Gluten In Food

[Guest 123123]

Do you find that most manufacturers do know - for a fact - if their food/medication has any gluten? I'm suspecting some places I call really don't know. How do you handle that? Thanks

[lovegrov]

I think most if not all know whether or not their products are supposed to be gluten-free. I don't think they always know whether some ingredients are sometimes contmaninated. Few places actually test for gluten content and the ones that do test probalby don't test every single batch.

richard

[Alexolua]

I'm suspecting some places I call really don't know. How do you handle that?

If you call them, and no one can tell you for sure, or you get a sense they have no clue.. then my opinion is don't buy their product, since it may not be safe.

[catfish]

I also think that many times companies will tell you it is not safe because they don't know for sure or can't guarantee it. It is easier to say "No" than to actually go to the trouble of finding out or insuring that they are. That way they have no responsibility in case they are wrong- better safe than sorry. It's all about liability.

[tarnalberry]

There was a study done a while ago that showed 25% of those commercially available foods that were labeled gluten-free or otherwise were reported to be gluten-free (including per the ingredients) had detectable amounts of gluten in them.

Just one more reason why I cook from scratch. ;-)

[Guest gillian502]

I call the manufacturers of almost every product that I eat, and every med. that I take, not once but at least 3 times. More then once I have been given differing answers, particularly about medication. I am told by one customer service person it is gluten-free, then when I call again to double check, I am told it does not contain gluten but may be cross-contaminated, then another person will tell me the real answer, which is that a company will say their product is gluten-free only because they do not ADD the gluten to it themselves, but their suppliers may have shipped the product to them with gluten already in it! So ask many times, get several opinions, and don't expect the first answer you're given to be the right one. It rarely is.