Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Puffs

[smsm]

I have seen some reports today about gluten-free goldfish puffs by pepperidge farms (here is one place: Open Original Shared Link

I cannot find any information on pepperidge farm website about it and my efforts to contact them are failing (website only allows me to email - not call - but the email form won't send). Has anyone tried seen this product or tried it? It seems as if it isn't certified gluten-free and is made in a shared facility but I don't know anything about the safety (or even the existence!) of this product. My daughter would just love to try it if she could - there is a big plastic goldfish at a local grocery store that mocks her every time we go in and I would try this if I could. Thanks.

[Adalaide]

There is an awesome website, gethuman.com which has phone numbers for a ton of companies. I use it all the time when I need a number for a company that doesn't have it listed on their website. The number is also on all of their packages so its easy to grab if you happen to be in a store. Since I happen to have it handy, their number is 888-737-7374.

 

I have called them and what I got was a "we don't have information available on whether or not these are manufactured in a gluten free facility but they are gluten free. We follow all government regulations regarding the standards for a product being gluten free." I let fly. There are no government regulations! I told her as much, and telling people that on the phone is a load of horse crap. I also told her that manufacturing "gluten free" puffs on the same lines or in the same factory as regular goldfish or cookies means they really aren't gluten free at all, and people could get really sick and people need to know before we can eat them so that is the sort of thing customer service needs to be able to tell us on the phone.

 

She forwarded my question to R&D and they are supposed to be looking into it. Apparently they answer questions in the order they are received and it could take a couple of weeks to get an answer.

 

For what its worth, I did not find myself running to the bathroom after eating the bacon fish, although I only ate about 6 or 7 of them. (They have like 600 ingredients and half I shouldn't have!) They were meh. I think I'll let my husband eat them and I'll wait to open the cheddar ones and try those to see if they're better.

[mamaw]

As I understand the labeling law that the product stating gluten-free on the label must be under 20 ppm....which doesn't make it totally gluten-free at 100 %. If I were a super sensitive celiac I would not try any product like that but many can get away with under 20ppm.....

I can say for us these are oh hum.... wouldn't purchase again... but Van's cheese crisps are to die for & they got Pepperidge Farms beat by miles....

[kareng]

As I understand the labeling law that the product stating gluten-free on the label must be under 20 ppm....which doesn't make it totally gluten-free at 100 %. If I were a super sensitive celiac I would not try any product like that but many can get away with under 20ppm.....I can say for us these are oh hum.... wouldn't purchase again... but Van's cheese crisps are to die for & they got Pepperidge Farms beat by miles....

As I understand the labeling law that the product stating gluten-free on the label must be under 20 ppm....which doesn't make it totally gluten-free at 100 %. If I were a super sensitive celiac I would not try any product like that but many can get away with under 20ppm.....I can say for us these are oh hum.... wouldn't purchase again... but Van's cheese crisps are to die for & they got Pepperidge Farms beat by miles....

The US has no gluten-free laws. Many companies test for 10 or even 5 ppm. Many companies don't test. The only way to know is to ask the companies.

Also. Testing something for 20 ppm or less does not mean it has 20 ppm or 17 or any. It's just how the tests work. 20 ppm is a very small amount.

[Adalaide]

As I understand the labeling law that the product stating gluten-free on the label must be under 20 ppm....which doesn't make it totally gluten-free at 100 %. If I were a super sensitive celiac I would not try any product like that but many can get away with under 20ppm.....

I can say for us these are oh hum.... wouldn't purchase again... but Van's cheese crisps are to die for & they got Pepperidge Farms beat by miles....

 

Karen hit the nail on the head. The proposed guideline is 20ppm but that has been proposed for so long that it is practically archaic at this point. Companies could start testing things for 20 ppm of rat poison and listing that on the labels, but just because it has under 20 ppm of something doesn't mean it has any at all. Sure, it could have 19, it could also have 0. There are companies that manufacture things in a completely gluten free facility, source their ingredients and still test their products at the 20 ppm threshold. There is no reason at all not to trust these companies or their products, sensitive or not.

[Adalaide]

I did mention that I called Pepperidge Farm. I got my email back today. Each person will need to make their own decision on whether or not this is right for them based on this information.

Ms xxxx, we received your message and appreciate the time you took to contact Pepperidge Farm regarding our Pepperidge 
Farm Gluten Free Mega Cheese Goldfish Puffs.
 
At Pepperidge Farm we have a rigorous process for evaluating gluten free claims, and in the case of the top 8 allergens 
(peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, wheat, soy and shellfish) we list those ingredients in the product ingredient 
statement, no matter how small the amount might be. We do not include any of those items under the broader listings of 
"spices" or "natural flavors". We recommend that consumers always check the ingredient statement and evaluate the product 
based on the statement.  
 
For our products bearing a gluten free claim, we require all ingredient suppliers to test the ingredients.  We clean and 
sanitize production equipment to minimize the risk of cross contact with any top allergens.  Prior to manufacturing our 
Gluten Free Products we test the production line to confirm adequate cleaning as well as testing random samples of product 
throughout the production run.
 
We appreciate your interest in our Pepperidge Farm Mega Cheese Goldfish Puffs.  Please contact our Consumer Response Center 
at 1.888.737.7374 if you need further assistance.
 
Thank you for contacting us at Pepperidge Farm.
 
 
Pepperidge Farm Web Team

[kareng]

 

I did mention that I called Pepperidge Farm. I got my email back today. Each person will need to make their own decision on whether or not this is right for them based on this information.

Ms xxxx, we received your message and appreciate the time you took to contact Pepperidge Farm regarding our Pepperidge 
Farm Gluten Free Mega Cheese Goldfish Puffs.
 
At Pepperidge Farm we have a rigorous process for evaluating gluten free claims, and in the case of the top 8 allergens 
(peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, wheat, soy and shellfish) we list those ingredients in the product ingredient 
statement, no matter how small the amount might be. We do not include any of those items under the broader listings of 
"spices" or "natural flavors". We recommend that consumers always check the ingredient statement and evaluate the product 
based on the statement.  
 
For our products bearing a gluten free claim, we require all ingredient suppliers to test the ingredients.  We clean and 
sanitize production equipment to minimize the risk of cross contact with any top allergens.  Prior to manufacturing our 
Gluten Free Products we test the production line to confirm adequate cleaning as well as testing random samples of product 
throughout the production run.
 
We appreciate your interest in our Pepperidge Farm Mega Cheese Goldfish Puffs.  Please contact our Consumer Response Center 
at 1.888.737.7374 if you need further assistance.
 
Thank you for contacting us at Pepperidge Farm.
 
 
Pepperidge Farm Web Team

 

 

that sounds really good.  I liked the plain cheese ones but found I eat too many. 

[Adalaide]

that sounds really good.  I liked the plain cheese ones but found I eat too many. 

 

I was 100% unimpressed with the bacon ones. I told my husband to eat them all. When he finishes them off we'll open the cheese ones. Depending on how I feel about them I may or may not get the buffalo ones. I loooooove buffalo things. But if I don't like them, I have no one else to eat them, I doubt he'll touch them.

[kareng]

I was 100% unimpressed with the bacon ones. I told my husband to eat them all. When he finishes them off we'll open the cheese ones. Depending on how I feel about them I may or may not get the buffalo ones. I loooooove buffalo things. But if I don't like them, I have no one else to eat them, I doubt he'll touch them.

 

 

The buffalo ones just tasty vinegary to me.   I liked the plain cheese ones....very cheesy.

[smsm]

Thank you all so much for the help and replies - I am so relieved that I didn't know I had Celiac before the internet came around! I did find the crackers and bought them - my daughter was so excited and she tried them and really did not like them at all. She keeps trying because she wants to like them but she doesn't eat more than one without an explanation "it's too.....[any nonsensical word]". My son (age 6, also Celiac) refused to try them. My husband thought they were ok. I didn't try them - I wasn't interested in another snack food I guess. For what it is worth, a friend of mine who has no dietary restrictions loves them and prefers them to traditional goldfish - go figure. I am fairly satisfied by the email Adalaide posted - thank you for that and for the information on the phone call - that was so nice of you to take the time to help out!  My daughter has had a lousy digestive week but I am in no way prepared to blame the crackers and would try them again if she asked me to buy them.

[powerofpositivethinking]

i'm visiting my family right now, and last night we went to Target.  I bought a bag of the Mega Cheese Puffs  for them to try.  I will try them in the future but am sticking to a whole foods diet for right now.  They equated them to tasting like Cheetos and really enjoyed them!

[Nights]

The thread is bit old, but I was wondering how successful people were with this product? People claim they're gluten-free, but when I eat them it feels as if I've been "glutened." I immediately feel the usual mental effects. My head begins to tighten/feel a bit tingly, I get anxious, restless and I have difficulty concentrating. Anyway, I've thrown them away and I was just curious if anyone else has had a similar reaction.

[kareng]

The thread is bit old, but I was wondering how successful people were with this product? People claim they're gluten-free, but when I eat them it feels as if I've been "glutened." I immediately feel the usual mental effects. My head begins to tighten/feel a bit tingly, I get anxious, restless and I have difficulty concentrating. Anyway, I've thrown them away and I was just curious if anyone else has had a similar reaction.

Only the Puffs labelled gluten-free are actually gluten-free. They have a lot of ingredients, so who knows what might be bothering you. I have eaten them and been fine, but they aren't that great and they are basically junk.

[Nights]

Only the Puffs labelled gluten-free are actually gluten-free. They have a lot of ingredients, so who knows what might be bothering you. I have eaten them and been fine, but they aren't that great and they are basically junk.

 

You're right in that it's most likely the myriad of other crap that is causing me problems. To be honest, I don't eat a lot of junk food so it's not a great loss. I usually tend to avoid foods that have ingredient lists that are as long as a novel. Appreciate the reply.

[LauraTX]

I sought some out today, tried the bacon cheddar ones.  They do taste like cheetos, which every once in a while I will crave and seek out, but I am able to get those in very small packages so I don't eat the whole thing. I agree with you Karen & nights that they are bad for you with all those ingredients.  If these stay on the market I will probably buy them every once in a while, my husband has yet to try them but I predict he will destroy the bag in one sitting tonight, he loves any form of cheesy snacks.  If you have non-gluten-free people in the house this would be a nice cheaper option for them as snacks with which you don't have to worry about CC.  Just orange fingerprints  

[hapy4dolphins]

 

I did mention that I called Pepperidge Farm. I got my email back today. Each person will need to make their own decision on whether or not this is right for them based on this information.

Ms xxxx, we received your message and appreciate the time you took to contact Pepperidge Farm regarding our Pepperidge 
Farm Gluten Free Mega Cheese Goldfish Puffs.
 
At Pepperidge Farm we have a rigorous process for evaluating gluten free claims, and in the case of the top 8 allergens 
(peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, wheat, soy and shellfish) we list those ingredients in the product ingredient 
statement, no matter how small the amount might be. We do not include any of those items under the broader listings of 
"spices" or "natural flavors". We recommend that consumers always check the ingredient statement and evaluate the product 
based on the statement.  
 
For our products bearing a gluten free claim, we require all ingredient suppliers to test the ingredients.  We clean and 
sanitize production equipment to minimize the risk of cross contact with any top allergens.  Prior to manufacturing our 
Gluten Free Products we test the production line to confirm adequate cleaning as well as testing random samples of product 
throughout the production run.
 
We appreciate your interest in our Pepperidge Farm Mega Cheese Goldfish Puffs.  Please contact our Consumer Response Center 
at 1.888.737.7374 if you need further assistance.
 
Thank you for contacting us at Pepperidge Farm.
 
 
Pepperidge Farm Web Team

I have a hard time thinking that this 20 ppm is ok. I bought several bags of these for my campers this summer and luckily they bawked at it. Because as I sit here and read, WHY dont we, the USA have these guidelines. I think poeples health is important. It's frustrating.

[kareng]

I have a hard time thinking that this 20 ppm is ok. I bought several bags of these for my campers this summer and luckily they bawked at it. Because as I sit here and read, WHY dont we, the USA have these guidelines. I think poeples health is important. It's frustrating.

 

 

We do have the new guidelines going into effect.  20 ppm is extremely small and that standard fits with most of the countries that have a gluten-free standard. 

 

Remember, that just because something tests at less than 20 parts per million, that does not mean it had 19 ppm or even 2 ppm.