Companies That Label Wheat...if They Don't Does That Make The Product gluten-free?

[sparkles]

Okay, I have been reading labels again....and again.... I am noticing more companies that label wheat, like Kraft, Hormel, Conagra....etc....BUT my question is, when there is no wheat on the label, are we guaranteed that the product is really gluten-free? I noticed that on the Turkey Pepperoni, Hormel labeled it gluten-free. Yet on their roasts, they label if there is wheat in there but not rye, barley, or oats and they definitely do NOT label their roasts gluten-free. I am beginning to wonder if the companies I had started to trust, like Kraft and Hormel...etc. only list wheat and the other gluten problem grains could still be in their products. I am searching as some of the symptoms that I thought had disappeared are slowly coming back and I am trying to find where I am being glutened. Do you only buy foods that are clearly marked gluten-free or do you still use those companies that only mark wheat as an ingredient?

[Rikki Tikki]

There are some companies that will mark gluten free, or if something is made from a grain they will put it on the label, like Kraft. However those companies are few and far between.

Gluten free always means wheat free, wheat free does not mean gluten free. Does that make any sense?

[Ursa Major]

If it says wheat free, a product can still contain rye or barley. If it says gluten-free, it (hopefully) won't contain any part of a gluten containing grain.

[psawyer]

The companies that just label wheat are merely complying with current US law.

There are a number of companies/brands that will clearly label all gluten sources. Several very large food companies do have this policy. You need to look for wheat, rye, oats or barley in their ingredient lists. If you don't see any of those words on one of their products, then the product is gluten-free. It is not enough to just look for wheat.

The list I have of roughly 50 "trusted" brands/manufacturers is:

Arrowhead Mills, Aunt Nelly's, Balance, Baskin Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Bertoli, Betty Crocker, Blue Bunny, Breyers, Campbells, Cascadian Farms, Celestial Seasonings, ConAgra, Country Crock, Edy's, General Mills, Good Humor, Green Giant, Haagen Daz, Hellman's, Hershey, Hormel, Hungry Jack, Jiffy, Knorr, Kozy Shack, Kraft, Lawry's, Libby's, Lipton, Martha White, Maxwell House, McCormick, Nabisco, Nestle, Old El Paso, Ortega, Pillsbury, Popsicle, Post, Progresso, Ragu, Russell Stover, Seneca Foods, Skippy, Smucker, Stokely's, Sunny Delight, T Marzetti, Tyson, Unilever, Wishbone, Yoplait, Zatarain's.

This doesn't mean that these companies don't make lots of products with gluten in them. It just means that they won't hide it, so if you see something like "natural flavor" in the ingredients, but don't see the words wheat, rye, oats or barley, then you know that the flavor does not contain hidden gluten.

[Franceen]

I always read the whole ingredients list, not just the allergen list (the 8 allergens, wheat is one, but not barley, rye, oats). If it says "modified FOOD starch" I don't buy unless I can contact company or go to web site and see if it's made from something other than wheat (e.g. corn or maize). If it SAYS GLUTEN FREE I basically believe them.

I use the Clan Thompson Smart Food List also. And I look for the type of vinegars, starches, emulsifiers, thickeners, glazes, sauces, gravies, stocks, bases, etc. In other words I evaluate the ingredients list myself and verify what isn't clear. I go to websites and email the company or call them (calling has been a very rare necessity). That's about all you can do - other than eat only fresh foods like fruit, vegetables, meats, dairy.

[psawyer]

To clarify my post above, with these brands you must read the entire ingredient list looking for the names of the grains that contain gluten. The allergy alert is not enough, as it will only disclose wheat.

I used flavor merely as an example. The rule applies to all ambiguous things like food starch, seasonings and all the other "red flag" terms. These companies will not hide gluten under any of those vague names. If you don't see the words wheat, rye, oats or barley right there in the list, then those grains are not present, even though there may be vague terms in the list.

[sparkles]

The companies that just label wheat are merely complying with current US law.

There are a number of companies/brands that will clearly label all gluten sources. Several very large food companies do have this policy. You need to look for wheat, rye, oats or barley in their ingredient lists. If you don't see any of those words on one of their products, then the product is gluten-free. It is not enough to just look for wheat.

The list I have of roughly 50 "trusted" brands/manufacturers is:

Arrowhead Mills, Aunt Nelly's, Balance, Baskin Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Bertoli, Betty Crocker, Blue Bunny, Breyers, Campbells, Cascadian Farms, Celestial Seasonings, ConAgra, Country Crock, Edy's, General Mills, Good Humor, Green Giant, Haagen Daz, Hellman's, Hershey, Hormel, Hungry Jack, Jiffy, Knorr, Kozy Shack, Kraft, Lawry's, Libby's, Lipton, Martha White, Maxwell House, McCormick, Nabisco, Nestle, Old El Paso, Ortega, Pillsbury, Popsicle, Post, Progresso, Ragu, Russell Stover, Seneca Foods, Skippy, Smucker, Stokely's, Sunny Delight, T Marzetti, Tyson, Unilever, Wishbone, Yoplait, Zatarain's.

This doesn't mean that these companies don't make lots of products with gluten in them. It just means that they won't hide it, so if you see something like "natural flavor" in the ingredients, but don't see the words wheat, rye, oats or barley, then you know that the flavor does not contain hidden gluten.

So that means that these companies list WRBO on label. Do they also list if products are made on designated lines? It will be very useful to me to have this list with me when I go to the grocery store. I appreciate you taking the time to list these brands. Even though I have been dealing with this issue since June of 2002, it still gets overwhelming at times. I guess that I am tired of reading labels and wish that companies would just put GLUTEN FREE on their labels. I wonder if they don't because the facilities that the food is processed in processes WRBO in the same facility. I guess that I am really getting paranoid. It just surprised me the other day when I found gluten free on a Hormel product and it made me wonder why they don't just put gluten-free on all their products that don't list WRBO. I guess I need to email them and find out why. It just really got me thinking as I have been eating lots of Hormel products this past year.... Thanks again for your input.

[sparkles]

Thanks for the input.... sometimes I feel like a real Newbie. I guess we all go through times when it just gets overwhelming. It seems to happen a lot lately...probably because I am not feeling well. I really got glutened this weekend. Sometimes I forget how sick I really was BGGF (Before Going gluten-free). Like some of you, my villa was almost non existent and sometimes I get really angry because I was so sick for so many years...about 20....suffered through infertility, depression, the BIG D, vomiting, memory loss, emotional turmoil, migraines, neuropathy, colon cancer, lots of gatric distress, anemia(s) and a whole lot of misdiagnosis mainly because I am overweight and no one thought to check the villa!!!!! Sometimes this board has been a lifesaver because there are people here who understand and don't think that all of these symptoms (which seem so unrelated) are real! Thank you for the input!

[Rikki Tikki]

Sparkles:

Sorry you had to go through all of that. You are right many of us have gone through the same things, or different, but almost always have bad experiences. That doesn't mean that what you have been through is any easier, just know you are not alone.

[VydorScope]

So that means that these companies list WRBO on label. Do they also list if products are made on designated lines? It will be very useful to me to have this list with me when I go to the grocery store. I appreciate you taking the time to list these brands. Even though I have been dealing with this issue since June of 2002, it still gets overwhelming at times. I guess that I am tired of reading labels and wish that companies would just put GLUTEN FREE on their labels. I wonder if they don't because the facilities that the food is processed in processes WRBO in the same facility. I guess that I am really getting paranoid. It just surprised me the other day when I found gluten free on a Hormel product and it made me wonder why they don't just put gluten-free on all their products that don't list WRBO. I guess I need to email them and find out why. It just really got me thinking as I have been eating lots of Hormel products this past year.... Thanks again for your input.

NO they do not list if on dedicated lines, in most cases.

The problem is that gluten-free is not defined in America, so you realy have ot be careful of the gluten-free label.

After a while you tend to have a "safe" group of food you stick with and that makes things much easier.

[lovegrov]

As others have said wheat free doesn't necessarily mean gluten free. However, hidden rye is simply not a problem. I've never seen it or heard of it. Same with oats. Barley CAN be hidden and sometimes is, but even that is fairly rare.

Generally, the only way way to know about dedicated lines is to call the company.

Finally, rarely does any company "guarantee" gluten-free food. Any time a food is processed there's a chance of gluten slipping in somewhere. A couple of years ago there was a study where the researchers bought processed foods that were not supposed to contain gluten -- foods you would normally buy in a grocery store -- and 20 percent had measureable gluten.

richard

[gfp]

The companies that just label wheat are merely complying with current US law.

There are a number of companies/brands that will clearly label all gluten sources. Several very large food companies do have this policy. You need to look for wheat, rye, oats or barley in their ingredient lists. If you don't see any of those words on one of their products, then the product is gluten-free. It is not enough to just look for wheat.

The list I have of roughly 50 "trusted" brands/manufacturers is:

Arrowhead Mills, Aunt Nelly's, Balance, Baskin Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Bertoli, Betty Crocker, Blue Bunny, Breyers, Campbells, Cascadian Farms, Celestial Seasonings, ConAgra, Country Crock, Edy's, General Mills, Good Humor, Green Giant, Haagen Daz, Hellman's, Hershey, Hormel, Hungry Jack, Jiffy, Knorr, Kozy Shack, Kraft, Lawry's, Libby's, Lipton, Martha White, Maxwell House, McCormick, Nabisco, Nestle, Old El Paso, Ortega, Pillsbury, Popsicle, Post, Progresso, Ragu, Russell Stover, Seneca Foods, Skippy, Smucker, Stokely's, Sunny Delight, T Marzetti, Tyson, Unilever, Wishbone, Yoplait, Zatarain's.

This doesn't mean that these companies don't make lots of products with gluten in them. It just means that they won't hide it, so if you see something like "natural flavor" in the ingredients, but don't see the words wheat, rye, oats or barley, then you know that the flavor does not contain hidden gluten.

one important thing....

Anyone can make a mistake.

So even if on the off chance you do get glutened by one of these companies it doesn't mean they are bad they have suppliers... the best thing to do is write, email or freephone and let them know but be polite... they are trying and they made a commercial decision ... you might even have got glutened elsewhere...

Also its easy to get a negative idea because products contain gluten on the label. This is human nature but again if they list it when its present this means the chances are the places it isn't are safe.

Inversely the companies who don't you never know!

Just a footnote...

Most of these are publically traded companies.

The primary reason of existance of a publically traded company is to make money for its shareholders,

This is above and beyond following any other law.

If a publically owned company can bend or infringe the law and the fines are less than compliance they have a DUTY to their shareholders to bend or infringe the law.

These companies have decided it is better to be up front about gluten instead of trying to hide it or take measures not to know. Its a commercial decision.

Other companies have decided the inverse. This tells me that there is a fine line... a boardroom vote is not likely to have been unanimous (in either case)... so bear that in mind when communicating with the companies. If they receive enough letters saying you will never trust them again they are likely to review the decsision.

[lorka150]

The companies that just label wheat are merely complying with current US law.

There are a number of companies/brands that will clearly label all gluten sources. Several very large food companies do have this policy. You need to look for wheat, rye, oats or barley in their ingredient lists. If you don't see any of those words on one of their products, then the product is gluten-free. It is not enough to just look for wheat.

The list I have of roughly 50 "trusted" brands/manufacturers is:

Arrowhead Mills, Aunt Nelly's, Balance, Baskin Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Bertoli, Betty Crocker, Blue Bunny, Breyers, Campbells, Cascadian Farms, Celestial Seasonings, ConAgra, Country Crock, Edy's, General Mills, Good Humor, Green Giant, Haagen Daz, Hellman's, Hershey, Hormel, Hungry Jack, Jiffy, Knorr, Kozy Shack, Kraft, Lawry's, Libby's, Lipton, Martha White, Maxwell House, McCormick, Nabisco, Nestle, Old El Paso, Ortega, Pillsbury, Popsicle, Post, Progresso, Ragu, Russell Stover, Seneca Foods, Skippy, Smucker, Stokely's, Sunny Delight, T Marzetti, Tyson, Unilever, Wishbone, Yoplait, Zatarain's.

This doesn't mean that these companies don't make lots of products with gluten in them. It just means that they won't hide it, so if you see something like "natural flavor" in the ingredients, but don't see the words wheat, rye, oats or barley, then you know that the flavor does not contain hidden gluten.

Does this apply for Canada?

[psawyer]

I have not personally contacted the Canadian offices of each and every company on the list that operates in Canada, but I do not know of any case where the same labelling policy does not apply in both countries. Since this labelling policy is voluntary, not legislated, I can't imagine why any company would adopt it in one country but not the other.

[lorka150]

Thanks Peter. I bought some Stokeley's Sauerkraut today at the market, and I was going to wait 'til Tuesday to call instead of using it tomorrow (becasue I'm sure they will be closed), but I'll just go ahead then. I'm only cooking with it anyway, not eating it myself.

Thanks again.