Natural Flavors Dangerous?!

[4wildberries]

Hi there. We (myself, hubby and 2 kids) were all diagnosed in 2005 through a mixture of Prometheus labs and Enterolab with the DNA. These last 4 years have been rough, to say the least, because we have no support groups or anything in our small town and our learning of the gluten free diet has been rocky and frought with constant contamination

My question for anybody today is "Have you found natural flavors to be dangerous?" My kids have been eating some Fruit Island Fruit Leathers, some of which have "natural flavors". Well, a few days into this---they have their typical MAJOR gluten dose symptom of a horrendous bloody nose! I mean SOOO bad---we were almost ready to take our daughter to the ER last night Their website claims that the flavors are all gluten-free----but if they are in an wheat grain alcohol base---even thought it is gluten free---I am assuming this could cause such a horrible reaction. Is there anybody else out there who is as incredibly, ridiculously sensitive as we are who can't eat things that other gluten-free Celiac's can?????

I did some research on natural flavors today and found out they are not only horrible, but probably worse than artificial because of the chemicals required to make them.

[cruelshoes]

Natural flavors can most certainly be a source of gluten. If it contains wheat, it must be declared by law. The same is not true for barley, rye or oats.

Distilled alcohols and vinegars are rendered gluten-free in their processing, but some people report that they are sensitive to them nonetheless. It may be that your family is like that. It doesn't take long on these discussion boards to learn that there is at least one person out there that reacts to every food ingredient.

Are you asking about Stretch Island products? If so, we have consumed both their fruit leathers and Fruitabu products with no reaction. I would consider my son and I to be very sensitive. Here is what their website says:

Open Original Shared Link

Q: I have a gluten intolerance (celiac disease). Can I eat Stretch Island Original Fruit Leathers and FruitaB

[4wildberries]

Yes---the brand is Stretch Island. Yep---I read their website today. But what I got from it is that the flavors are more than likely in an alcohol base---gluten free as it may be, we still react Fortunately, not all of the flavors have natural flavors----it seems the apple and cherry were the reactive ones for my kids.