've also had some lower abdominal pain which I attributed at first to allowing small amounts of soy and a return of the severe GERD symptoms. I blamed it at first on the peanut M&Ms I ate last week, but then I realized that the symptoms have been building up over the last few weeks... since the week I bought that first box of Fruity Pebbles.

I don't get severe symptoms from CC, but when those small amounts build up (I think I'm on my fourth box and I've become addicted to the return of a childhood flavor to the point of eating 3 or more bowls some days) the symptoms start building up too. There is still a good chance that it was something else (I also ate some Peeps last week which are usually okay, but, again, it builds up), but I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this.

I can't find any of the usual phrases such as "may contain traces of..." or "processed on shared equip with..." so I wasn't too concerned when I bought that first box. Anyone?

[Dixiebell]

What dairy or non-dairy are you putting on the pebbles?

[T.H.]

Pretty sure my daughter reacted to them, early on, but it's sometimes I wonder if I'm remembering right, LOL. But honestly, but if you think you got gluten off of them, I'd ditch 'em and see if it resolves, you know? If it doesn't, then it's something else. Currently, they test their products, but I don't know if they test every batch, or every week, or once a month, nothin'.

And POST gets a thumbs down IMO anyway. When they originally said they were going to have gluten free products, this is what they said in their press release:
"Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, rice-based cereals, will also be certified as Gluten Free, a relatively unique distinction in the cereal category."

Turns out, they are certifying themselves. They are not getting an independent company to look over their practices and testing and such.

Here's a more detailed blog about it:
JulesGlutenFree

They have said they are doing lots of testing, but frankly, self-regulating has not turned out so well for too many industries in the past for me to feel entirely comfortable about it, especially when we don't know more details about their practices.


And unfortunately, as we discovered when we had trouble with these and started calling, the "may contain traces of..." or "processed on shared equip with..." labels are entirely voluntary. They are not legally required to put them on, even if they happen to apply. Often, companies that claim gluten free will use shared equipment and claim there is no chance of cross-contamination because of their cleaning practices. But if there is shared equipment, it's always an increased risk. Some cleaning practices make it a very small risk, but it's there.

[bridgetm]

What dairy or non-dairy are you putting on the pebbles?

I eat my cereal dry. Just the pebbles and a spoon.

[bridgetm]

Shauna--

Thank you for your reply. I started reading up on Post after I started this topic. They have definitely raised a few red flags.

I'm going to trash what's left of this box and stick to GM's tried and true Chex. The luxury of Fruity Pebbles was beginning to wear off anyway.

[Noni]

Shauna--

Thank you for your reply. I started reading up on Post after I started this topic. They have definitely raised a few red flags.

I'm going to trash what's left of this box and stick to GM's tried and true Chex. The luxury of Fruity Pebbles was beginning to wear off anyway.

Was glad to see this post. Have an unusual quirk to add: I don't have problems with the chocolate pebbles,
but just tried the new fruity pebbles, and the new bars.
Broke out with DH and mouth sores. Significant abdominal pain.
Wondered if I had gotten it from something else. Then I just happened to see this post.
What do you all think?

[eatmeat4good]

Peanut M&M's and Fruity Pebbles have food coloring in common. If you are sensitive to food coloring you could have a skin reaction particularly if you have DH. Salicylates, Benzoates and Tartrazine can all cause skin reactions. I thought I could handle salicylates again, but ate M&M's this week and drank a diet coke and have 7 new lesions. Maybe from SA, benzoates (diet coke) or tartrazine food coloring in M&M's. Check out intolerances of Salicylic Acid, Tartrazine and Benzoates...to see if you are reacting. Cocoa Pebbles wouldn't have the food colorings. hmmmm......

[omggluten]

Yes!! My son ate them , just dry, a couple weeks ago and felt a little sick. We are new to the no gluten and dairy so I looked them up again to make sure that the fruity pebble box said Free of dairy and gluten. It is....but then he ate it again and was doubled over with pain and bloating
Beware the Sugar and dyes in it!
Thanks to this site we are learning fast what to eat and not eat.. Thanks so much to everyone that takes time to post on here!,

[ldueer]

Hi there I'm new to this gluten free thing, We started this diet to see if my son Owen's Autism improves with it. Owen loves fruity/cocoa pebbles so I thought it was worth lokking into. I found that the new lables have some milk products in them (Whole Milk Solids, Reduced Mineral Whey Powder, Non Fat Dry Milk Solids). Again I am very new to what is or isn't considered gluten/casin free, but I figured this may help some of you.