Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Do You Like Hershey's Bars?


danikali

Recommended Posts

Mango04 Enthusiast

I agree that Hershey's is not blatantly doing anything wrong. However, the statement is poorly worded and clearly confusing since even we all have very conflicting opinions about it. Such statments might suggest to newly diagnosed or misinformed Celiacs that it is okay to intentionally ingest small amounts of gluten. We all probably agree that is not the case. Might as well bring it to their attention. The world is better off with one less confusing/potentially misleading statement about Celiac Disease anyway. :)


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Rachel--24 Collaborator
Exactly. So if a whole company is under that mentality then how are we to be sure that anything from Hershey's is 100% safe?

Well....I don't know if we can be sure anything is 100% safe because even products labeled gluten-free can have minute amounts of gluten in them.

I don't think the company is doing anyhting wrong from a gluten standpoint. I dont really think it matters what their description of Celiac is.....as long as they take food allergy/intolerance matters seriously with regards to the lableling. It sounds like they do....so I wouldnt be too overly concerned about getting glutened just because their wording was a little off.

JMO :)

I agree with Mango....a newly diagnosed Celiac may read and think its ok to eat gluten in small amounts so maybe they should be made aware so that they can reword their statement to avoid confusion.

junieb Rookie

The only hershey's bar I will use is the Milk Chocolate 1.55 oz bar - it's made on it's own machinery - nothing else is run on there at all. According to them the plain kisses, syrup and baking cocoa are also safe. I will call on monday to re-check but I have a feeling the products that are supposed to be safe are. One of the definitions of celiac disease explains it as a "gluten intolerance," so they may be getting their wording from a source that we trust too. I also think the problem is more of semantics and less of product safety. That said, if enough of us call or write, I bet they will change the info on the website because the way it is stated sure doesn't make it sound as serious as it is, and we want their employees to know the facts (since they're the ones we're relying on to tell us if their products are safe)!

Judyin Philly Enthusiast
The only hershey's bar I will use is the Milk Chocolate 1.55 oz bar - it's made on it's own machinery - nothing else is run on there at all. According to them the plain kisses, syrup and baking cocoa are also safe. I will call on monday to re-check but I have a feeling the products that are supposed to be safe are. One of the definitions of celiac disease explains it as a "gluten intolerance," so they may be getting their wording from a source that we trust too. I also think the problem is more of semantics and less of product safety. That said, if enough of us call or write, I bet they will change the info on the website because the way it is stated sure doesn't make it sound as serious as it is, and we want their employees to know the facts (since they're the ones we're relying on to tell us if their products are safe)!

Ok-good point.

Peter you made good points too.

I'll make the choice for me..as we all have been trained on the forum to do.

I'm still sorry :( that the lady I talked too 'assured' me the kisses were gluten-free.

Thanks for the discussion folks. I aways learn something everday on here.

Vincent,,,keep those peanuts away from your lovely spouce :lol:

Have a great nite everyone.

Judy in Philly

Felidae Enthusiast

I think they are just trying to explain the difference to the general and sometimes uninformed public. And the fact is a true allergy can cause an anaphalaxis reaction (potentially life threatening) whereas an intolerance won't.

Rusla Enthusiast

I can say I will not be eating Hershey kisses again. The only thing I have had today besides tofu, and fruit is the 10 kisses. I have a DH outbreak going on.

jenvan Collaborator

I agree with the camp that the info, IMO, is misleading. The are giving a definition of Celiac that is incorrect. If they are talking about a gluten intolerance, it could be different, but they say sprue. And they do not define the word "reacting." So, if they mean that some Celiacs can eat a small amount of gluten without experiencing a reaction/symptom, that's one thing. But they can not state that a Celiac can eat a small amount of gluten without having an (internal) reaction. And what is "small" supposed to mean? Hershey's is a huge company that makes millions and I think we can expect more from them, meaning correct and not "questionable" statements at best. They are a food company, not a medical research organization or an assoc. of doctors, so they should be very careful when they decide to define diseases or illnesses on their website. I am planning on calling on Monday and seeing what they say...


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



blueeyedmanda Community Regular

I eat Hershey kisses all the time with no problems. I tend to be a sensitive celiac too. Last time I checked they were on the gluten free list. Their statement is poorly worded but like an above poster said noting is ever 100% look at Amy's who is making "gluten free" meals. They have been known to have contaminated food. They are specializing in diet restricted food. It doesnt hurt to call the company.

jenvan Collaborator

For me this isn't a issue over contamination in Hershey, but an issue of spreading incorrect information via the web.

Judyin Philly Enthusiast
For me this isn't a issue over contamination in Hershey, but an issue of spreading incorrect information via the web.

ditto Jen

going to send you a PM.

Judy in Philly

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Mmoc replied to Mmoc's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Blood tests low iGA 4 years later digestive issues

    2. - Aretaeus Cappadocia replied to Clear2me's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      6

      Gluten free nuts

    3. - trents replied to Larzipan's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      42

      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

    4. - Scott Adams replied to Larzipan's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      42

      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

    5. - Wheatwacked commented on Scott Adams's article in Latest Research
      6

      Study Estimates the Costs of Delayed Celiac Disease Diagnosis (+Video)


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,387
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    LizzieE
    Newest Member
    LizzieE
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Mmoc
      Thank you kindly for your response. I have since gotten the other type of bloods done and am awaiting results. 
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      I wanted to respond to your post as much for other people who read this later on (I'm not trying to contradict your experience or decisions) > Kirkland Signature Super Extra-Large Peanuts, 2.5 lbs, are labeled "gluten free" in the Calif Costcos I've been in. If they are selling non-gluten-free in your store, I suggest talking to customer service to see if they can get you the gluten-free version (they are tasty) > This past week I bought "Sliced Raw Almonds, Baking Nuts, 5 lbs Item 1495072 Best if used by Jun-10-26 W-261-6-L1A 12:47" at Costco. The package has the standard warning that it was made on machinery that <may> have processed wheat. Based on that alone, I would not eat these. However, I contacted customer service and asked them "are Costco's Sliced Almonds gluten free?" Within a day I got this response:  "This is [xyz] with the Costco Member Service Resolutions Team. I am happy to let you know we got a reply back from our Kirkland Signature team. Here is their response:  This item does not have a risk of cross contamination with gluten, barley or rye." Based on this, I will eat them. Based on experience, I believe they will be fine. Sometimes, for other products, the answer has been "they really do have cross-contamination risk" (eg, Kirkland Signature Dry Roasted Macadamia Nuts, Salted, 1.5 lbs Item 1195303). When they give me that answer I return them for cash. You might reasonably ask, "Why would Costco use that label if they actually are safe?" I can't speak for Costco but I've worked in Corporate America and I've seen this kind of thing first hand and up close. (1) This kind of regulatory label represents risk/cost to the company. What if they are mistaken? In one direction, the cost is loss of maybe 1% of sales (if celiacs don't buy when they would have). In the other direction, the risk is reputational damage and open-ended litigation (bad reviews and celiacs suing them). Expect them to play it safe. (2) There is a team tasked with getting each product out to market quickly and cheaply, and there is also a committee tasked with reviewing the packaging before it is released. If the team chooses the simplest, safest, pre-approved label, this becomes a quick check box. On the other hand, if they choose something else, it has to be carefully scrutinized through a long process. It's more efficient for the team to say there <could> be risk. (3) There is probably some plug and play in production. Some lots of the very same product could be made in a safe facility while others are made in an unsafe facility. Uniform packaging (saying there is risk) for all packages regardless of gluten risk is easier, cheaper, and safer (for Costco). Everything I wrote here is about my Costco experience, but the principles will be true at other vendors, particularly if they have extensive quality control infrastructure. The first hurdle of gluten-free diet is to remove/replace all the labeled gluten ingredients. The second, more difficult hurdle is to remove/replace all the hidden gluten. Each of us have to assess gray zones and make judgement calls knowing there is a penalty for being wrong. One penalty would be getting glutened but the other penalty could be eating an unnecessarily boring or malnourishing diet.
    • trents
      Thanks for the thoughtful reply and links, Wheatwacked. Definitely some food for thought. However, I would point out that your linked articles refer to gliadin in human breast milk, not cow's milk. And although it might seem reasonable to conclude it would work the same way in cows, that is not necessarily the case. Studies seem to indicate otherwise. Studies also indicate the amount of gliadin in human breast milk is miniscule and unlikely to cause reactions:  https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/gluten-peptides-in-human-breast-milk-implications-for-cows-milk/ I would also point out that Dr. Peter Osborne's doctorate is in chiropractic medicine, though he also has studied and, I believe, holds some sort of certifications in nutritional science. To put it plainly, he is considered by many qualified medical and nutritional professionals to be on the fringe of quackery. But he has a dedicated and rabid following, nonetheless.
    • Scott Adams
      I'd be very cautious about accepting these claims without robust evidence. The hypothesis requires a chain of biologically unlikely events: Gluten/gliadin survives the cow's rumen and entire digestive system intact. It is then absorbed whole into the cow's bloodstream. It bypasses the cow's immune system and liver. It is then secreted, still intact and immunogenic, into the milk. The cow's digestive system is designed to break down proteins, not transfer them whole into milk. This is not a recognized pathway in veterinary science. The provided backup shifts from cow's milk to human breastmilk, which is a classic bait-and-switch. While the transfer of food proteins in human breastmilk is a valid area of study, it doesn't validate the initial claim about commercial dairy. The use of a Dr. Osborne video is a major red flag. His entire platform is based on the idea that all grains are toxic, a view that far exceeds the established science on Celiac Disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and a YouTube video from a known ideological source is not that evidence."  
    • Wheatwacked
      Some backup to my statement about gluten and milk. Some background.  When my son was born in 1976 he was colicky from the beginning.  When he transitioned to formula it got really bad.  That's when we found the only pediactric gastroenterologist (in a population of 6 million that dealt with Celiac Disease (and he only had 14 patients with celiac disease), who dianosed by biopsy and started him on Nutramegen.  Recovery was quick. The portion of gluten that passes through to breastmilk is called gliadin. It is the component of gluten that causes celiac disease or gluten intolerance. What are the Effects of Gluten in Breastmilk? Gliaden, a component of gluten which is typically responsible for the intestinal reaction of gluten, DOES pass through breast milk.  This is because gliaden (as one of many food proteins) passes through the lining of your small intestine into your blood. Can gluten transmit through breast milk?  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.