If Oats Can Be Cc'ed In The Field And Factory, Why Can't Soy?

[StacyA]

I understand the oats concern about possible cross contamination in the field and processing plants, but why isn't this a concern with soy? We have a few acres that a farmer uses for crops. Over the winter he had winter wheat growing, and this summer he has soybeans growing. I know there are times part of the previous crop pops up ('volunteers') - so I'm sure there's winter wheat right now mixed in with the soy. He also rotates in field corn - but those stalks are so much taller than the wheat, so I'm not as concerned about that during harvest. I'm in Ohio, and I'm sure crop rotation here is similar to other areas of the nation. Is there a difference in harvesting that minimizes the risk?

[Lisa]

I would think it possible. But with wheat and oats, the processing would be similar with grain vs. grain.

Soy is a bean and contained in a hull until processed.. Processing would differ from grains.

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[holiday16]

I believe it can, but at such low levels that for many it is not an issue. I take a soy protein supplement that I was fine with and then had some where I reacted. Because of that I began testing by lot number and found that some have small levels of gluten. I had one where the level was barely detectable (probably about 5 ppm if I had to guess) and if I take that every day I will have a full blown reaction after about 3 weeks (which includes tremors and trigeminal neuralgia). It appears to build up. If I take the one that tests around 5 ppm no more than twice a week I'm fine. I have been in contact with the company and it does appear that the cross contamination would most likely be taking place before it comes to the company and given they don't test each batch for gluten (and certainly not at 5 ppm levels) it's not likely to be caught.

I also live in Ohio and talked with a farmer here. In their opinion the way things are done he said he would be shocked if there was not cross contamination. He was telling me how he and his brother used to haul loads and said you would be amazed at what gets mixed in with grains. He said his brother used to say nothing cleans out metal shavings out of a truck like a load of corn. Great huh?

Basically it comes down to how well is the foreign material removed. I would compare it to when you get dry beans and have to check for the small rocks because the cleaning process is not 100%. You don't find many, but there are still a small amount.

In the big picture I think unless you are consuming a significant amount of soy every day it's probably not a big deal.

[tarnalberry]

my understanding that the biggest reasons that oats are considered a potential problem is:

1) oats and wheat are more commonly grown in the same field than wheat and other grains

2) oats and wheat are very similar once harvested, and difficult to separate. I suspect that legumes, being a significantly different size, is less of a problem.

of course, that's not to say that it *couldn't* be a problem for a particular person from a particular source, I'm talking in some significant generalities, but they are still generalities.

[darlindeb25]

All grains have the same potential for CC, not just oats. Soy can be CC'd just the same. Often times, a person will think when they have tummy upset, or other symptoms, it just can't be what they ate because it didn't contain gluten, it was soy, or corn. Any grain grown on a farm has the potential for CC. That's why so many of us who are super sensitive, can't eat any grains.

When a farmer grows a grain, be it wheat, soy, corn, navy beans...they use the same fields over and over, they use the same equipment to harvest all of the grains, sometimes with different heads, yet the same hoppers. The wagons they haul the grains in, or trucks, have hauled all the grains. Farmers do not wash out the hoppers, nor the wagons, or trucks. The potential is there for CC.

[Lisa]

It looks like 20ppm might be the standard level of gluten considered safe for people with Celiac to consume. I can't imagine that any cross contamination through processing could exceed that limit.

I wouldn't give it a second thought, unless you have an on going problem of an unknown source. Many people here do have issues with soy as an additional intolerance.

None of the Research or Celiac Associations have ever issued a concern, to my knowledge.

[darlindeb25]

The problem with 20ppm being the standard amount of gluten that is safe, is it isn't safe for everyone, may not be safe for any of us for that matter. I react at 5ppm and less of gluten...saying 5ppm because they can not test any lower than 5ppm.

Many of the labeled "gluten free" foods do contain 20ppm of gluten. Some of us definitely react to this amount...that's why Patti, Steph, I and others can't eat many of the gluten free foods. Stacy, you may be one of us. Just eliminate those foods for a time, and see what happens. If you want, try the tomato sauce again, and see what happens.

Good luck.