I Just Licked And Envelope

[no-more-muffins]

I licked a Mead envelop and thought, "OH CRAP!". I hope it doesn't make me sick. I don't know tons about hidden gluten in products. Does anyone know if they still use gluten on envelopes? (Please, no.)

[KathiSharpe]

I don't know about Mead envelopes specifically, but when I was gluten-free before I occasionally got sick off envelopes and didn't realize for a while what was happening. I did off stamps too, but I don't think they make lick-em-stick-em stamps anymore do they? Then I went back to eating gluten and got a HORRIBLE paper cut on my tongue. I'll never lick another envelope...

You can buy a 49-cent envelope licker bottle (it's a little bottle with a sponge on top, looks vaguely like a bingo dotter), or the peel+stick envelopes.

[larry mac]

Wasn't that a Katy Perry song? "I licked a stamp". Oh no, that was "I kissed a tramp".

But seriously folks, I licked an envelope earlier, 'cause it was my mortgage payment. Otherwise, I use the peel and seal kind. Don't think I've ever gotten sick though.

best regards, lm

[Gemini]

I licked a Mead envelop and thought, "OH CRAP!". I hope it doesn't make me sick. I don't know tons about hidden gluten in products. Does anyone know if they still use gluten on envelopes? (Please, no.)

No, relax, you will not get sick! According to every book and referenced article I have ever read on envelopes and gluten, it's another myth that wheat is used in the glue. Corn is the grain of choice these days for many items and I believe that is what is used in envelopes. You may want to buy a few books on Celiac Disease

and read up on things like this because there is a lot of wrong information out there on the internet regarding "hidden" gluten. It really isn't as hidden as many think

and with the labeling laws we have right now, on a food product, if wheat is in there, it has to be listed.

I would make sure that whatever envelopes you do buy, are made here in the US. Cheaper alternatives from China or other countries may use different products in their production and you cannot verify if those products are gluten-free. I've never had any problems with good quality envelopes bought in the US but having said that, I can no longer lick envelopes as I have Sjogren's Syndrome and don't have enough saliva to do so! When I found out that you could buy a stick of glue to seal them, I went to that system as it was far less painful for me. However, I have licked envelopes in the recent past and never had a problem from them at all.

[lovegrov]

No.

richard

[KathiSharpe]

I would make sure that whatever envelopes you do buy, are made here in the US. Cheaper alternatives from China or other countries may use different products in their production and you cannot verify if those products are gluten-free.

I just checked my envelopes. I've used the same brand for years (Ampad, the latin name for which is El Cheapo Walmarto), so there's a pretty good chance they're the ones that made me sick before. They are made in Mexico.

Another good reason to only buy American made, perhaps?

[Gemini]

I just checked my envelopes. I've used the same brand for years (Ampad, the latin name for which is El Cheapo Walmarto), so there's a pretty good chance they're the ones that made me sick before. They are made in Mexico.

Another good reason to only buy American made, perhaps?

That could very well be the problem. There are no controls over foreign made products so the odds of a random glutening happening go way up if anything is ingested which doesn't fall under American standards. Even foreign made gluten-free foods can be different from their American counterparts. They allow a higher gluten content than we do. I think it's all changing as the EU is now creating guidelines that fall more into line with ours here....under 20ppm.

I think 80% of what Walmart sells is made in China....I do not shop at Walmart. Not to say people shouldn't shop there but they should check all labels of food products and non-food products that may end up being ingested.

[no-more-muffins]

I think the one I liked was mead brand, although I do have el cheapo Walmarto ampad ones as well. I am glad I licked the US brand. I won't be making that mistake again. I just rarely send letters anymore.

[lovegrov]

"Even foreign made gluten-free foods can be different from their American counterparts. They allow a higher gluten content than we do. I think it's all changing as the EU is now creating guidelines that fall more into line with ours here....under 20ppm."

Wrong. We don't have a gluten-free threshold. ALL wheat must be listed in the U.S. and cannot be declared gluten-free at this point.

richard

[larry mac]

Have we gotten off track here? Somehow we went from envelopes to food. I doubt if they have to declare wheat on non-food items.

best regards, lm

[Gemini]

"Even foreign made gluten-free foods can be different from their American counterparts. They allow a higher gluten content than we do. I think it's all changing as the EU is now creating guidelines that fall more into line with ours here....under 20ppm."

Wrong. We don't have a gluten-free threshold. ALL wheat must be listed in the U.S. and cannot be declared gluten-free at this point.

richard

Technically you may be correct, Richard, but any manufacturer in the US who sells a gluten free labeled product tests to 20 ppm...or at least that is what I was told when contacting manufacturers. If they didn't do that, there would be no way of knowing how much gluten, if any, are in their products. They would also be incredibly stupid to market something labeled gluten-free in the US and not have any clue if there is CC or higher levels that would make people sick. Yes, all wheat must be listed but explain to me what cannot be declared gluten free?

Europeans allow up to 200 ppm, as of now, and also may use wheat starch in their products, which is not considered gluten-free here in the States. I know because I have traveled many times to Europe and do not eat their bread products and many other items because of this fact. It's how I travel well and don't get sick and it's worked well for me. The EU are now developing standards and they looked to the one generally used here in the States.....20 ppm. Just because the FDA hasn't become involved yet and officially blessed and put a law into effect doesn't mean there aren't guidelines already in use.

[Gemini]

Have we gotten off track here? Somehow we went from envelopes to food. I doubt if they have to declare wheat on non-food items.

best regards, lm

No, you are correct...I do not think wheat has to be declared on non-food items. Like I said, the vast majority of US manufacturers do not use wheat in non-food products. I think they have been paying attention and from what I have learned, corn is the grain of choice. I think corn is cheaper than wheat anyway but I'm not 100% sure on that one.

[Juliebove]

I honestly don't know. I never let my daughter lick them, just in case. But...

There was a time some months ago when I was mailing out a bunch of stuff. I can't remember now if it was Christmas cards or pictures or what. The envelopes I normally buy have that strip that you remove so they don't need to be licked. Whatever these were, they needed to be licked.

Then I realized I needed to test my blood sugar. I'm diabetic. I hadn't eaten anything, so I didn't bother to wash my hands. I once had a high reading from some pear juice that was on my husband's hands. He was cutting up a pear and touched my hand as I was testing. So I know food can affect the reading.

I was shocked at my high reading! Then I realized that the envelopes tasted sweet. So I washed my hands, retested and got a normal number. So whatever they put in the glue must have some carbs in it.