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Glutened By Starbucks?

leadmeastray88

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leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted

I was doing a Starbucks run a few nights ago on my way to my boyfriend's house, and decided to pick a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I've been going there for a long time, and looking at the other latte ingredients I thought this one would probably be safe.

I think I was wrong. About an hour later my stomach starting hurting really bad and then the gas came and I spent a while in the loo. We were going to see The Dark Knight at IMAX with some friends, so I went anyway despite feeling so crappy. I FELL ASLEEP! Who falls asleep during The Dark Knight???

I called the Starbucks hotline and the only likely culprit seems to be the caramel color. I thought caramel color was okay in Canada and the U.S.?

Just wanted to give everyone else a heads up, or if anyone else knows something I don't please let me know! :)

-Kim

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

You're right, caramel color in the US is no longer considered an issue for Celiacs. Could it have been some cross contamination?

Hope you feel better soon. :(

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

I heard elsewhere that one can get CC at Starbucks. Due to making some things that have gluten in them and not cleaning it all out. ?? Was it here? Might be worth investigating.

Bea

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

Here's the old post I just found. It seems CC at Starbucks can be avoided, but you have to ask them to clean the pitchers more thoroughly.

By the way, how is it that the Caramel coloring is safe? I was reacting to soap with it in it.

Bea

PS--here's the old post--I think it was just from this summer:

"I'm a former District Manage for Starbucks & I wanted to warn everyone about a new gluten cross-contamination danger in any steamed beverage. Any steamed drink you get now is potentially cross contaminated from the protein powder used in lattes, which are produced on shared equipment as wheat containing ingredients. This is also the case with frozen beverages since they rolled out the new Vivanno Nourishing blends. Protein powder is the main ingredient in this drink, and they are not prepared with special pitchers. Since the pitchers are only briefly rinsed after each drink is prepared, every frozen beverage can be cross-contaminated. To avoid this, don't get a frapp that has vanilla bean powder, mocha chips, or protein powder, and ask the barista to get a new sanitized pitcher from the back.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to avoid getting sick from steamed drinks since the Protein Latte rollout unless the barista assures me that there haven't been any protein powder lattes made that morning. I have tried to ask them to blow out the steam wand for 20 seconds, and wipe it off using a fresh sanitized wiping towel, but because the protein powder is so thick, it has still made me sick.

Another possible reason is the syrups. I just recently found out that some coloring and flavors of syrup may contain gluten. I have an email out to my contacts at Starbucks to try and find out the answer to this question. Does anybody know of gluten dangers here? sad.gif"

Mother of Jibril Enthusiast
Mother of Jibril
Posted

There was a recent thread about the new Vivanno protein drinks and CC problems.

ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

I believe someone else got hammered by the Pumpkin Spice.

leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for all your responses.

Momma-

I can't pinpoint if there was another possibility that I had gotten glutened during the day, I never eat out and only make my own food. Starbucks is pretty much the only place I go to buy anything I consume and it's always the same thing and I've never had a problem until now.

Bea-

As for the caramel coloring, I don't remember where I read it but I read that it is safe if it was made in Canada and the U.S. You're still having problems?

Shay-

Interesting. Although I don't know what else would have caused the reaction other than the caramel coloring, and if thats safe, I'm stumped <_<

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Pyro Enthusiast
Pyro
Posted

I got beat to hell and back by the pumpkin spice too. It was from another coffee shop but I think Starbucks uses Torani in their blend. Their website claims that the pumpkin spice is safe, but I went STRAIGHT TO HELL after that latte. :lol:

leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted
  • Author
I got beat to hell and back by the pumpkin spice too. It was from another coffee shop but I think Starbucks uses Torani in their blend. Their website claims that the pumpkin spice is safe, but I went STRAIGHT TO HELL after that latte. :lol:

:lol: Ohh boy! Well thats exactly the way I felt too so I guess I'll take it from you to not take that chance ever again!

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted
.

By the way, how is it that the Caramel coloring is safe? I was reacting to soap with it in it.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsaf...ents/Page1.html

Scroll down to the bottom of this link. It indicates that caramel color in the US is generally safe. It also states that caramel color must comply with US FDA labeling rules (not to include barley malt)

So my conclusion would be that it is not likely, but possible that caramel color in the US could contain gluten. My rule of thumb is to get two sources of confirmation regarding a gluten status of a product.

I believe there is a listing of Starbuck Products around here somewhere. I would agree that seasonal product would be suspect.

EDIT:

Here we go: Open Original Shared Link

Not gluten-free:

Any frappachino with "chips" (Java Chip or Chocolate Chip)

Cafe Vanilla Frappachino and Vanilla Bean Cream Frappachino. These both contain the Vanilla Bean Powder, which is produced in an area that also produces gluten-containing items. The uncontaminated Vanilla Bean Powder would be gluten-free, according to the rep.

Eggnog drinks These are only on the menu during the holiday season. They may or may not be gluten-free, depending on the local suppliers.

All other beverages are gluten free (as long as they don't have any of the "chips").

Note: Although Starbucks routinely rinses pitchers after each drink is made, the customer service representative said gluten-free customers can request that the pitcher go through a sanitizer before their drink is made

Guest Mommy2aiden
Guest Mommy2aiden
Posted

I work at starbucks, and i can say it was most likely from the steam wands. we wipes them off after each use but we dont scrub them or anything. also the spoons, ect. Or it could just be that it was to much sugar, there is SO much in that latte, the pumpkin spice is one of our worst

leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted
  • Author
Here we go: Open Original Shared Link

Not gluten-free:

Any frappachino with "chips" (Java Chip or Chocolate Chip)

Cafe Vanilla Frappachino and Vanilla Bean Cream Frappachino. These both contain the Vanilla Bean Powder, which is produced in an area that also produces gluten-containing items. The uncontaminated Vanilla Bean Powder would be gluten-free, according to the rep.

Eggnog drinks These are only on the menu during the holiday season. They may or may not be gluten-free, depending on the local suppliers.

All other beverages are gluten free (as long as they don't have any of the "chips").

Note: Although Starbucks routinely rinses pitchers after each drink is made, the customer service representative said gluten-free customers can request that the pitcher go through a sanitizer before their drink is made

Thanks so much for this info - so helpful!

I work at starbucks, and i can say it was most likely from the steam wands. we wipes them off after each use but we dont scrub them or anything. also the spoons, ect. Or it could just be that it was to much sugar, there is SO much in that latte, the pumpkin spice is one of our worst

Is it possible to request to sanitize the steam wands? This is good info coming from someone who works there!! :)

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

My opinion is that it was a matter of cross contamination. The caramel color would be fine.

I frequent Starbucks--I don't eat at restaurants, but I like to go there, order tea and have a gluten-free snack bar. (My husband always orders a snack along with his coffee)

I got sick once, drinking only plain tea--I surmised that the barista had most likely touched a baked good before handling my tea bag. Since then, I order my tea still in the individual packaging and have not had another problem.

I would think that a more complicated beverage would have an even greater chance of being cross contaminated.

Swimmr Contributor
Swimmr
Posted
I was doing a Starbucks run a few nights ago on my way to my boyfriend's house, and decided to pick a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I've been going there for a long time, and looking at the other latte ingredients I thought this one would probably be safe.

I think I was wrong. About an hour later my stomach starting hurting really bad and then the gas came and I spent a while in the loo. We were going to see The Dark Knight at IMAX with some friends, so I went anyway despite feeling so crappy. I FELL ASLEEP! Who falls asleep during The Dark Knight???

I called the Starbucks hotline and the only likely culprit seems to be the caramel color. I thought caramel color was okay in Canada and the U.S.?

Just wanted to give everyone else a heads up, or if anyone else knows something I don't please let me know! :)

-Kim

Oh man, I was drinking these like an addiction before I found out that I'm intolerant to wheat and gluten. I just quit drinking mixed coffees all-together to eliminate things I can't have. I just make my own at home and put cool whip in it. Cool whip is w and gluten-free :) As far as I know anyways.

those are soooooo good too.

Bummer.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted
Thanks so much for this info - so helpful!

Is it possible to request to sanitize the steam wands? This is good info coming from someone who works there!! :)

I have a small commercial machine and I have to take the wand apart to completely sanitize it. The wands on the machines at Starbucks are very similar and I can't imagine they could do that during the day because it's pretty time consuming and you have to scrub the pieces to get the gunk off that collects between the parts. The pipe stays pretty clean if you run steam through it and wipe it when your finished but it's the stuff that collects in the cracks that concerns me. I have dairy and soy issues too so I don't order anything but black coffee at Starbucks now because I don't trust the wand.

dandelionmom Enthusiast
dandelionmom
Posted

I've had the pumpkin spice latte on a couple of occasions this fall and have been fine. I'm worried about the cc issues though and probably won't get them very often.

kim:) Apprentice
kim:)
Posted
I was doing a Starbucks run a few nights ago on my way to my boyfriend's house, and decided to pick a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I've been going there for a long time, and looking at the other latte ingredients I thought this one would probably be safe.

I think I was wrong. About an hour later my stomach starting hurting really bad and then the gas came and I spent a while in the loo. We were going to see The Dark Knight at IMAX with some friends, so I went anyway despite feeling so crappy. I FELL ASLEEP! Who falls asleep during The Dark Knight???

I called the Starbucks hotline and the only likely culprit seems to be the caramel color. I thought caramel color was okay in Canada and the U.S.?

Just wanted to give everyone else a heads up, or if anyone else knows something I don't please let me know! :)

-Kim

Ah man! It sounded good too! Thanks for the warning though!! I am sorry about getting sick. (my name is kim to!)

leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted
  • Author
Ah man! It sounded good too! Thanks for the warning though!! I am sorry about getting sick. (my name is kim to!)

Nice to meet you! :)

Jenny (AZ via TX) Enthusiast
Jenny (AZ via TX)
Posted

I'm so sorry you got sick, especially when you think you are drinking a safe food. I just started drinking lattes again - tummy couldn't handle it at first and it wasn't just the milk, the coffee bothered me. Now I have to give it up again!

I guess I'll just make my own at home, but it would be nice to be able to grab one when I'm out. Not worth the risk right now.

Sweetfudge Community Regular
Sweetfudge
Posted

here is another great looking recipe: Open Original Shared Link

i was planning on giving this one a try :) i quit going to starbucks a few months ago because i got sick about 50% of the time <_<

leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted
  • Author
here is another great looking recipe: Open Original Shared Link

i was planning on giving this one a try :) i quit going to starbucks a few months ago because i got sick about 50% of the time <_<

That's so great! Thanks! :)

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