How Can This Be?

[2boysmama]

I looked at a bag of chips not too long ago (sorry, I don't remember the name of them). On the label it said "gluten free", but on the ingredients list one of the first ingredients was OAT FLOUR. I know that oats in and of themselves don't contain glutens, but I found it scary this product was labeled gluten free, when it seems most celiacs avoid oats because of the cc.

[buffettbride]

Wow. That is scary!

Thankfully your label-reading persona kicked in to double check the label (what a shame we have to do that anyway).

There's no way I'd buy something with oat flour, contaminated oats or not. Just too risky.

[mommyagain]

A lot of companies are starting to use the FDA CODEX standards that say that a Gluten-Free label may be applied to anything that has less than 20ppm gluten. So, even if the oats are contaminated, the overall gluten level in the chips is less than 20ppm. I am convinced that the new labeling is actually going to make it harder for celiacs to shop, rather than easier, especially those of us who react to very small amounts of gluten. Do a search for CODEX on this site and you'll find a LOT of folks who agree!

Bottom line, you still have to read the ingredients, even if it says gluten free!

[2boysmama]

A lot of companies are starting to use the FDA CODEX standards that say that a Gluten-Free label may be applied to anything that has less than 20ppm gluten. So, even if the oats are contaminated, the overall gluten level in the chips is less than 20ppm. I am convinced that the new labeling is actually going to make it harder for celiacs to shop, rather than easier, especially those of us who react to very small amounts of gluten. Do a search for CODEX on this site and you'll find a LOT of folks who agree!

Bottom line, you still have to read the ingredients, even if it says gluten free!

Jeeze, that IS scary. I don't seem to be all that sensitive (as far as I can tell anyway), but my husband is.

Being gluten-free is hard enough without contending with that kind of nonsense!!

[kbtoyssni]

Even though the oats may not be contaminated, a majority of celiacs still consider oats themselves to contain gluten. So has the FDA decided that oats are gluten-free now? I'd be really mad if they did because it makes the new labeling completely useless.

[blueeyedmanda]

Even though the oats may not be contaminated, a majority of celiacs still consider oats themselves to contain gluten. So has the FDA decided that oats are gluten-free now? I'd be really mad if they did because it makes the new labeling completely useless.

Yes it will. I am afraid of the new labeling...it is starting to sound like a headache already.