Wal-mart Great Value Brand

[thack]

I have recently been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and am trying to learn how to read labels. The Wal-Mart Great Value brand pizza sauce clearly states that it is naturally gluten-free food. However, below the ingredients there is an alergy warning that says it may contain wheat. Which am I to believe? I was under the impression that, by law, if the label read gluten-free, then it HAD to be. Why the alergy disclaimer?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Tom

[Lynayah]

Good post!

From what I understand, "Naturally gluten-free" means that there "may" be no gluten in the ingredients. It does not mean that the product is manufactured in a facility that is free of gluten.

Wal-Mart clearly states "gluten-free" on products that do not contain gluten. I would be careful with anything that says "naturally gluten-free."

Have you called Wal-Mart to ask?

[StacyA]

I also think that means that the ingredients themselves don't have gluten, but during processing there could be cross-contamination. Sometimes that's CYA, sometimes it's a valid concern.

I've had Great Value pizza sauce twice in the last month with no problems, but that's not a guarantee.

[Darissa]

I had the same problem with WalMart today. I bought the Great Value brand of Louisiana Hot Sauce today and it said right on the front "Naturally Gluten-Free Food" but in the allergy statement under the ingredients it stated may contain traces of Wheat. I was really upset. I'm not sure what they mean by naturally gluten free, but I depend on labels, and they should not put that on there if it might contain wheat. I contacted the company this afternoon and I am hoping for a reply quickly. The store manager didn't know what I was talking about when I took the product back. He didn't know anything about gluten or Celiac Disease. I am now really reluctant to buy the Great Value Brand. Because of their labeling, I have many products in my home from them that say Naturally Gluten Free on them, but now I don't know if I can trust it.

[ravenwoodglass]

I had the same problem with WalMart today. I bought the Great Value brand of Louisiana Hot Sauce today and it said right on the front "Naturally Gluten-Free Food" but in the allergy statement under the ingredients it stated may contain traces of Wheat. I was really upset. I'm not sure what they mean by naturally gluten free, but I depend on labels, and they should not put that on there if it might contain wheat. I contacted the company this afternoon and I am hoping for a reply quickly. The store manager didn't know what I was talking about when I took the product back. He didn't know anything about gluten or Celiac Disease. I am now really reluctant to buy the Great Value Brand. Because of their labeling, I have many products in my home from them that say Naturally Gluten Free on them, but now I don't know if I can trust it.

You can trust them as much as you would any processed food. Many companies do not disclose that there is CC danger from the facilities that the food is processed in and some in fact post copious lists of 'gluten-free' products with no disclaimer or put the disclaimer on it's web site for those computer savvy enough to look for it but not on the package. Walmart is at least telling us of the risk up front. Labeling regs for gluten free food are not fully set up and leave much to be desired. It is totally voluntary for a company to label the CC risk. At least Walmart discloses the risk openly.

[StacyA]

I now need to amend a post I made above stating I haven't reacted to the pizza sauce. I've had it a few more times and I think I may have had some mild symptoms. Nothing major. (I'm still keeping a log of any processed foods so I can find culprits.)

'Naturally Gluten-Free' means that mother nature didn't include any gluten in the raw foods the sauce was made from: tomatoes, peppers, water, etc. However during manufacturing, humans may inadvertantly add gluten through cross-contamination - therefore that disclaimer.

Unfortunately I'm seeing that disclaimer more and more on products in WalMart, so now it'll be hard to sort out real cc risk and just frivolous CYA labeling.

[Darissa]

I found more products labeled as "Naturally Gluten Free Food" or "Gluten Free" on the front of the label, but states "May contain traces of wheat" in the ingredient section under Allergy Warning. Why WHy WHY do they label prodcuts Gluten Free, but are not! My Great Value Tomatoe Juice, Diced Tomatoes, Tomatoe Sauce, Spaghetti Sauce all say gluten free, but also say's may contain wheat. On WalMarts old labeling system (that they changed a few months ago) they all stay gluten free, and do not say may contain wheat, but on their new labeling system (the white and blue labels) now say gluten free and may contain wheat. Frustrating when it comes to a loved ones health. I will do better on reading labels again, and not trust when a label says gluten free.

[Darissa]

Wal-Mart's reply to my complaint:

Thank you for your message.

Dear Darissa, Thank you for your contacting us regarding our Great Value hot sauce. We recognize the importance of labeling gluten-free products appropriately and apologize for the confusion caused when a secondary allergen warning is placed on a product labeled "gluten-free." It has come to our attention that a small number of Great Value products contain both a gluten-free label and a statement indicating that the product "may contain traces of wheat." While the products contain no gluten or gluten derivatives as part of the ingredient list, they are processed in plants where products containing wheat are also processed.

Although the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) allows a product to be labeled "gluten-free" if it contains less than 20 parts per million of prohibited grains, it is not our intention to confuse customers. To that end, we are reviewing labeling on all "naturally gluten free" products and will take appropriate remedial actions. The health and safety of our customers is paramount.

Should you have any concern about a "gluten-free" item purchased at Walmart, please return it to your local store for a full refund. If you have any additional questions about the product you have purchased or if we can be of any further assistance, you may contact us by visiting www.walmartstores.com and clicking on the contact us link or by phone @ 1-877-505-2267. For future questions regarding product ingredients, nutritional facts, preparation instructions and more, click the grocery link at www.walmart.com. Sincerely, Chaz DawsonGreat Value Customer Contact Team

[ravenwoodglass]

Wal-Mart's reply to my complaint:

Thank you for your message.

Dear Darissa, Thank you for your contacting us regarding our Great Value hot sauce. We recognize the importance of labeling gluten-free products appropriately and apologize for the confusion caused when a secondary allergen warning is placed on a product labeled "gluten-free." It has come to our attention that a small number of Great Value products contain both a gluten-free label and a statement indicating that the product "may contain traces of wheat." While the products contain no gluten or gluten derivatives as part of the ingredient list, they are processed in plants where products containing wheat are also processed.

Although the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) allows a product to be labeled "gluten-free" if it contains less than 20 parts per million of prohibited grains, it is not our intention to confuse customers. To that end, we are reviewing labeling on all "naturally gluten free" products and will take appropriate remedial actions. The health and safety of our customers is paramount.

Should you have any concern about a "gluten-free" item purchased at Walmart, please return it to your local store for a full refund. If you have any additional questions about the product you have purchased or if we can be of any further assistance, you may contact us by visiting www.walmartstores.com and clicking on the contact us link or by phone @ 1-877-505-2267. For future questions regarding product ingredients, nutritional facts, preparation instructions and more, click the grocery link at www.walmart.com. Sincerely, Chaz DawsonGreat Value Customer Contact Team

I will be contacting Walmart and thanking them for their honesty in labeling. I appretiate a company that discloses CC risk and lets me take responsibility for whether a product is safe for me to consume based on honest labeling. I would much prefer the kind of labeling Walmart does to the 'hidden risks' that are present with companies like Frito Lay and Rice Dream. Walmart products are no more of a risk because of the warning than other companies are without one. At least they are being honest.

[jerseyangel]

I appretiate a company that discloses CC risk and lets me take responsibility for whether a product is safe for me to consume based on honest labeling. I would much prefer the kind of labeling Walmart does to the 'hidden risks' that are present with companies like Frito Lay and Rice Dream. Walmart products are no more of a risk because of the warning than other companies are without one. At least they are being honest.

I wholeheartedly agree!

[psawyer]

I wholeheartedly agree!

As do I.

[Lisa]

As I noted on another thread:

Agreed...but should they (Walmart) continue to produce conflicting information?

A fully disclosed ingredient list should be clear. A marketing ploy such as "Naturally Gluten Free" should hold NO disclaimers!

Knock off the marketing gimmick and be truthful with their ingredient listing. Add a disclaimer if you choose for potential cc, but don't push your product at "Naturally gluten Free" and carry the baggage. That's deceptive.

[elle's mom]

I appretiate a company that discloses CC risk and lets me take responsibility for whether a product is safe for me to consume...........

Agree with you on this, I love the warning on the back. The problem isn't the "may contain traces of wheat" statement. The PROBLEM is the "gluten free" statement, the larger one found on the front of the product.

Walmart products are no more of a risk because of the warning than other companies are without one.

Again, the warning isn't the problem. I believe the risk comes into play when they say one thing on the front (the problem statement in these cases) and another on the back (NOT the problem we are complaining about).

At least they are being honest.

Not really, when they say any form of "gluten free" but then it actually may contain traces of wheat. If it may contain traces of wheat, that is, if it was manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat, then it SHOULD NOT SAY GLUTEN FREE.

[ravenwoodglass]

As I noted on another thread:

Agreed...but should they (Walmart) continue to produce conflicting information?

A fully disclosed ingredient list should be clear. A marketing ploy such as "Naturally Gluten Free" should hold NO disclaimers!

Knock off the marketing gimmick and be truthful with their ingredient listing. Add a disclaimer if you choose for potential cc, but don't push your product at "Naturally gluten Free" and carry the baggage. That's deceptive.

The disclaimer is for CC not for the food. A food that is naturally gluten free can be made not so by the processing. They are being honest in the labeling of the ingredients they are simply informing us of the chance of CC from the plant the item is processed in.