Which Amy's Meals Are Produced At Their gluten-free Facility?

[Guest cassidy]

When I saw the labeling change on the Amy's website from gluten free to no gluten ingredients, I emailed them. I asked which, if any, of their meals were now produced in the new gluten-free facility. I also asked if there was a way to indentify them, such as this sku number is part of the old stuff not produced at the new facility and this other sku number is part of the new facility stuff.

I got the "we got your email" message back, but haven't heard from them. I know someone posted that the pizza is from the new facility. Does anyone know what else comes from there?

They have glutened me 4 times so I'm leary about eating the stuff from the plant the contains wheat, but I love their food and the convenience of it.

[Guest BERNESES]

I called them yesterday and their rice crust pizza is the only one so far. In august they are coming out with a spinach rice crust pizza that will be made there as well.

[Guest cassidy]

thank you!

[jesscarmel]

i ate the cheese enchillada yesterday and didnt get sick?!

[Guest BERNESES]

i ate the cheese enchillada yesterday and didnt get sick?!

Had it ever bothered you before? I looked at the rice crust pizza today and was so bummed because it had soy in it.

[Guest BERNESES]

I got this email from them today:

Beverly,

Thanks for your e-mail and question concerning our new facility. We have had our gluten free facility running for several months. We are now assembling Rice Crust Cheese Pizza and Rice Crust Spinach Pizza at this facility. Start of production at the new facility was 3/31/06 and 6/29 respectively. We make a few of the components for these products at our big facility but, as of the first of July, all these components have been made in designated gluten free processing areas. In order to improve detection of gluten in unexpected ingredients and components, we have increased screening/testing for gluten. We expect to open our allergen lab in the next two months. So we have made some major progress in further separating gluten from non-gluten ingredients and processing and expect to put further safeguards in place over the next year.

We are waiting for FDAs initial proposal on the definition of Gluten Free before deciding if it is appropriate to categorize these and other of our products as "Gluten Free'. As I am sure you are aware, this proposal is due out by August 2006. So, at this point, we are keeping a relatively low profile on "Gluten Free" communications and claims. I expect we will be able to say more in September after we have had a chance to review the FDA proposal and determine if we comply with their proposed requirements for "Gluten Free".

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Marsha Kopral

Technical Service

[jenvan]

I got this email from them today:

Beverly,

Thanks for your e-mail and question concerning our new facility. We have had our gluten free facility running for several months. We are now assembling Rice Crust Cheese Pizza and Rice Crust Spinach Pizza at this facility. Start of production at the new facility was 3/31/06 and 6/29 respectively. We make a few of the components for these products at our big facility but, as of the first of July, all these components have been made in designated gluten free processing areas. In order to improve detection of gluten in unexpected ingredients and components, we have increased screening/testing for gluten. We expect to open our allergen lab in the next two months. So we have made some major progress in further separating gluten from non-gluten ingredients and processing and expect to put further safeguards in place over the next year.

We are waiting for FDAs initial proposal on the definition of Gluten Free before deciding if it is appropriate to categorize these and other of our products as "Gluten Free'. As I am sure you are aware, this proposal is due out by August 2006. So, at this point, we are keeping a relatively low profile on "Gluten Free" communications and claims. I expect we will be able to say more in September after we have had a chance to review the FDA proposal and determine if we comply with their proposed requirements for "Gluten Free".

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Marsha Kopral

Technical Service

Thanks for posting Bev...I figured that's what they were thinking. Ah--hope one day they have all the gluten-free dishes in the dedicated facility!

[tiredofdoctors]

Bev . . . . .

Thank you for contacting them . . . and for relaying the info to us! I've stopped eating Amy's stuff until the whole thing gets resolved . . . don't want to chance it.

Talk to you soon . . . . . "The Conception Faerie"

[Nantzie]

I ate the Black Bean and Veggie Enchiladas the other day. Got glutened BIG TIME. The worst since I went gluten-free by far. Blech. It sucks too because that just happened to be something that I had been eating for well over 10 years, which just happened to be gluten-free. Looking forward to more stuff coming out of the gluten-free facility. Until then, I'm not buying any Amy's meals. Although since the Rice Crust Pizza is from a gluten-free facility, I might give it a try.

[tiredofdoctors]

Nancy -- I ate those about a week, week and 1/2 ago. The next day, I was even MORE clumsy than usual, had such trouble getting my bearings . . . couldn't figure what was going on. Now I know . . . . It's hard for me to tell when I've been "glutened", because I don't have the digestive stuff that goes along with it. Sometimes, I just think that it's because I didn't get enough sleep, etc. My husband and I were talking about the CC going on in the facility, and I said that I didn't want to chance it, but I'd eat what we had here . . . should have just thrown them out. Thanks for shedding some light on what happened to me, though . . . . . Lynne

[Nantzie]

Yea, it was definitely them. I even had my tongue feeling too big for my mouth. Which is something that I haven't had since before going gluten-free. Scary. Because if it's that much, it's not just slight amounts of CC. It's like they stopped giving a cr@p. Or maybe I'm just getting more sensitive to small amounts.

On the side of the boxes, I think the story has changed. Now it says that when their daughter Amy was born they were having a hard time finding HEALTHY food for her. Am I crazy, or didn't it used to say that Amy had some sort of food intolerance or something? Maybe dairy or something? Maybe I remember that wrong. I hope, if it has changed, it's their marketing trying to gear more towards the main market than the specialty market. Because their food is REALLY good and can go head-to-head with any other frozen food brand, IMO.

I am glad to hear that they are starting to make things in a dedicated gluten-free facility, which shows that they do care. I was starting to worry about that.

Hmm... (grumble, grumble...)

Nancy

[Guest cassidy]

I tried a pizza 1 1/2 weeks ago. But, it must have been an old one that wasn't produced in the new facility. I was definitely glutened. I get heartburn that lasts for about two weeks after being glutened. That is the only symptom that is still left, but it is frustrating. I think I'll give it a few months to make sure all the old pizzas are out of stores before I try them again.

[jenvan]

That stinks about the Enchiladas! I eat them a few times a month without any issues

I would think Amy's is probably "no worse" on CC than most other producers w/o gluten-free facilities. What makes them seem more 'shady' perhaps, is that they are a bit more savvy, and are not willing to claim to be gluten-free until it is clear what gluten-free really means...unlike some other companies. I know a fair amount of people have been glutened by the meals, and I could be wrong...but I still get surprised by how many complaints there are on Amy's--seemingly much more than the larger mainstream brands like Kraft, Lay's etc. It would surprise me if other mainstream companies had better/safer allergy precautions in place than Amy's. I of course can't back that up scientifically ! But is still surprising to me. Oh Amy...get that gluten-free facility so none of us will have to have these discussions anymore !

[penguin]

Amy's is on the "not my friend" list, along with Bob's Red Mill and some others...

I was glutened by the enchiladas also, but they tested my batch and it tested negative for gluten, so I don't know. Every now and again I eat the mac and cheese, but with reservation.

I don't know why I trust Kraft and the like more than Amy's, but I do.

[Guest cassidy]

That stinks about the Enchiladas! I eat them a few times a month without any issues

I would think Amy's is probably "no worse" on CC than most other producers w/o gluten-free facilities. What makes them seem more 'shady' perhaps, is that they are a bit more savvy, and are not willing to claim to be gluten-free until it is clear what gluten-free really means...unlike some other companies. I know a fair amount of people have been glutened by the meals, and I could be wrong...but I still get surprised by how many complaints there are on Amy's--seemingly much more than the larger mainstream brands like Kraft, Lay's etc. It would surprise me if other mainstream companies had better/safer allergy precautions in place than Amy's. I of course can't back that up scientifically ! But is still surprising to me. Oh Amy...get that gluten-free facility so none of us will have to have these discussions anymore !

I think Amy's has more problems for a couple of reasons. First, most of us used to consider it safe so the number of people eating Amy's meals versus the number of people eating the exact same Kraft item is probably higher. Second, companies like Kraft are so huge that they probably have more products on dedicated lines. Amy's doesn't seem like that large of a company so they probably don't have as many dedicated lines and we are stuck with hoping they clean things well in between runs.

The thing that bothers me most is that they don't claim to be celiac friendly. Kraft and the like just claim to list any gluten ingredients. Just like the gluten-free bread that has a clear warning label that it is produced in a facility with wheat. What is the point of making gluten-free bread that most people wouldn't touch? That doesn't make any sense to me.

[Guest BERNESES]

I think Amy's has more problems for a couple of reasons. First, most of us used to consider it safe so the number of people eating Amy's meals versus the number of people eating the exact same Kraft item is probably higher. Second, companies like Kraft are so huge that they probably have more products on dedicated lines. Amy's doesn't seem like that large of a company so they probably don't have as many dedicated lines and we are stuck with hoping they clean things well in between runs.

The thing that bothers me most is that they don't claim to be celiac friendly. Kraft and the like just claim to list any gluten ingredients. Just like the gluten-free bread that has a clear warning label that it is produced in a facility with wheat. What is the point of making gluten-free bread that most people wouldn't touch? That doesn't make any sense to me.

I think you're right as I wouldn't buy a Kraft product over an Amy's product if given the choice. Also, Amy's IS a very small company- they have one facility (well, now they have 2).

I like when companies tell you that something is gluten-free but produced in a facility that also processes wheat. Some people can eat that no problem (NOT me!) but at least they tell you so you know to avoid it. trader Joe's does that and although it means I can eat less of their stuff, at least I know what's safe.

[beaglemania]

I don't really worry about Amy's that much. I love their mac and cheese and have never gotten sick from it. But I do think its stupid that the mac & cheese is gluten-free but is processed in a non-gluten-free factory.

I think you're right as I wouldn't buy a Kraft product over an Amy's product if given the choice. Also, Amy's IS a very small company- they have one facility (well, now they have 2).

I like when companies tell you that something is gluten-free but produced in a facility that also processes wheat. Some people can eat that no problem (NOT me!) but at least they tell you so you know to avoid it. trader Joe's does that and although it means I can eat less of their stuff, at least I know what's safe.

I can eat things like that. I'm not that bad of a celiac, my only symptom is I have very bad osteoporosis and I'm only 14. But now I'm taking this drug at an infusion every month and my bones are really improving with the drug and the diet. Hopefully my bone density will be in the normal range in October!!!!

[Guest BERNESES]

I don't really worry about Amy's that much. I love their mac and cheese and have never gotten sick from it. But I do think its stupid that the mac & cheese is gluten-free but is processed in a non-gluten-free factory.

I think it's stupid too but at least they tell you so you can choose not to eat their product versus companies that don't put that additional info on the label.

[utdan]

An observation: The Amy's "Black Bean and Vegetables Enchiladas" have the warning of being made in a non-gluten-free facility. The "Cheese Enchiladas" don't have that warning.

I got glutened by one of the enchiladas before (I think it was the Black bean and vegetable). However, I eat the cheese enchilada all the time now and never have problems.

So I'm confused about the email from Amy's. all foods are made in the facility that uses wheat except the rice and spinach crusted pizzas?

[caryn]

i ate the amy's cheese enchilada dinner the other night and i got gluttened worse than ever! my nervous system freaked out and i was a mess for a couple of days. finally coming down but quite shaky. it's too bad because i've eaten them before