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What is a Celiac to Trader Joe's 20 PPM gluten-free?


Capt-Lyon

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Capt-Lyon Rookie

Trader Joe's gluten-free Products - Celiac - I was diagnosed in 1996 and have studied constantly for years. My opinion that I state often to my medical practitioners is this. You can call it a disease if you chose to, but you cannot catch it, you cannot give it to anyone and you cannot cure it! It is a genetic disposition that you are born with. If you remove Gluten from your diet you lead a normal life! I do not have a disease! I have a genetic makeup that will not tolerate Gluten. I found this site when asking about Trader Joe's gluten-free products. I since have gone onto the Trader Joe's site and see that they only adhere to 20 PPM which if you are a celiac will cause problems. The Feds in their wisdom have created a maelstrom of issues for celiacs. Certified is the only choice for me! 5 ppm. When you eat out you also need to tell your server that you are a Celiac and it is not a diet choice!


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Capt-Lyon Rookie

I am new to this site and just figured out how to post a topic! Different than "Ask a question".

Trader Joe's gluten-free Products - Celiac - I was diagnosed in 1996 and have studied constantly for years. My opinion that I state often to my medical practitioners is this. You can call it a disease if you chose to, but you cannot catch it, you cannot give it to anyone and you cannot cure it! It is a genetic disposition that you are born with. If you remove Gluten from your diet you lead a normal life! I do not have a disease! I have a genetic makeup that will not tolerate Gluten. I found this site when asking about Trader Joe's gluten-free products. I since have gone onto the Trader Joe's site and see that they only adhere to 20 PPM which if you are a celiac will cause problems. The Feds in their wisdom have created a maelstrom of issues for celiacs. Certified is the only choice for me! 5 ppm. When you eat out you also need to tell your server that you are a Celiac and it is not a diet choice!

Scott Adams Grand Master

Many celiacs go for certified gluten-free products due to the higher standards, but the current FDA standard is considered by those in the scientific community to be perfectly safe for nearly all celiacs. Also, 20 ppm does not mean that the products actually contain that much gluten, this is a threshold where companies would have to recall a product should their product exceed that level. There are many in the celiac community that portray this level as if companies are fortifying their products with gluten so that they will be right at that level, when just the opposite is likely happening--should a batch show any measurable gluten, for example 10 ppm, they are likely back tracing everything to find the culprit.

In any case, all celiacs are free to choose their path on how strict they want their diets to be, but I haven't seen any specific evidence yet that indicates that products that have been certified gluten-free are any safer than those that use the "gluten-free" claim on their labels under the current FDA regulations. It would be interesting to test 100 of each to see which contains less gluten.

Capt-Lyon Rookie

Scott:

When I was diagnosed I was in finally stages, had lost 60 lbs in three months and if it was not caught I would have died. My cilia were completely gone! I now lead a normal life with all the meat and fresh farm produce and diary with no issues. If I eat a non certified gluten-free processed product it can be a problem! My post was that gluten-free at Trader Joe's is all listed as 20 PPM and my experience to date is that TJ's causes problems.

Scott Adams Grand Master

Understood, but I think Trader Joe's is citing 20 ppm because that is the FDA standard to be able to label a product gluten-free. It does not mean that Trader Joe's products actually contain that level of gluten. Hopefully you understand the difference. 

I was also very sick when I was diagnosed, but continue to eat Trader Joe's gluten-free products without issues.

DJFL77I Experienced

so all "Certified" gluten free is 5 ppm?

cyclinglady Grand Master
3 hours ago, DJFL77I said:

so all "Certified" gluten free is 5 ppm?

Yes, 5 ppm or below.  That is as low as the equipment can detect.  So, it can be zero.  


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RMJ Mentor

GFCO certification limit is 10ppm.

Listed under program history

Capt-Lyon Rookie
11 hours ago, RMJ said:

GFCO certification limit is 10ppm.

Listed under program history

You are correct and I stand corrected! 10 ppm

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