Certified gluten-free processed in a wheat facility.... what?!

[kellibee]

At the store recently I found a bag of chips that had the "certified gluten free" stamp on the front.  I didn't even look at the back of the bag because of that stamp.   A few days later I go to open the bag of chips and notice on the back that there's a disclaimer about the chips being produced in a facility that processes wheat.  WHAT?  Is this a thing?  I'm new to being celiac but I thought that certified stamp meant I could 100% trust the product.   Just wondering if this kind of perplexing labeling is normal and is the food OK to eat?  Thanks all!

[DougE]

Hi Kellibee.  Welcome to the confusing world of food labelling.  The fact that the chips are made in a facility that processes wheat in no way means that the product contains gluten.  It may not even be produced on the same equipment.  No matter what precautions are taken to avoid cross-contamination, the fact that the chips are "certified" means that they are regularly tested and meet the criteria of the certifying organization.  I would totally trust them.

[kareng]

2 hours ago, DougE said:

Hi Kellibee.  Welcome to the confusing world of food labelling.  The fact that the chips are made in a facility that processes wheat in no way means that the product contains gluten.  It may not even be produced on the same equipment.  No matter what precautions are taken to avoid cross-contamination, the fact that the chips are "certified" means that they are regularly tested and meet the criteria of the certifying organization.  I would totally trust them.

I agree with this.  Well said!

Some shared facilities are even separate buildings in the same complex

[psawyer]

What Karen and Doug said. If it is certified gluten-free it is, and has been verified so by a third party who tests.