Wendy's Reformulates its French Fries, But Since they are Cooked in Shared Vats, they are Not Gluten-Free!

Wonder if they will cost more than Wendy's regular fries?

The linked article says they share a fryer with the chicken so these would still not be celiac safe.

Why would you share this on a celiac web site if they say right in the article that the fries are cooked in a shared fryer with gluten? Some people will nit read the full article and are about to gluten themselves. 

Lisa and Krista, please read the article again:

"Well, like many things, the original fries contained no gluten ingredients, but were prepared in fryers that were shared with gluten-containing foods, like breaded chicken.

But, according to Wendy's, those days are over, and a "new version of brand's No. 1 sales product is being rolled out now in the U.S. and Canada and will be in system fully by September."

Although the article doesn't specifically sate that this new french fry product is no longer cooked in the same fryer as breaded offerings, it seems to imply that. If it were not, they could not say, "those days are over."

Original article says "Besides specifying the unsquared cut, Wendy’s adds “a whisper” of coating to enhance the crispiness, Kessler said. While the fries are gluten free, they are cooked in the same hot oil as the chicken, which is battered and does contain traces of gluten." So not celiac safe

Good catch, KAM. So take along your GliadinX.

17 hours ago, Guest Lisa said:

The linked article says they share a fryer with the chicken so these would still not be celiac safe.

So, really what is the difference from a celiac perspective of the new product from the old? Just a different coating on one side?

We've updated the article to reflect that they are still using the same vats to cook the fries, so they are not gluten-free. We believe that the original source updated their article, without noting it, and the original version did indicate they were rolling out new vats as well. In any case, we've made the corrections accordingly.

Years back, I asked about the "type" of oil used.  It was a mixture of several plant extractions including "cotton-seed".  This textile crop oil is the most "toxic" of all oils since it contains high levels of pesticide. Also, it uses "seasoned salt" on its hamburgers.  The flavor enhancer contains a gluten cross-reactor: yeast/yeast extract. 

I had to stop eating at "Five Guys" after it changed its "peanut oil".  About 6 years ago its oil was no longer digestible.  The ingredient label that once read 100% peanut oil, now lists the chemical additive: "defoaming agent".  

So one simple question, forgetting the shared vat issue, is the coating gluten-free?  Because that would be difference from old to new, correct?

According to the source article, their new fries are gluten-free, at least until they hit the shared fryer.