"made On Equipment Shared With Wheat"

[mardigan]

Do I have to assume that any product carrying this label is contaminated with gluten? What if there is a qualifying statement about the efforts made to avoid contamination?

Thanks,

Lisa

[Jenny (AZ via TX)]

Everyone is different on this question. There was another thread about this not too long ago.

I will eat something that is made in the same facility that also has wheat, rye, barley or oats. I will not eat something that is manufactured on the same line or equipment as wheat, rye, barley or oats.

Just because it is made on the same equipment as wheat does not mean it has gluten. I just don't want to take the risk.

[psawyer]

No, do not assume it is contaminated. There is a *risk* of contamination that you must assess before making your decision, which will be a personal one that is right for *you*.

Before you reject the product, here are some things to consider.

The equipment should be cleaned between product runs. What type of product are we looking at? How much wheat is contained the other products likely run on the same line? If it is a bakery, wheat flour is the main ingredient in many baked goods. If we are talking about salad dressing, and one formula, say creamy ranch, contains small amounts of wheat, well, maybe that is different.

Is your own house completely gluten-free? If not, do you have two sets of dishes, and two dishwashers, stoves, and sinks? If not, then you have shared equipment in your kitchen. Of course, you do wash carefully.

Do you ever eat in a restaurant that also serves food with gluten (almost all do)? If so, then their dishes, cookware and cutlery are shared equipment. They wash between uses, too.

I accept most products made in a facility that also processes wheat, but am more discriminating about shared equipment, based on the type of product involved. I eat in selected restaurants, and until recently my wife ate foods containing gluten, storing them in a segregated area of the kitchen, but using common dishes and cutlery. The dishwasher is very effective at cleaning things.

So, think about those things, but in the end, you decide what is right for you.