Some Gluten Free Products Not Really Gluten Free?

[jeannieaich]

Will we ever be guaranteed that products labeled gluten free, truly are? It's terrible think you can eat something, that it's safe and the to find out it's not??? And then to have to deal with being sick from it.

Has anyone heard of glutenfreewatchdog.org?

 

[psawyer]

Will we ever be guaranteed that products labeled gluten free, truly are?

Welcome to the board.

To answer your question, NO, you will NEVER be GUARANTEED that anything is "truly" gluten-free, because there are scientific limitations to testing. A total absence of any substance can never be scientifically proven. A test with a detection threshold greater than zero can not be applied to the entire batch, or there would be nothing left to use. So companies may test samples of ingredients or the finished product, with tests having detection thresholds of 20 ppm, 10 ppm, 5 ppm, or even 3 ppm. Keep in mind that as the detection threshold gets smaller, the cost of the test increases. You see that on the price at retail.

So, get used to the idea that there are no guarantees. Many companies take effort to prevent contamination and to disclose any gluten derived ingredients. In the US, wheat must be disclosed on the label. In Canada, all gluten grains are priority allergens that must be disclosed.

And again, welcome aboard. You will find lots of help here.

[dilettantesteph]

I think that the OP may be referring to gluten-free products that even have more than 20 ppm.  The Tricia Thompson at the glutenfreewatchdog has found some of those.  There isn't ever any guarantee of anything, really.  There was some posting here of someone selling regular bread as gluten-free bread at fairs and things like that.  There are disreputable people around.  You do better sticking with companies and people whose reputations you trust.