Testing Results

[ShayFL]

Yes, I did. And I am not the unbranded range animal kind.

Main Entry:

1mav

[ShayFL]

Umm...do you guys know a different definition of "maverick"? Is it some secret code for something bad? I only know the above definitions.

[Lisa]

At this point in the elections, it feels good to laugh.

[jerseyangel]

Hee! Tomorrow can't come soon enough for me.....and I love following it all.....but.....

[Rachel--24]

Shay,

I'm very happy to say that I'm also a maverick.

an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party

a person who thinks independently, a lone dissenter, a non-conformist or rebel.

Yup...I got a mind all my own.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the experiment plays out!

[ShayFL]

I just got the little expensive buggers. November is my busiest month of the year. I have 2 commissions to complete by Friday. Plus finish a book for my book club this Saturday morning. So I am planning on conducting the experiment this weekend when I will have no distractions. And you need to focus. It isnt an easy test. And it takes way more time than 10 minutes. These things are about as practical as carrying a coal burning stove with you while hiking to keep warm.

First you have to make sure your hands are clean and your work area is clean and free of debris. Then you have to mash the food into a fine powder or paste. Then you put 1 level tsp into the extraction solution. Then you have to shake it for 2 full minutes. Then it has to sit and "settle" for 5 minutes. Then you have to take 10 drops with the pipette to put into the test tube. Then you put the strip in and sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Finally you can read the results. Total time is anywhere from 18 - 22 minutes depending on how much work is needed to mash the food up.

You can get an invalid result. That will really irk me considering how pricey they are. I know I wont make any mistakes, so it better work!

[mftnchn]

Mike, I really appreciate your posting this. I also appreciate the skepticism and your willingness to do another test, Shay. I have been wishing for something like this. Mike, your experience with the orange peel was shocking; I knew about the possibility of problems with strawberries.

While I agree that one can stick to whole foods (which I am pretty much) there are situations where I think this test availability will really help me:

First, I live in a country where labeling is not complete and not often accurate, plus no requirement to disclose gluten. I am trying my best to find safe foods, even safe whole foods. Personal care products I am mostly bringing from the USA but would like to find a gluten-free hand soap and there is no way to do that locally. Calling the company is not a possibility here.

Second, I have both celiac and lyme disease, so my symptomology gets confusing. I think I am highly sensitive to gluten but don't have a distinctive enough response to differentiate.

Third to confirm a suspected gluten source, or point to another source of intolerance (that may not be comfortable but not health threatening like gluten).

I wish it was far less expensive. Maybe if it works and enough of us are interested, they'll become more common and thus cheaper to produce.

[Mike M]

  mftnchn said:

Mike, I really appreciate your posting this. I also appreciate the skepticism and your willingness to do another test, Shay. I have been wishing for something like this.

Hello Mftnchn, It really is my pleasure to help, as mentioned before by me, I will never be able to repay all that post information on this website, it is has been a blessing. The Lord and they have helped me regain my health! Now I want to give a small bit back. I have the utmost confidence in the gluten test strip that ShaFl is testing and I am sure that soon, others will find this test to be one of the turning points for better quality of life for all of us. Starting to sound like a preacher or a salesman here, sorry, anyway, I counted up the items that have tested negative for gluten today and it is right at 230 items. now there is no way to say that these items will test negative every time as we all know ingredients/processing can change. Having said this, I think it is relatively safe to say we should be OK with these items. I have tested some more than once， like the Pamela's Pancake Mix.　

[Mike M]

  mftnchn said:

First, I live in a country where labeling is not complete and not often accurate, plus no requirement to disclose gluten. I am trying my best to find safe foods, even safe whole foods. Personal care products I am mostly bringing from the USA but would like to find a gluten-free hand soap and there is no way to do that locally. Calling the company is not a possibility here.

I wish it was far less expensive. Maybe if it works and enough of us are interested, they'll become more common and thus cheaper to produce.

Oh, The Pamela's has tested negative each time I have tested it. Elisa has hinted to me they do plan on getting the cost down on these strips once they start to recoup the development costs. This will help! You mentioned hand soap..... I have tested (tested negative) Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon hand soap. Also, I use Target Brand Foaming Hand Soap and Dawn Direct Foaming Dish Washing Soap, all tested negative. I use Dove Sensitive Skin bar soap and also Ivory Bar soap tests negative. Oil Of Olay Body Wash was negative and Amplify Hair Spray and Amplify Shampoo tested negative. Arm and Hammer Toothpaste Advanced White tested negative. I was supposed to wait for ShayFl to do her tests. Oh well, All the best, Mike

[ShayFL]

I should be able to report back by Saturday night.

[mftnchn]

Mike, thanks for the ideas. The problem is, I am overseas in Asia and none of those products are available. Local products list no ingredients and they cannot be traced by calling the company. That's why a testing option would be helpful for me.

Looking forward to your tests, Shay.

[dilettantesteph]

Wonderful information. I am sensitive and have a hard time figuring out what I am reacting to, and wondering if it is just cross contamination from my daughter who seems to be getting a bit more sloppy. The vinegar info is very helpful. I was already getting suspicious of vinegar based on my reacitons.

Mike, have you tested Franzia burgandy box wine? Can you tell me if you tested it, and if it was negative. Don't say anything about the results if it was positive and I can read between the lines. There is a huge liability issue for you and for the company providing the strips. We don't want them to not be able to sell them any more. I would say $25 is well worth not lying in bed for a week wanting to die.

[dilettantesteph]

I can see legal issues involved with posting test results. How about compiling a list and sending it out by e-mail to those who request it? I know it would be a lot of work, but invaluable to those who can't afford to do the tests themselves. Surely personal communication between private individuals can't invoke a lawsuit. They would still be able to sell the strips because companies are constantly changing their products. I guess you would still want to put a bunch of disclaimers on your e-mail, just in case.

[Lisa]

In reference to the current topic/discussion, grounds for a law suit can claim Libel only if the information is FALSE.

If you claim that a product does, in fact contain gluten, where as, it has always been tested not to contain gluten in a reputable quality controlled environment, a law suit can occur and the burden of proof remains with you.

Are main line corporations monitoring this site, doubtful.

But, I would encourage you, should you post brand named, known gluten free product, that you be 100% certain the manufacturers claims are false.

[ShayFL]

All I am testing is the accuracy of the test strips. Nothing else. At 63.00 for 4 test strips (cost, shipping and FL sales tax), with the possibility of sometimes getting an invalid result, thus needing retesting, I could not afford to use these all of the time. Not to mention they are COMPLETELY impractical for public use (which is the only time I would want something like this).

Naming name brands does not substantially affect me anymore because I am grainless and eat only whole foods that I prepare myself in my own gluten-free household. No commercially processed foods. Nevertheless, if I came across something with gluten in a name brand, I would post it in here. But most often the post is...."I reacted to such and such".....just like I was glutened.

I do not believe there will be a rash of people buying these and posting results in here. And I do not believe that manufacturers police this site. And also do not believe that any lawsuits would come of these tests.

[Lisa]

  Momma Goose said:

encourage you, should you

...is a general statement and is directed to no particular poster.

[Lisa]

Here is an interesting link pertaining to professional Gliadin Testing:

Open Original Shared Link

Gliadin (Gluten) Total

( Arrow Scientific )

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the RIDASCREEN

[Lisa16]

Mike M-- if you are still out there-- is there a way you could either post some of your results or provide a link to a place where you publish them? I would really like to know what you found. I am not a doubter. I got glutened from cranberry juice once. That just should not be.

Also, it seems to me, like if enough of us got together and tested some of the things we use everyday and shared our results, we could get quite a good database of hidden dangers (like the paper plates-- I bet it is in a glue or ink) and safe products. even if everybody on the forum just tested 5 things, it qould be the biggest database ever assembled of its type. And we could keep adding to it.

Personal care items are really an annoying biggie for me and I would like to nail some of those down.

Lisa

[Lisa]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to learn to read labels. Remember, your personal health is in your hands alone.

I truly don't mean to start an issue here, honestly. But, I am totally beside myself with the interest in this product.

Sure, maybe in theory it's an interesting idea. And perhaps someday, it can be used efficiently and cost wise for daily use. But not today, at those prices for a cumbersome in house experiment that is not guaranteed.

Some people may be sensitive to the residual grain in grain based distilled product, that does not mean that all vinegars and all alcohol is unsafe for celiacs to consume. No need to frighten people.

Read the labels, call the company and if you still get ill from a product, don't use it anymore. It's not that difficult. Life with Celiac is complicated enough, I see no reason to further complicate it.

With that said, I will TRY to exit from this thread.

[Mike M]

  Momma Goose said:

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to learn to read labels. Remember, your personal health is in your hands alone.

I truly don't mean to start an issue here, honestly. But, I am totally beside myself with the interest in this product.

Sure, maybe in theory it's an interesting idea. And perhaps someday, it can be used efficiently and cost wise for daily use. But not today, at those prices for a cumbersome in house experiment that is not guaranteed.

Some people may be sensitive to the residual grain in grain based distilled product, that does not mean that all vinegars and all alcohol is unsafe for celiacs to consume. No need to frighten people.

Read the labels, call the company and if you still get ill from a product, don't use it anymore. It's not that difficult. Life with Celiac is complicated enough, I see no reason to further complicate it.

With that said, I will TRY to exit from this thread.

I might be able to sum this up here. To those of us who are gluten sensitive (react relatively easily to small amounts of gluten is what I am saying) this test strip is irreplaceable in my opinion. I too go down for days (usually 5 days) when glutened. For example, I can test a large bag of Pancake Mix and it lasts a long long time for me. So, every time I eat pancakes, I have peace of mind. I find myself in situations as such that if I know I have a big day planned out or I know that I have a very important week with customers coming in to work, I make sure to eat only the known safe foods to avert a glutenning. You see, I know that these test strips are extremely accurate and here is why. I have joked that I could hire my body out (easy now.....not that way!) for gluten science. I react to 10 parts per million or less in some cases of gluten. I have confirmed this over and over and over. When I get a reaction, I go back and start testing and can pinpoint the cause with these test strips. As far as all alchohol unsafe not true according to my body and the test strip. I have tested and found all kinds of alcohol that shows no reaction with me and the gluten test strip confirms this. Chopin potato vodka is a prime example. I have tested this more than once, negative each time. Bards Tale Beer, good to go! Also tested it at least three times because I just could not believe it! SO many others had failed. Of course all of this is subject to the time of testing (had to put that in there). P.S. Have not tested the box wine...Sorry, If you send me a case I could find out! Just kidding! By the way, I rarely drink,I tested these for my brother in law. Mike

[ShayFL]

Im going to test mine tomorrow after my book club meeting. I will have free time then with no distractions.

If they are accurate, then I could see them being useful for people who are very sensitive and eat packaged foods. But you would have to test each new bag/jar/bottle if it has a different lot number.

If you buy a gallon of orange juice a week and have to test each new gallon, then you are paying 20.00 a gallon now for orange juice!! Same for the pancake mix. You are now paying nearly 30 dollars a bag!!

Maybe some can afford to do that, but I would just buy organic oranges, wash them and squeeze them myself.

[Lisa16]

For me this transcends reading the label. Peper plates have no label. Shampoo labels won't tell you if the tocopherol is from wheat and if there is gluten in there or not. Sometimes "natural ingredients" have gluten.

I have an idea. Mike seems to be worried about posting the negative results here-- I understand because I have posted email responses from companies and later worried about publishing them here.

Mike-- can you put a list out of the "safes" you have found so far? That way you are not hurting any company, but rather helping the ones that are gluten free.

Lisa

[ShayFL]

But Lisa only that one time, that one test, on that one package with that one lot number was safe. Any new bag/jar/bottle would need to be tested again.

[Mike M]

  Lisa16 said:

For me this transcends reading the label. Peper plates have no label. Shampoo labels won't tell you if the tocopherol is from wheat and if there is gluten in there or not. Sometimes "natural ingredients" have gluten.

I have an idea. Mike seems to be worried about posting the negative results here-- I understand because I have posted email responses from companies and later worried about publishing them here.

Mike-- can you put a list out of the "safes" you have found so far? That way you are not hurting any company, but rather helping the ones that are gluten free.

Lisa

Hi Lisa16, the plan is just that, post the results (only the negative for gluten tat the time of testing) to help take some of the guess work out of this.

We now have a tool to double check the makers of some of these products. I am awaiting the independent lab results of the gluten test strip that ShayFl will be doing before I begin posting findings. She has said she should have this finished soon. As far as the concern about it only being good for the item being tested just the one time, this will always be the case, just like when someone comes on here and says, I just called company XYZ and they said ABC is gluten free!!!! YEAH!!!! And there is nothing wrong with this approach as this is really all anyone could do in the past. Not anymore. I would rather go with the info that says, hey, I have tested this or that item and it tested (at the time of the test) negative for gluten at least down to 10 parts per million. Much better in my opinion.

I have retested many times the same product and have yet to find a positive result after it being negative. Seems to show consistency NOT to say this won't change. But it does give a bit of comfort knowing this. I also will say that I have an advantage in that my body gives really good results also. Kind of would not complain much if that part would go away! Does make for a good checks and balance system. All the best, Mike

[Mike M]

  Mike M said:

Hi Lisa16, the plan is just that, post the results (only the negative for gluten tat the time of testing) to help take some of the guess work out of this.

We now have a tool to double check the makers of some of these products. I am awaiting the independent lab results of the gluten test strip that ShayFl will be doing before I begin posting findings. She has said she should have this finished soon. As far as the concern about it only being good for the item being tested just the one time, this will always be the case, just like when someone comes on here and says, I just called company XYZ and they said ABC is gluten free!!!! YEAH!!!! And there is nothing wrong with this approach as this is really all anyone could do in the past. Not anymore. I would rather go with the info that says, hey, I have tested this or that item and it tested (at the time of the test) negative for gluten at least down to 10 parts per million. Much better in my opinion.

I have retested many times the same product and have yet to find a positive result after it being negative. Seems to show consistency NOT to say this won't change. But it does give a bit of comfort knowing this. I also will say that I have an advantage in that my body gives really good results also. Kind of would not complain much if that part would go away! Does make for a good checks and balance system. All the best, Mike

Retested the same product (new batch, different lot number) is what should have been said......Mike