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Please Point Me To An Online Gf Letter ...

kactuskandee

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kactuskandee Apprentice
kactuskandee
Posted

Hi,

I'm sure there is one, and maybe even on this site, but I can't find a form letter you can send to food/drug manufactures online asking if certain products/ingredients they produce are gluten-free or not. I've written some and just came right out and asked if a product was gluten free, which obviously is not enough. Some answer me back, some don't and I suspect it is because they need more specifics.

Thank you so much in advance if you have a link,

Kandee

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lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

I simply ask if the product has wheat, rye, barley, or oats. It doesn't need to be more complicated than that unless you also don't eat products made in a facility or on a line that has gluten products. And the all you'd do is add that question. Also, I'd call when possible.

Some comapnies don't answer no matter how many specifics you give or how many times you ask. Don't spend your money with them

richard

angel-jd1 Community Regular
angel-jd1
Posted

Here is a letter that I use sometimes, I found it somewhere and changed a few things in it:

Madam/Sir,

I have Celiac Disease and am unable to eat foods with gluten in them.

Gluten can be found in wheat, rye, barley and oats and their

byproducts. Celiacs do not have problems with corn, rice, tapioca or

potatoes. Can you list for me foods that you make which are gluten

free? Things to look out for and consider are foods containing any

kind of:

whole grain wheat, rye, barley or oats

regular flour (white, unbleached or whole wheat)

rye flour

oats or oat flour

malt

I also need to be concerned about ingredients which may have a

variety of sources, like:

modified food starch (can your supply come from wheat, rye, barley or

oats?)

natural flavors (if HVP is included it may come from toxic grains)

spices (which often use flour as an anti-caking agent without listing

the flour)

vinegar (if its source is one of the forbidden grains, we prefer to

avoid it)

alcohol (same as vinegar)

caramel coloring

Finally, another concern is the environment in which the food is

manufactured and packaged. We need to know if a food is produced on

the same line as any other item which contains any of the above

problem foods, since even trace amounts of gluten damage a celiac's

body, and cross-contamination would be an issue in this situation.

Thank you in advance for your careful research of these issues, and I

look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Sometimes I just use this:

Dear ______________

I was wanting to know if your products contain gluten? Thank you for your time and careful research.

-_____________

The first letter seems too long, I seem to get better responses from something short and to the point. Hope it helps you out.

-Jessica :rolleyes:

kactuskandee Apprentice
kactuskandee
Posted
  • Author

Yes Jessica, That is an enormous help. Just what I was looking for...A keeper for sure. Thank you so much..

My newest item I bought was Sassafras tea (instant) sassafrastea.com -and it listed carmel and natural flavorings. I wondered how to go about asking them about these. Is all carmel gluten based, or does it depend on the source as with "natural flavors"? (confused)

I see what you mean about taking the KISS (keep it simple stupid) approach, and sometimes that is the best way..

Thanks for the advise richard and Jessica...

Kandee

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Caramel color in the U.S. is in fact always gluten-free. Many people no longer consider it anything to be concerned about. You definitely need to check on natural flavors, although that is almost always gluten-free. If you can, I'd just call their toll-free number and ask. If the company isn't cooperative, find another brand.

richard

celiac3270 Collaborator
celiac3270
Posted

Yes--I find that the simpler the letter the better. The only thing I say besides is it gluten-free is that it's really important for me to know because I have celiac disease or because I have a dietary restriction, etc. This way they don't take it lightly, though I wouldn't expect they'd give me wrong information.

The people there, I would expect, just type "gluten" into a database and find something on it--they don't go through the ingredients and investigate into what the modified food starch is made of--so I prefer to keep it simple. I agree :)

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