How Careful Do You Have To Be About Cc?

[Jayde]

How big of an issue is cross contamination in manufacturing plants? Do I have to worry that a seemingly gluten-free food such as rice, honey, jam, nuts, etc.. may have been cross contaminated during production? Does every food that does not say "gluten-free" on the label have to be questioned or can some food be eaten freely if there are no questionable ingredients on the label?

[LDJofDenver]

I'm sure it depends on the manufacturer, as well as the type(s) of products being produced on a line.

Personallly, I used to just go for it and eat things that were labelled gluten free, even if they did have the warning "processed on equipment that also processes wheat, etc...." on it. However, I've been bitten a few times with some of those product choices.

Now I only buy the ones that say processed on shared equipment but they batch test for gluten, etc. Have had no problems since choosing the more strict protocol manufacturers.

It's a bit of a crap shoot. I just chose the safer option.

[damboyz1]

awsome question i was just gonna post this. i bought some food thats gluten free but says shared on equipment that process wheat etc. i guess il finish it but now try an buy food from a source who striclky serves celiac disease. i bought some stuff from trader joes where they say they have good safety measures. but so far most of the products ive been finding all are shared on equipment.

[darlindeb25]

Some people are much more sensitive than others. Yet, in my opinion, those of us whom are much more sensitive, are far better off. We will not touch the products listed as gluten free, which do still contain ppm (parts per million) of gluten. I also feel, just because you can eat those products, it does not necessarily mean you are not doing damage when you eat them.

Years ago, I had Cracker Jack Quaker Rice Cakes. Little did I know, there were 2 different types of Cracker Jack Rice Cakes, one containing barley. I read the ingredients once, and was fine...I never noticed the difference in them. My sister told me to check the package, and sure enough, I was eating the ones with barley, and was not feeling any effects from it...but, was I doing damage? Probably.

We always need to be on guard, and can never feel safe with a product, so safe that we stop reading the ingredients. Companies change ingredients often.

Powdered sugar is an example. It was being made with cornstarch, then corn became a more expensive commodity when it became a fuel, so some of the companies went back to wheatstarch in the powdered sugar, and many of us didn't know it at first. My sister is a dietician, and found her GFS powdered sugar contained wheat again.

Always read.