Perturbed Over Natural Flavors

[Guest ~wAvE WeT sAnD~]

Hi everyone!

I've been seeing MANY labels with "natural flavors" on them and was wondering, should I start calling companies and making sure?

Thanks!

ps. I licked an envelope yesterday by accident!!!

[lovegrov]

Unless it's a company that will clearly list gluten in the ingredients, yes.

richard

[sunnygirl]

wait should I not be licking envelopes?

[lovegrov]

Until recently word had been that the glue on envelopes did or at least COULD contain wheat. People told stories of being glutened when they forgot.

Recently, however, somebody on the St. John's list posted these:

POST 1 -- According to the Envelope Manufacturers Association, located in Alexandria, VA., there are only a few glue manufacturers. The lady that I spoke with there said she happened to have a medical background and knew about celiac. She said the ingredients in the glue used on envelopes was made with modified corn, potato or tapioca starch. She told me to call the National Starch & Chemical headquarters in N.J. and they could verify what she said.

I called them and they switched me to the Adhesive Division, Technical Support who told me that they only use corn and tapioca in the adhesives. She then offerred to send me the letter which I posted earlier today on this list.

I happen to own a printing company and buy skids of envelopes to print and thought I could find out if the glue had gluten in it. There are only a few paper manufacturers in the US. Mainly International Paper, Georgia Pacific, Alco. They buy their adhesives from National Starch & Chemical. The paper is sold to distributors who sell it under different labels, but it all comes from about 3-4 manufacturers.

I am celiac, also, and very sensitive to gluten, therefore, would not want to ingest even the slightest bit. I feel certain with the information that I was given today, that the glue is gluten free.

POST 2 -- I contacted the National Starch & Chemical Company's headquarters in N.J. this morning to find out what is in the glue on envelopes since there has been so much mixed information about it having gluten in it.

I spoke with several people who all said they use corn starch and tapioca. They offered to email me this letter.

Food Products Division 10 Finderne Avenue P.O. Box 6500 Bridgewater, New Jersey 08807-0500 908-685-5000

June 15, 2004

WACSSG

Attn: Juanita Ohanian

Re: Allergens

Following is information regarding gluten in food and pharmaceutical starches which we supply and the subject of Celiac disease.

The food and pharmaceutical starch products we supply are refined from dent corn, waxy corn or tapioca. Celiac disease is an allergic reaction to certain amino acids found in the protein of wheat and rye flours (wheat gluten). Wheat and rye flours have a protein content ranging from 5% to 14%. The food starches that we supply typically have a protein content of less than 0.5%. Most of the protein content of corn and tapioca is removed in the refining process and is sold as a by-product.

In addition to the low amount of protein present in corn and tapioca starch, the types of amino acids are not identical with those found in wheat or rye flours. Therefore, they are not associated with Celiac disease."

It appears there is a good chance, although I guess not an absolute certainty, that envelopes in the U.S. at least do not have wheat in the glue.

richard