Kraft And Quaker Products

[Youdah]

I just called Kraft to ask what was in their "modified food starch," specifically for Miracle Whip. According to them, it contains corn, potato or tapioca, but not wheat or gluten. They also said that if any of their products contain gluten, they will list it in parentheses on the label; for example: modified food starch (rye). According to them, if any of the ingredients do NOT show gluten on the label, then it does not contain gluten, because they list any ingredients that are known to cause intolerances or allergies including soy, nuts, eggs, etc. They said that if they use anything with gluten, it is listed on the label. BUT, the product may not meet the FDA's requirements of "gluten free" to put "gluten free" on the label. I guess it's a product by product thing with Kraft.

I also called Quaker to find out if their rice cakes contained gluten specifically in the ingredients of "caramel coloring," "maltodextrin," and "natural flavoring." They were unable to tell me WHAT these ingredients contained, gluten or otherwise. I have problems with a company who can't tell me what is in their ingredient list. They did say, though, that none of the rice cakes would meet the requirements for a "gluten free" diet, so I think I have to assume the rice cakes contain gluten.

If anyone has experience, or reactions, to any of these products, please post...to save me a reaction.

Thanks!

[Takala]

I have reacted in the past to Miracle Whip, I do not know why, I just do not eat it anymore and it's been several years. I understand that Kraft is not intentionally trying to gluten anybody. Other people do not react. I take regular mayonnaise and add sweetener and cider vinegar to approximate the taste if I want some. Corn, potato, or tapioca in the modified food starch? Now that's interesting. I know I'm okay with corn and potato, I seem to bloat a little bit with tapioca sometimes but never have a full scale reaction. I was guessing it was the grain used in the vinegar that was the culprit, altho I have had multiple reactions to mystery "modified" food starch enough I try to avoid it. Would love to know if they get any of it from Asia.

I have read here and elsewhere about people having reactions to Quaker Rice Cakes and I wouldn't even be tempted to try one. Use Lundberg rice cakes, which are marked "gluten free."

[Youdah]

According to the Federal Register (4-1-96) 21 CFR, Ch1, Section 184.1444, the FDA requires that all maltodextrin that is manufactured in the USA contain potato, corn or tapioca. No wheat. The kicker is that some companies import their maltodextrin from asia...and asia uses wheat to make maltodextrin. Since the asian maltodextrin is not manufactured in the USA, it can go into foods that are prepared in the USA and still conform to the FDA and so have wheat in it.

Unless I've recently called the company, I'm avoiding all maltodextrin simply because on a moment's notice, some corporate bean-counter who can get maltodextrin cheaper in asia will change their source, and suddenly you get wheat from something that did not cause problems before.

I had about 2 tablespoons of Miracle Whip for lunch...so far so good. I can "feel" the gluten now when I accidentally get it. So, I think it's clear. BUT, the peanut butter I had last night definitely wasn't...and according to the label, it contained only peanuts, sugar and soybean oil.

I'll check out other kinds of rice cakes. It's amazing to me that I can buy something, like cheese or rice or beans or peanut butter, and they are manufactured to have wheat in them...why would anyone put wheat with a rice cake, or wheat in a cheese product? Absolutely insane!

[brigala]

why would anyone put wheat with a rice cake, or wheat in a cheese product? Absolutely insane!

Because it's cheap.

I agree. It's insane. It never occurred to me that someone would put wheat in clam chowder, either, until I started the gluten-free diet. And to think that for years I actually thought you had to stew clam chowder to get the potato starch to thicken it up. I could have saved so much time (and lost so much flavor and texture) if I'd just added flour to it!

-Elizabeth

[Lisa]

According to the Federal Register (4-1-96) 21 CFR, Ch1, Section 184.1444, the FDA requires that all maltodextrin that is manufactured in the USA contain potato, corn or tapioca.

The FDA law requires that all imported products be labeled with the 8 top allergens as well. Unless you're dealing with a backroom foreign store, maltodextrin should not be an issue in the US.

Open Original Shared Link

Here is a good link to keep handy:

Open Original Shared Link

[Youdah]

Thanks for that link!

I have a list that I take to the grocery store of additives and problems with ingredients. I love new lists!

[MaryJones2]

This is also helpful when shopping for Kraft products: Open Original Shared Link

[Youdah]

I was impressed with Kraft when I called them. That page on their website clearly showing what their ingredients mean, just put KRAFT at the top of my shopping list. Thanks for the link!

[Lisa]

Yup, Kraft is one of the good guys! I like to support them when ever I am able. Happy Shopping

[lovegrov]

"Unless I've recently called the company, I'm avoiding all maltodextrin simply because on a moment's notice, some corporate bean-counter who can get maltodextrin cheaper in asia will change their source, and suddenly you get wheat from something that did not cause problems before."

As pointed out, it doesn't matter where an ingredient is made, if you sell it in the U.S. it MUST comply with U.S. law. So any maltodextrin with wheat would have to say so.

richard

[Takala]

"Unless I've recently called the company, I'm avoiding all maltodextrin simply because on a moment's notice, some corporate bean-counter who can get maltodextrin cheaper in asia will change their source, and suddenly you get wheat from something that did not cause problems before."

As pointed out, it doesn't matter where an ingredient is made, if you sell it in the U.S. it MUST comply with U.S. law. So any maltodextrin with wheat would have to say so.

richard

______________

BUT, the weak link is the inspection of the manufacturing and importation process.

It has been demonstrated time and time again by all these past and ongoing food recalls that there are holes in the system because ingredients can be manufactured in foreign countries where there are problems with contamination or adulteration, and then imported into this country, not have every batch inspected as to purity, and get passed along the distributor's line to the unknowing manufacturer. This also happens in this country, witness the current problem with salmonella in peanuts that went thru that huge plant in Georgia, which caused a massive recall of so many processed foods and even plain peanuts. And now there's a huge pistachio product recall going on.

Look at how huge this FDA recall list is (includes other items besides nuts...)

FDA Recalls Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts

Open Original Shared Link

FDA recall list for medical drugs, devices, otc nutritionals, cosmetics

Open Original Shared Link

These products do not get recalled (and the manufacturer does the recalls on a voluntary basis after public image pressure is applied combined with basic fear of legal action ) until a problem is noticed at the consuming end and results in a sickness or fatality (whoops!) and then the consumer makes a complaint to the FDA, and the FDA then sees if there is a pattern of other complaints for the product, and contacts the manufacturer and suggests that they test their product. There is no law that says manufacturers must disclose what COUNTRY or producer an ingredient originally was sourced from, only that if the ingredient was used here in the US, and it knowingly contains one of the top allergens, it must be disclosed.

[Lisa]

Well, in a not so perfect world, we can only do our best.

If you don't feel comfortable with products from a shared facility, choose something else. If you are not certain about a foreigh product or one that's manufactured overseas, there may be many other product to choose.

There are very little assurances that everything we come into contact with will be 100% gluten free. We can only do our best.