One Of The Top 10 Hated Responses From

[debmidge]

RE: Does this product contain gluten?

Other than the "we cannot guarantee" statement issued by manufacturers I hate when they respond by throwing the problem back at you by telling you that you have to check with your doctor or with a dietian.

How in heaven's name would an MD or dietian know if the product is gluten free as these people don't make the product: YOU DO! That's what I'd like to say back to them. The manufacturer has the care, custody and control of their product, don't they? Or, are you telling me that you don't know what's in your own product? If so, then you should fire your Quality Control person.....

[Mtndog]

That makes NO sense at all...like your doctor is going to know!

[blueeyedmanda]

I second Mtndog's response on that...sometimes the MD's don't even know which is end up....

[2kids4me]

I did ask our dietician about this - and she reminded me that responses are often run by legal departments these days... they can only label something gluten free or make claims that it is safe for gluten free diets if they do all the assays required to have the label "gluten free".

Because there are numerous food intolerance /allergy issues they use "cover our a**" responses so they dont make someone sick. ....thus the suggestion to check with your doctor. When it comes to someone with a medical condition, believe it or not - someone at a food company saying : "this is fine for a celiac" would be accused of giving medical advice and for that the person would be fired.

If they dont have a dedicated gluten free facility - even if the particular product has NO gluten, they cannot legally claim the product is free from cc during packaging. Same with soy, dairy, nuts etc.

They "throw it back at us" because it is ultimately our responsibiltiy for our health and what we eat. yes it would make it easier if a manufacturer could tells us "it does not contain gluten", but in the day and age of lawsuits...they take the legal depts advice, at least that is what I have gathered, and what I understand to be the case.

Yes it makes my job more taxing when I shop for food but I am grateful that celiac can be treated by diet alone and I stick with gluten free products labeled as such or those naturally gluten free.

Sandy

[debmidge]

Even if we ask our MDs or dietians in the end we still aren't sure about the product. I can't be "responsible for my health" if I am being kept out of the loop.

I am finding that the GLUTEN FREE labeling is being removed on products which were formerly known as gluten-free. It is confusing because it leaves one wondering if the product was re-formulated....remember, they don't have to state if there's rye, oat or barley in it: just wheat.

[tarnalberry]

I think it helps to be clear with the company in what you're looking for - really, it's production details - and clear about what is reasonable (your doctor's review of their production process isn't). And, at the end of the day, they have every right to 'refuse us service', annoying as it may be. Gotta love what lawsuits have brought us to.