Mentos

[mookie03]

Does anyone know if mentos are gluten free? (wondering about all varieties- the mint, berry, the new sugar-free ones...)

Thanks!

Stefi

[KaitiUSA]

Does anyone know if mentos are gluten free?  (wondering about all varieties- the mint, berry, the new sugar-free ones...)

Thanks!

Stefi

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Who manufactures them? I will check them out but I have to know the brand name first.

[mookie03]

Who manufactures them? I will check them out but I have to know the brand name first.

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it says "made by Perfette Van Melle Breda, Holland for Perfetti Van Melle USA, Inc." It does give an address to write for more info about the product, but i was wondering if anyone new because they provide only a snail-mail address, no email or phone or anything

[KaitiUSA]

it says "made by Perfette Van Melle Breda, Holland for Perfetti Van Melle USA, Inc." It does give an address to write for more info about the product, but i was wondering if anyone new because they provide only a snail-mail address, no email or phone or anything

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I got on their website and emailed them so I should here back from them fairly quickly and will post their response.

[skbird]

Little story - 9 years ago I was in France for this language program and was staying with this family. There was also a kid from Amsterdam staying with them, he was about 10 years younger than me. I told him about when I was 10, I travelled with my mom and grandma to Europe and we went to Amsterdam. I remember on the train this Dutch couple gave me Mentos, first time I'd had them, and I loved them. I still ate them all the time. He told me his older brother was engaged to this girl who was the daughter of the owner of the Mentos company. I couldn't believe it. I teased him about his brother becoming a Mentos Mogul. I even asked him about the weird ads that used to be on tv, were totally imports from Holland. He was a funny kid. Then I met his dad and found out the son wasn't kidding, his brother really was engaged to the daughter of the Mentos maker.

It cracked me up. When I came back home, everyone was really impressed to know I'd met the future son-in-law of Mentos.

Anyway, I haven't eaten Mentos in nearly 4 years now that I don't eat refined sugar anymore, but I still look at them and think about that funny summer...

Stephanie

[mookie03]

Stephanie- thats hilarious! now if only you had asked him about the gluten in his products

Thanks for jumping on that Kaiti- my mother has a huge Mentos addiction that she has passed on to me...But i tried the sugar-free ones the other day and got really sick- havent had the other ones since going gluten-free but am scared to try now!

Stefi

[skbird]

I know! What was I thinking???

Love the fruit Mentos... maybe one day, I'll have some again... Mmmmmm.....

The Fresh-Maker.

Stephanie

[mookie03]

I know! What was I thinking???

Love the fruit Mentos... maybe one day, I'll have some again... Mmmmmm.....

The Fresh-Maker.

Stephanie

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Strawberry is my favorite I could eat them allllllll day long

Stefi

[KaitiUSA]

This is the response I received: I would definitely not eat them.

Dear Kaiti,

Thank you for your recent email.  I have copied a statement from our web site concerning gluten.

The only raw material which is derived from wheat is the glucose syrup. The syrup meets the requirements for “gluten-free goods” as laid down in the Codex Alimentarius (CODEX STAN 117-1981/ max of 20 mg per kg). However, nearly all ingredients are derived from agricultural products and could be processed on equipment that also handles products containing gluten. Therefore Perfetti Van Melle does not actually claim that Mentos are gluten-free. 

Sincerely,

Jacqueline

Customer Relations Department

Perfetti Van Melle, USA

[skbird]

Well, that's a bummer. Thanks for posting the response, Kaiti!

Stephanie

[mookie03]

Well, that's a bummer. Thanks for posting the response, Kaiti!

Stephanie

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Thanks Kaiti

Stephanie- now you have to track down the "inventor" and get him to start working on a gluten-free version!

-Stefi

[Sarah J.]

I notice that someone asked about wheat glucose syrup? I am biopsy doagnosed Australian celiac (now living in the US) and my specialist in Australia is well recognized internationally.

According to her, as well as the Australian Celiac Society and the Australian version of the FDA, wheat glucose syrup is one of the only wheat-derived products that is safe for celiacs. This is because it is so highly processed that there is no longer any gluten present. Wheat starch, however, is not safe.

I eat various candies in Australia that contain wheat glucose syrup and have never had a reaction, however drinking an iced-tea by accident that contained wheat starch caused me a great deal of distress. This seems to back up my specialist's views.

[ab123]

so do they not have to put "wheat" if it is glucose syrup? I thought if anything was dirived from wheat it had too...

[kevsmom]

Gee... Before I was diagnosed, I was eating Mentos all the time. My stomach was so upset that I figured the pepperment would help. (I was spending most of my life in the bathroom). Little did I know that I was just hurting myself more.

[cruelshoes]

so do they not have to put "wheat" if it is glucose syrup? I thought if anything was dirived from wheat it had too...

In the United States, if there is any ingredient derived from wheat, it must be declared on the ingredient label. Wheat is one of the top 8 allergens, and must always be listed clearly. It is required by law.

[Juliebove]

I wonder if the wheat is a fairly new thing? Or if they've always used wheat but only declared it with the new labeling laws?

My daughter used to eat these and seemed to have no problems. Then one day I bought her a package. She ate one and had a nosebleed. She ate another one and had a nosebleed.

Then my mom found the pack in the car. She held it up and told me to read the ingredients. Sure enough, there was wheat? So into the trash they went.

Daughter does not have celiac but wheat and gluten allergies.