Pls Help Me- Am I Missing Something...

[breann6]

So i am almost a week (tuesday) gluten free and my tummy troubles have let up the whole time- aside from a sore belly feeling. Tonight I got sick about 30 minutes after dinner- here is what i ate. can someone tell me if i am missing gluten anywhere??

spring mix salad- Almonds, Gruyere, bacon, raspberry, tomatoe w/ raspberry vinigrette (Kens)

banana

a bit after dinner i had a 'snack' of plain Ruffles and Kraft French Onion Dip-

maybe 15 minutes after dip started having a tummy ache, then the woes.....

any idea of which was the culprit? the dip?

breakfast- plain grits w/oj

Lunch- cereal- gluten free w/skim milk

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Did you check the salad dressing and french onion dip ingredients? Sometimes dressings and dips are thickened with wheat starch or modified food starch (which is from wheat unless otherwise specified).

Another possiblity is that you may be casein-intolerant or lactose-intolerant. Some people on this board are sensitive to corn.

Are you using real bacon or "bacon bits?" Bacon bits usually have wheat in them to help them keep their shape.

And Grruyere cheese, hmmm--is that maybe processed with barley enzymes? Can't remember...

It's a pain reading labels, isn't it? Even after 10 months, sometimes I find myself assuming something is gluten-free, and then I happen to read the ingredients. Last time that happened to me, it was Edy's Light Ice Cream.

double-check the ingredients on the Ruffles, too--some chips do have wheat starch, like Pringles.

[lorka150]

I've never had them but a LOT of people have mentioned on here CC with FritoLay.

Hope you feel better.

[daffadilly]

Did you open a new bag of potato chips or has someone stuck their wheaty hands in it? If so, then you got cross contaminated!!! Also, had anyone dipped a wheat cracker in the dip?

[Guest cassidy]

I got very sick from Baked Lay's and had to stop eating them. Only the Stax are made on dedicated lines, so cc from Ruffles is a big possibility.

Also, like many people I have found other intolerances since going gluten-free. MSG really bothers me and most salad dressings have it. I would recommend staying away from processed foods until you heal a little. I would think the french onion dip has some preservatives and things in it that aren't good for healing systems.

[breann6]

Did you check the salad dressing and french onion dip ingredients? Sometimes dressings and dips are thickened with wheat starch or modified food starch (which is from wheat unless otherwise specified).

Another possiblity is that you may be casein-intolerant or lactose-intolerant. Some people on this board are sensitive to corn.

Are you using real bacon or "bacon bits?" Bacon bits usually have wheat in them to help them keep their shape.

And Grruyere cheese, hmmm--is that maybe processed with barley enzymes? Can't remember...

It's a pain reading labels, isn't it? Even after 10 months, sometimes I find myself assuming something is gluten-free, and then I happen to read the ingredients. Last time that happened to me, it was Edy's Light Ice Cream.

double-check the ingredients on the Ruffles, too--some chips do have wheat starch, like Pringles.

the salad dressing is supposed to be gluten-free as are the chips- they were both on a 'safe' list. maybe it was cc issue with the chips. I had real bacon- gluten free on the label. the Gruyere did have enzymes listed on the label- maybe its the cheese?

the dip is a kraft dip- which i thought would be clear if there was wheat in it- it does have MSG and Modified Food Starch and the Mono- and Diglycerides (sp?) which i thought all were safe because of being made here in USA...

this is gonna be harder than i thought

thanks guys!

[CarlaB]

I'd test getting off dairy for a while. Lots of people are sensitive to dairy, especially early on in the diet. Once you determine if it's dairy, you can test to see if it's lactose or casein intolerance by using Lactaid.

I also agree that your body may be rejecting processed food right now. I stick mainly to whole foods.

I have had no problem with Ruffles, but I know others have. I always use Natural Ruffles though.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

the salad dressing is supposed to be gluten-free as are the chips- they were both on a 'safe' list. maybe it was cc issue with the chips. I had real bacon- gluten free on the label. the Gruyere did have enzymes listed on the label- maybe its the cheese?

the dip is a kraft dip- which i thought would be clear if there was wheat in it- it does have MSG and Modified Food Starch and the Mono- and Diglycerides (sp?) which i thought all were safe because of being made here in USA...

this is gonna be harder than i thought

thanks guys!

I thought modified food starch is wheat in the USA unless it specifies "from corn" in parentheses. I think that is your culprit.

[Guest nini]

I thought modified food starch is wheat in the USA unless it specifies "from corn" in parentheses. I think that is your culprit.

nope it's backwards, Modified food starch in the USA is always corn unless it is specified otherwise

[Fiddle-Faddle]

"Stocking A Gluten-Free Pantry

Gluten is hidden in many unsuspecting foods such as licorice, soy sauce, malt vinegar, some flavorings, most processed foods, self-basting turkeys, some cold cuts, and many prepared stocks and soups. Vinegars and alcohols that are properly distilled should not contain any harmful gluten. However, if additives have been added after the distillation process, they may contain gluten. Gluten is also used as a binder in some pharmaceutical products and can be the starch in unidentified food starch, modified food starch, caramel coloring, hydrolyzed plant or vegetable protein."

Hi, Nini, we cross-posted! We need to check with the manufacturer's, because if what you say is correct (and you usually are) I don't think they follow THAT labelling law correctly. Every time I have called to check on a modified food starch in a label, it WAS from wheat, or else they didn't know. I have recently seen labels that said, "modified food starch (from corn)" but I haven't seen any that specified that it was wheat or contained gluten.

[Guest nini]

American Celiac Disease Alliance

Food Labeling (FALCPA) Fact Sheet

November 2005

With the widespread support of the celiac community, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer

Protection Act (FALPCA) became law in August 2004. This new law requires manufacturers to provide

more information about the ingredients used to make their food products, by specifying the presence of

allergens on the product label. These important food labeling changes will go into effect on January 1, 2006.

The American Celiac Disease Alliance, (formerly the American Celiac Task Force) is a coalition of support,

research and industry organizations that formed in 2003 to specifically work for the passage of the food

labeling law. We understand that you may have many questions about the new food labels and what they

mean for you as a person with celiac disease (or a parent of a child with celiac disease). We hope this fact

sheet will answer many of your questions and prepare you for the exciting changes ahead!

How Can I Determine if A

Product Is Gluten-Free?

Step 1

Is wheat in the ingredients list or is

it listed in an allergen statement

beneath the ingredients list?

If Yes, Stop! This product is not

gluten-free.

If No, Proceed to Step 2.

Step 2:

Read the ingredients list. Is there

Barley, Rye or Malt listed?*

If Yes, Stop! This product is not

gluten-free.

If No, This product is glutenfree

and safe to eat.

* People with celiac disease are advised

to consult with their physician about

including oats in their diet.

How Will Food Labels Change in 2006?

Many large manufacturers have already

implemented the changes that are required

by the new law, so you’ve probably seen

the new food labeling system in action.

Specifically, the law requires that food

statements must list in plain language,

what, if any, of the eight main food

allergens (milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish,

shellfish, soy, and wheat) are contained in a

product. In addition, allergens are to be

listed if they are secondary ingredients in

the spices, natural or artificial flavorings,

additives, and colorings in a product.

What About Labeling a Product Gluten-Free?

This important law also asks the Secretary of Health and

Human Services to establish rules to guide manufacturers

who choose to voluntarily label their products gluten-free.

This aspect of the law requires the government to establish

a standard for what constitutes a gluten-free product. It is

then up to the individual manufacturers to demonstrate that

their company meets the standard, if they want to have a

gluten-free designation on their product label. (This

standard must be established by 2008.)

What About Cross-Contamination?

The law also requires the FDA to examine how best to

address the problem of unintentional contamination and

cross-contact of foods, and determine the best way to

inform consumers with food allergies about the risk of cross contamination.

Will All Food Products Have Allergens

Listed as of January 1, 2006?

The law requires that products manufactured

after January 1, 2006, have allergens

declared on the label. It will take time,

perhaps up to a year, for store inventory to

be replaced by items bearing the new label.

Will Restaurants and Cafeterias Have the Same

Labeling on the Food Products They Purchase?

Yes. However, restaurants and cafeterias will have to

develop procedures for using this information as they

prepare food for their customers, in addition to

minimizing cross-contamination and considering menu

listings.

Shouldn’t I just call the manufacturer, to be sure?

If you have questions about manufacturing practices that could result in cross-contamination, a call to the food

manufacturer may be helpful. However, the food company is likely to refer you to its own product label if you are

calling about an ingredient. Please remember that this new labeling system is a legal requirement, and companies

have to declare allergens like wheat in main ingredients as well as colorings, flavorings and spices. Gluten-free

consumers have been using this system for Kraft, Con-Agra and Unilever products for more than a year, with great

success.

© American Celiac Disease Alliance 2005

[Guest cassidy]

the salad dressing is supposed to be gluten-free as are the chips- they were both on a 'safe' list. maybe it was cc issue with the chips. I had real bacon- gluten free on the label. the Gruyere did have enzymes listed on the label- maybe its the cheese?

the dip is a kraft dip- which i thought would be clear if there was wheat in it- it does have MSG and Modified Food Starch and the Mono- and Diglycerides (sp?) which i thought all were safe because of being made here in USA...

this is gonna be harder than i thought

thanks guys!

Kraft doesn't hide gluten so the MFS in a Kraft product does not contain gluten. If it did it would say something like MSF from wheat, which I have never seen. MSG bothers a lot of people even if it didn't bother them before, I would watch out for that and see if you see a pattern. There is a list of companies that don't hide gluten. I trust their labels however I call about MSF and natural flavoring other stuff if it isn't from one of those companies. I don't know if I'm being overly cautious or not.

The cheese would probably be ok if you can tolerate dairy. My vote is for the cc from the chips.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Nini, I love your avatar!

I still say that many food manufacturers are NOT complying with this law.

Today I happened to go to a different Giant Eagle grocery store than I usually go to. I have bought tuna salad from the deli counter at my usual store, and they have shown me the ingredients, which are gluten free (they make it themselves at the store).

I don't know what angel on my shoulder was telling me to ask for ingredients of the tuna salad, but I did. Turns out, this Giant Eagle does NOT make their own tuna salad, they use a premade one that comes in a large plastic tub--which listed bread crumbs in the ingredients.

There was no bolded allergen statement on the bottom, and I very nearly missed the bread crumbs at the end of the ingredient list because it was so tiny. And, obviously, it was manufactured after 1/1/06!!

I just checked my fridge for dips. I have a couple of Helluva Good dips (LOVE that name!), and they contain "modified CORN starch." I wish they would all label that clearly...