General Diet Question & Adams Peanut Butter

[winjer]

I've been eating Adam's peanut butter, after doing some googling and seeing it on a lot of 'gluten free' safe lists. However, I'm beginning to realise the necessity, at the beginning of this diet at least, to be absolutely rigid in my avoidance of gluten, even traces. This is what the Adams website says: 

 

Does Adams Peanut Butter contain gluten?

Adams Peanut Butter products do not contain ingredients derived from gluten; however, these products do not meet our established criteria for a "gluten-free" claim for one or more reasons.

It is important to note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet defined the term “gluten-free” or established rules for making a "gluten-free" claim on a food product; however, "gluten-free" claims are permitted, and each manufacturer is responsible for determining whether or not its products are "gluten-free".

We have established the following stringent criteria based on the FDA's proposed, but not finalized, rules for making "gluten-free" claims.

• • Ingredient Screening - The ingredient cannot contain gluten sources, such as wheat, rye, barley or their derivatives or hybrids. We also review for the presence of oats.
• • Testing - While there currently is not a commercially available test to detect the presence of oats, the product must be tested to verify that it contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
• • Manufacturing Procedures - In addition, facilities that manufacture verified "gluten-free" products must have a comprehensive gluten management program. All equipment used in the manufacture of products containing any gluten or oat source must be cleaned thoroughly prior to producing a product that is "gluten-free". These procedures must be validated and inspected after each clean-up.

 

So two questions (& I'm in Canada, if that's relevant).

1) Adams PB isn't safe to eat, I guess?

2) How strict do we need to be with only eating "CERTIFIED" gluten free foods? The Canadian celiac website tells me to go ahead and eat foods that are "naturally" gluten free like natural peanut butter (where the only ingredients are salt & peanuts), but do I in fact need to buy only products that have the certified gluten-free circle??? So confused; so frustrated; so eager to feel better in my gut. 

I've had a similar realization surrounding Quaker rice cakes (only the plain ones are certified gluten-free, not the flavoured ones). What gives? What should I do? I'm underweight and pretty desperate to eat, but obviously still in digestive hell (1.5 months post-gluten-free diet). Thanks for the advice!

[bartfull]

It sounds to me that it might be contaminated. I wouldn't eat it.

But what concerns me more is your statement that you're "beginning to realise the necessity, at the beginning of this diet at least, to be absolutely rigid in my avoidance of gluten, even traces." Erase the "at the beginning of this diet at least", and you've got it right. If you have celiac, you must be absolutely rigid about avoiding gluten (even traces) for the rest of your life. Every day. No let up.

It may seem overwhelming at first but it really does become easy over time. There are loads of really good foods that are gluten-free. When I think of "naturally gluten-free foods" I think of things like meat and potatoes and rice and fresh fruit and veggies. You know, things with one ingredient. And for gluten-free substitutes, look for CERTIFIED gluten-free, or products like Udi's bread, Against The Grain pizzas, Ronzoni or Tinkyada gluten-free pastas, and things like that.

You can also count on any product from Kraft to be gluten-free IF, that is IF, there are no gluten ingredients listed on the label. If they are made on shared equipment it will say so on the label so you know that if there are no gluten ingredients, they are safe from cross-contamination.

[squirmingitch]

Con Agra is a trusted company too. They will, like Kraft, always clearly list any gluten ingredients on the label. Planters nuts are a Kraft company.

For rice cakes try Lundberg -- they are gluten free:

Open Original Shared Link

For peanut butter or other gluten-free nut butters look here:

Open Original Shared Link

And here is the Once Again website where they tell you all their products are certified gluten-free by Celiac Sprue.

Open Original Shared Link

Peter Pan peanut butter is a Con Agra product & there are no gluten ingredients in it. We eat it without incident.

 

BTW, Personally I trust Lundberg for the rice cakes. I don't happen to trust Quaker even if they say gluten-free. Just IMO based on the fact that Quaker is using "cleaned" oats labeled gluten-free. I do not yet trust any "cleaned" oats or any company who uses them. I DO trust "pure" oats; that is those that are grown & handled under a purity protocol. 

[RMJ]

I've switched to eating peanuts that I take out of the shells myself.

[GFinDC]

I don't know about the Adam's peanut butter.  But I eat Jif brand "Natural" peanut butter with no problem.  If it is a question in your mind, maybe try a different brand for a while and see if you notice any difference?  I tend to think the more natural type peanut butters are probably a safer bet.