Are Puffins Cereal gluten-free? And gluten-free Questions.

[yumyummum]

I am totally new to this. If I product does not contain "wheat" does that make it gluten-free?

I am wondering about Barbara's Puffins Cereal Original.

Here are the ingredients:

Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Bran Flour, Molasses (Unsulfured), Oat Flour, Expeller Pressed High Oleic Oil (Canola and/or Sunflower), Salt, Baking Soda, Vitamin E (Natural), Vitamin C

On the website it says only the Rice Puffins are gluten-free. Could someone please educate me on what makes this product NOT gluten-free? Is it just that it is processed on a wheat machine? Or are there ingredients that should be avoided.

THANKS!

[psawyer]

Oat flour, unless specially grown and processed, is not considered to be gluten-free.

[yumyummum]

Thank you very much, Peter. I appreciate it.

[Youdah]

Some say oats are OK, some say it isn't. If you're new to being gluten-free, I'd avoid oats...then when you are well healed and feeling OK, try oats and see if you can handle it. Some can, some can't.

[brigala]

I am totally new to this. If I product does not contain "wheat" does that make it gluten-free?

Absolutely not!

This is a very good question coming from a newbie. I'm really glad you asked.

As an example, I was reading the package label for some granola bars at a friend's house today. The box stated "Wheat Free" prominently on the front (these were a Barbara's Bakery brand product). Not only did the granola bar contain oats, which are questionable for Celiacs, it also contained barley which is an absolute no-no.

I am among the majority of gluten-sensitive people who tolerate oats just fine. Even so, I now choose to avoid oats unless they are certified gluten-free. There is a significant minority of Celiacs who cannot tolerate oats even if they are gluten-free. There are two issues with oats: cross-contamination, and a similarity between oat protein and gluten. Almost all oats in the U.S. are contaminated with wheat, some a little, and some a whole lot. Using gluten-free oats avoids the cross-contamination issue, but if your immune system responds to "oat gluten" in the same way as it does to wheat/rye/barley gluten, then even gluten-free oats won't work out for you.

I am not sensitive enough to cross-contamination that I've felt symptoms from eating even "regular" oats, but eating them still risks damage to my intestines and so I choose to avoid them anyway. Like Youdah recommended, I think it's a good idea to consider oats "forbidden" until you've got yourself all healed up; then you can try some gluten-free oats and see how they work for you.

[happygirl]

Gluten free = no wheat, rye, barley, barley malt, and regular oats.

Welcome to the board!

[Ed-G]

I am totally new to this. If I product does not contain "wheat" does that make it gluten-free?

I am wondering about Barbara's Puffins Cereal Original.

Here are the ingredients:

Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Bran Flour, Molasses (Unsulfured), Oat Flour, Expeller Pressed High Oleic Oil (Canola and/or Sunflower), Salt, Baking Soda, Vitamin E (Natural), Vitamin C

On the website it says only the Rice Puffins are gluten-free. Could someone please educate me on what makes this product NOT gluten-free? Is it just that it is processed on a wheat machine? Or are there ingredients that should be avoided.

THANKS!

Their honey rice cereal is gluten free, but the others are most definitely not because of the oat flour, which is a magnet for cross contamination.

Ed in MD

[SBisglutenfree]

Puffins Peanut Butter cereal gave me D immediately after eating it. I tried it a few times because I really liked it and wanted to be sure it was the cereal - and it was. Bummer. I'd stay away from it.

[ikerumba]

I recently ate a large bowl of Puffins Cereal at night and had the the worst stomach, inner thigh, and pubic area itches all night long. Benadryl didn't help much as all.

Also, the next day I could not function at work. I felt drowsy all day long with symptoms of burnout and low blood sugar.

[GFMM88]

Just got this promising response from Barbara's Bakery (which makes Puffins), although I don't know that I'd feel safe trying even their gluten-free varieties if not made on dedicated equipment, Also, has anyone tried the Honey Rice Puffins she mentions below as having all gluten-free ingredients, or is the consensus to stay away from all Puffins as they are made on facilities shared with wheat products?

"Thank you for contacting Barbara's Bakery about making more of our products Gluten Free. We are considering this very seriously and have added a new Puffins cereal which is gluten free called Puffins Multigrain that will be on the store shelves soon. In the future we hope to expand our product line to include more gluten free products.

Below is our list of products made with Gluten Free Ingredients. This information can also be found on our Web site at www.BarbarasBakery.com, click on Healthy Lifestyles, select Special Diets from the menu on the upper left corner of the page.

You are correct that the problem with oat products is not the grain but rather the harvesting & manufacturing processes. When oats are processed in the same facilities as wheat, a common practice in the U.S., contamination can occur even with the best cleaning protocol. Although more grain millers are producing gluten free oats, they are still very limited in availability. Because of the risk, even though slight, of cross contamination, Barbara's does not consider any of its products that contain oats to be gluten free.

Because we don't test for gluten and do not manufacture in gluten free environments, we cannot guarantee that there is no cross contamination from gluten containing grains in these products.

MADE WITH GLUTEN FREE INGREDIENTS:

Honey Rice Puffins Cereal

Brown Rice Crisps, Organic

Cheese Puff Bakes, White Cheddar

Corn Flakes, Organic

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail Barbara's Bakery. We hope this information helps you out with your dietary needs.

Regards,

Kathy Zorn

Technical Services Coordinator

Weetabix North America

Barbara