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Undeclared Wheat In Locally Made Product. What To Do?

ThatlldoGyp

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ThatlldoGyp Rookie
ThatlldoGyp
Posted

Think I posted in wrong topic, group, but I'm trying again!

I was at al small, organic local food shop buying gifts today. I picked up a marinade and read the label, and there was soy sauce listed in the ingredients as being "100% organic and GMO free". I asked them if the soy sauce had wheat, and after some investigation it was revealed that it did have wheat in it. Now here is the rub....

Over a year ago, I had received one of their products as part of a gift package. I called them to verify that the soy sauce did not have wheat. It did back then as well... I warned them (over a year ago) that they had undeclared wheat in their product, and that was unacceptabe and dangerous and soon to be illegal. I told them that they would basically be setting themselves up for a law suit should anyone consume it and get injured. They assured me that they would take care of it, and declare wheat in their products that had soy.. I believed them, especially so since I had actually worked in the harvest shop about 5-6 years ago!

Today I went back, thinking it would be safe, and wouldn't you know it, they had NOT changed their label to declare wheat or their soy sauce (to make it wheat free). I was LIVID!!! You must understand that this company prides itself on being a local, organic, non-gmo maker and supplier of gourmet, natural, and "safe" organic foods. All I could think about was how they totally blew off my warning, and put those of us who are intolerant, sensitive, and allergic at risk!!

How much time and money can it take to get a stamp that says, "contains wheat" for goodness sakes!!!

I ended up speaking sternly to the poor shop workers, about it all, then warned them that I planned to follow through this time to ensure that the conform to allergy labeling laws. I am thinking about offering to help them re-write the labels/ conform to the allegy labeling laws. I don't want to burn bridges and do something positive about it, but I am certainly not going to let it slide this time!!

What have you all done when confronted with incomplete ingredient labeling issues??

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

I can understand your frustration. I don't have an answer for you, but this link may offer some direction:

Open Original Shared Link

ThatlldoGyp Rookie
ThatlldoGyp
Posted
  • Author

Hi and thanks for your reply!

I sent them the link to the FDA allergy labeling and even sent them information on cross contamination issues, etc. and extended an offer to help them get their label issues under control. I do think you can catch more flies with honey, but I am finding first you have to get their attention in a very serious manner so the honey looks more attractive, lol!

I am trying to be as proactive as I can, although I was pretty mad yesterday morning! I think they are going to take me up on helping them get the labeling correct, and I have plenty of contacts at the local university (it has a food science dept.) that should be willing to double check my suggestions to make sure I am not leading them down a wrong path!

I think it is important for all of us to "make some noise" when there are safety issues at hand, especially when not doing so can cause harm to ourselves and others. I just wish people would "do the right thing" about labeling just for the sake of doing the right thing, not because some law or law suit is potentially breathing down their neck!! I suppose that is being "PollyAnna" about it though.

The worst part is that I really KNOW these people, and I felt that I could trust that they would make the changes to keep their company as risk free as possible and their customers safe. It just goes to reinforce that there is nothing more important than educating yourself and checking and double checking those labels!!

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

This is a huge problem in the food industry. See the posts in here about the Chicago Tribune article and Wellshire farm foods. The FDA doesn't seem to want to do anything. There really needs to be a government agency that tests gluten free foods and comes down on companies that have gluten in gluten free foods. We need to write our Senators or something.

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