Rice Dream

[jasonD2]

is Rice dream safe for people sensitive to dairy, soy and gluten? there are no ingredients but its is made on shared equipment...is it safe?

[celiacgirls]

I have found that if it has a statement about cc that we react to it. I've recently read that that statement means there is a real possibility of cc. We use Pacific almond milk or sometimes rice milk.

[jerseyangel]

The problem with Rice Dream is that it is processed with barley--a grain that Celiacs have to avoid. The new labeling laws allow them to state that it's gluten-free, but the ingredients have not changed, so it's still unsafe for Celiacs.

Pacific Foods makes a good Rice and Vanilla Rice Milk--those are the ones I use along with their Almond Milks.

[jasonD2]

oh i'm referring to the Rice Dream ice creams

also, the rice dream that is not vitamin fortified is gluten-free - the one w/ vitamins has 0.02% barley gluten

[jasonD2]

im confused- i have been using the Classic Rice Dream milk cause its says gluten free on it and have been avoiding the enriched cause its says it contains barley protein, but now people are saying all the products have gluten. is this true?

[cruelshoes]

See Open Original Shared Link.

[Sugarmag]

I've contacted Rice Dream a few times about this, regarding the ice cream, and milk. They have newer testing equipment now, that can detect even the smallest amount of gluten in it. If the test shows there is ANY gluten in it, it WILL be marked on the package. That's why some of them will say "gluten free and contains less than 0.002%barley" or whatever. So, if it is not marked on the package, it is safe. (each and every single batch is tested, and then the containers would be marked after testing.) I've been using the Vanilla Hazelnut milk for a while now, with no problems. It does not say it contains any gluten, so I think it is safe for me anyways.

As for the ice cream, some do contain soy lecithin. I can not tolerate any soy lecithin at all. The one I like is the Rice Dream Carob Almond, gluten-free, sf, cf. Hope this helps!

[Juliebove]

I've contacted Rice Dream a few times about this, regarding the ice cream, and milk. They have newer testing equipment now, that can detect even the smallest amount of gluten in it. If the test shows there is ANY gluten in it, it WILL be marked on the package. That's why some of them will say "gluten free and contains less than 0.002%barley" or whatever. So, if it is not marked on the package, it is safe. (each and every single batch is tested, and then the containers would be marked after testing.) I've been using the Vanilla Hazelnut milk for a while now, with no problems. It does not say it contains any gluten, so I think it is safe for me anyways.

As for the ice cream, some do contain soy lecithin. I can not tolerate any soy lecithin at all. The one I like is the Rice Dream Carob Almond, gluten-free, sf, cf. Hope this helps!

I will never again buy this stuff. I vowed never to do it and I caved in when my daughter begged for it. She wanted the single serve boxes for her lunch.

I bought one 3-pack. Saw no gluten warnings. She drank it. She was fine. She wanted more. I bought 3 more 3-packs. Wish I hadn't. I didn't notice the warnings that said less then 0.002% gluten from barley on there. Put one in the fridge and the other 2 in the garage.

Yesterday, I was getting something out of the garage and saw the warning on one of the packages. I said to her, "I hate to tell you this, but..." And sure enough, she had consumed a little carton of it just prior. She said she felt fine, but as the day went on, things got bad.

A couple of hours before bed, she became very cranky and irriitable. Said she was sleepy and didn't want to take her bath. I had a hard time getting her to bathe and she collapsed in bed right after that. All night, I listened to her having gas. It was really loud. Then at about 6 a.m., she said she thought she was going to puke. She never did that, but did make several trips to the bathroom. I had to keep her home from school and it's a good thing I did. She didn't quite make it to the toilet one time.

So that settles it. No more Rice Dream for us in any form. I just wish one of the other brands would make up single serve packages. They are sooo much more convenient for us. If I open a large carton I almost always throw half of it out because it spoils before we can use it all.

[Sugarmag]

I will never again buy this stuff. I vowed never to do it and I caved in when my daughter begged for it. She wanted the single serve boxes for her lunch.

I bought one 3-pack. Saw no gluten warnings. She drank it. She was fine. She wanted more. I bought 3 more 3-packs. Wish I hadn't. I didn't notice the warnings that said less then 0.002% gluten from barley on there. Put one in the fridge and the other 2 in the garage.

Yesterday, I was getting something out of the garage and saw the warning on one of the packages. I said to her, "I hate to tell you this, but..." And sure enough, she had consumed a little carton of it just prior. She said she felt fine, but as the day went on, things got bad.

A couple of hours before bed, she became very cranky and irriitable. Said she was sleepy and didn't want to take her bath. I had a hard time getting her to bathe and she collapsed in bed right after that. All night, I listened to her having gas. It was really loud. Then at about 6 a.m., she said she thought she was going to puke. She never did that, but did make several trips to the bathroom. I had to keep her home from school and it's a good thing I did. She didn't quite make it to the toilet one time.

So that settles it. No more Rice Dream for us in any form. I just wish one of the other brands would make up single serve packages. They are sooo much more convenient for us. If I open a large carton I almost always throw half of it out because it spoils before we can use it all.

Sorry that you had this problem. That's why I always check each and every time I purchase it, just to be safe. I guess it's just second nature to me now. Hopefully other brands will make single serving milks. As long as the statement about having less than 0.002% isn't on there, it should be safe for her, but after your ordeal, I understand not wanting to try.

[Juliebove]

Sorry that you had this problem. That's why I always check each and every time I purchase it, just to be safe. I guess it's just second nature to me now. Hopefully other brands will make single serving milks. As long as the statement about having less than 0.002% isn't on there, it should be safe for her, but after your ordeal, I understand not wanting to try.

The thing is, I DID check it and so did she. The warning just wasn't in the place where I expected it to be and the lettering was such that it blended right in with the rest of the wording. The same thing happened to me before they changed their formula. I gave her the stuff a couple of times before seeing the gluten statement. Back then, she was still detoxing from all the other allergens so I think it had less of an effect on her since she was already not feeling well.

[jerseyangel]

I finally got this email from them--

Dear Ms.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding our Rice Dream Beverage. We apologize for the delay in our reply and appreciate your patience. We strive to maintain the highest quality products and we appreciate your patronage.

We use a barley enzyme in the rice processing of the product to bring out the natural sugars, it is then discarded. The product is tested after each production run and it is tested to be gluten free. We now have a gluten free label on the front of the box.

Thank you for your continued support. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-434-4246, Monday through Friday from 7AM - 5PM Mountain Time.

Sincerely,

Lynda

Consumer Relations Representative

~~~~

[confused]

I have been drinking it lately and have no problems whats so ever and i react to an crumb. I always make sure i find ones with the gluten free label tho, cause i have seen some without the gluten free label. I also get the organic one.

paula

[Joni63]

I want to change from soy milk to rice or almond. My mom was in the grocery store today and told me she saw Rice Dream. So if I read the package carefully and there is no statement about barley, it should be safe to drink? Where is this label on the carton?

[sickchick]

I bought one of those little portable ice cream makers so I can make my own ice creams (using the almond milk & things I am craving, like pumpkin lol) and after I experiment I will post some gluten free "ice cream" recipes!

MMM wish me luck

lovelove

[ravenwoodglass]

I finally got this email from them--

Dear Ms.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding our Rice Dream Beverage. We apologize for the delay in our reply and appreciate your patience. We strive to maintain the highest quality products and we appreciate your patronage.

We use a barley enzyme in the rice processing of the product to bring out the natural sugars, it is then discarded. The product is tested after each production run and it is tested to be gluten free. We now have a gluten free label on the front of the box.

Thank you for your continued support. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-434-4246, Monday through Friday from 7AM - 5PM Mountain Time.

Sincerely,

Lynda

Consumer Relations Representative

~~~~

Thanks for posting this. After reading this I personally will not touch this product. It is great that this now 'tests' at a level that the powers that be have decided to deem safe for us all. This also has allowed them to feel fine about taking the barley warning off the box and slapping a gluten free label on it.

I do wish companies would let us make a risk assessment for ourselves and just list all the gluten ingredients clearly. They can certainly continue to put 'gluten free' on the box if the FDA allows it but don't hide risky ingredients or processing procedures.

Not all have the same degree of sensitivity, due IMHO to the extreme degree of illness many of us have to be at before celiac is looked for. Heaven forbid we should be diagnosed before damage is so severe that we are so intensely sensitive after diagnosis.

[Joni63]

I guess the response confused me. So...what they are saying is if it tests .002 percent barley, it will be labeled as gluten free because that is what the law allows?

How are we ever going to figure out which products to trust from here on out? I bet there will be so many new products labeled gluten free that won't actually be 0% gluten.

[tarnalberry]

How are we ever going to figure out which products to trust from here on out? I bet there will be so many new products labeled gluten free that won't actually be 0% gluten.

This is a discussion we've had here a number of times. The law has to take into consideration practical, real-world limitations on testing. Testing equipment cannot test down to literally 0 gluten, because instrumentation is neither that sensitive, nor can you have an infinitely large sample size. So, they have to set a "small enough" basis. What is "good enough" to be zero. It'd one everywhere in the world that deals with calculated numbers, because that's the practical reality of the situation.

Figuring out what is "close enough" to zero is the hard, and in this case, controversial, part. There are tests that support the 20ppm figure for the majority of the population, and the cost-benefit analysis when it comes to testing food products appears to fall in the positive.

Is that going to make everyone happy? No. Should more testing be done? Almost certainly yes. Are we ever going to see a law that says "absolutely zero"? No, because it is not a practical reality.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I can see that the definition of "gluten free" has to be practical.

But it seems to me that the label, in addition to saying "gluten free" if the product is below so many ppm, could also mention whether the product contains any gluten-type ingredients (even if in very small/trace amounts), for the benefit of any extra-sensitive individuals.

Unfortunately, this is unlikely to happen (except for those wonderful companies that specifically cater to the gluten-free community), for two reasons: First, an ingredient that was derived from corn or potatoes yesterday could be derived from wheat or barley tomorrow, due to the manufacturer switching suppliers, or the suppliers switching raw ingredients. And second, the list of gluten trace ingredients would scare off some people who would otherwise have taken the "gluten free" label at face value, and would have bought the product for that reason.

On the other hand, if a company's "gluten free" products get the reputation of causing reactions, some people will be scared to buy *any* of their products, even those that happen to be, in fact, gluten free. The question is, would the company lose more business than they had gained by not pointing out their gluten ingredients?