Back To The Coke Debate....

[Turtle]

After reading the discussion on the board as to whether or not Coke Products are gluten-free or not, I decided to contact my parent's best friends/neighbors b/c Mr. Tom not only works for Coca-Cola but they eat gluten-free. His response was this:

"All coke products are gluten-free in the U.S. However, Some products sold in Japan are not."

I feel pretty confident about the response as Mr. Tom and his wife follow the gluten-free diet right down to Christmas Eve dinner that we share w/ them every year. They have even gone so far as to teach my mom about what she can cook for them and what not to serve, etc. (my mom likes to have them over for dinner often). I was just recently diagnosed, but they have been eating gluten-free for several years now. But hey, how lucky for me to have my mom already go through basic gluten-free training so maybe she'll still cook for me when I come to visit HAHA. Anyhow, I can't imagine his response being incorrect. Does anyone have any other info? I'm sure he'd be willing to look into any concerns we have.

[domineske]

My kids drink Coke and have twice tested negatively for gluten exposure. (They don't get any other symptoms.) Hope this helps.

[KaitiUSA]

Yep coke is gluten free

[mytummyhurts]

I thought that we had agreed that Coke itself was gluten-free, but other Coke products we weren't sure about. Such as Diet Cherry Coke, etc. So he said that ALL Coke products are gluten-free in the U.S.?

[Guest Lucy]

I hope so. My 2 year old is diabetic and the only diet drink they have at restaurants is Diet Coke, so he gets alot of that.

[celiac3270]

Coke is definitely gluten-free. Many other Coke products are, as well. This is the typical response you'll get from Coca-Cola, though there are modified and less-detailed versions of this:

It is...if you e-mail Coca-Cola they'll send you an e-mail like this:

Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company.

We are able to confirm that Coca-Cola classic, caffeine free Coca-Cola

classic, Coca-Cola C2, Diet Coke, Diet Coke with Lemon, Diet Coke with

Lime, caffeine free Diet Coke, Sprite, Sprite ReMix Berryclear, Diet

Sprite Zero, vanilla Coke, diet vanilla Coke, cherry Coke, Fresca, and

our 100% juice products (without added ingredients) are gluten free.

Additionally, we can tell you that all of our other products meet

Codex's definition of gluten-free, which is less than 200 ppm (0.02%)

gluten. Codex has examined the data and determined that less than 200 ppm

gluten is below the level in which people with celiac disease would

experience adverse reactions. However, at this time the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration does not have a regulatory definition of gluten-free.

We can assure you that the exact amount of gluten in these products is

very low - perhaps even zero. Some minor ingredients in these products

are manufactured from plants that gluten-sensitive people could react

to, so we are unable to state categorically that they are totally

gluten-free even though they may have undetectable levels of gluten in them.

The Codex guideline provides a very low threshold for gluten content

and exposures below this level are not expected to result in damage to

the majority of gluten-sensitive individuals. However, extremely

gluten-sensitive individuals should discuss consumption of these products with

their health care provider.

We hope that this information is helpful. Should you have additional

questions or comments, please visit our website again.

Gisele

Industry and Consumer Affairs

The Coca-Cola Company

So all the listed products are beyond a doubt gluten-free--like, zero gluten. The others meet the Codex standard (that for European gluten-free foods, as the US doesn't have one yet).

Diet coke, etc. are also beyond a doubt gluten-free. It's just products like Fanta that a very careful celiac wouldn't drink, since they're not on that list.

All Pepsi soft drinks are gluten-free.

[lovegrov]

This is simply my opinion. I have no scientific evidence and I am not a doctor.

Until just recently Coke has always said all its products were gluten-free. And except for the occasional root beer, soft drinks are just about universally gluten-free. I suspect that the flavors Coke won't absolutely say are gluten-free are flavors that have ingredients Coke doesn't have complete control over or that are made in facility that has gluten, although probably not on the same line. You can tell from their statement that ALL flavors are supposed to be gluten-free and almost certainly are gluten-free, but some lawyer has told them to CYA just in case.

Once again, this is my opinion based on my experience and reading between the lines.

richard

[Carriefaith]

richard,

I think that is most likely what is going on. They don't want to get in trouble since they aren't 100% sure on some of the sources of their ingredients so they won't say it is for sure gluten free.

[celiac3270]

richard,

I think that is most likely what is going on. They don't want to get in trouble since they aren't 100% sure on some of the sources of their ingredients so they won't say it is for sure gluten free.

Absolutely...I concur.

[Guest nini]

just be careful with generic or store brand soda's. I had a pretty severe reaction after drinking a generic type soda from Dollar General.

[Jnkmnky]

Ok. Seriously. You should not ingest ANYTHING from a Dollar General store.

[Guest nini]

awww come on, it was in the beginning of learning the gluten-free diet and I assumed that all sodas were gluten-free!

but seriously, I've found gluten-free soy sauce at Dollar General, even though I didn't buy it!

[cmom]

Is RC Cola gluten free? Bought a case today, so I hope so. Read ingredients. Looked ok.

[Jnkmnky]

There's Modified food starch in Kirkland brand orange soda. Kirkland is from the Costco store. I called them about this a few months ago and they were very nice, said they wanted to triple check, called me back the following day and assured me that even though there was modified food starch in the orange soda, it was still gluten free.

I thought modified food starch == gluten. I won't let my son drink it because I'm uncomfortable with the answer I got. Is modified food starch gluten?? I also saw modified food starch in an "Energy" type drink I got my older son and his friends for a trip to go rock climbing. My Celiac kid was going for a sip because he heard it had caffeine in it and he wanted to get "crazy "... I didn't let him have any. Is modified food starch ok in drinks?

[connole1056]

Oh my gosh-I did not even know they still made RC. Is it available nationally. That is a blast from the past and I would like to get it if it is gluten-free and Available near me.

[connole1056]

As for the modified food starch, you need to find out from the manufacturer about the gluten-free status-how shocking, huh? Ask what type of starch it is and hope for corn!

[Jnkmnky]

I thought all "modified food starch" meant gluten. I've just flat out had that one line of thinking for 4 years. So, each and every time I see Modified food starch, it could be Gluten Free?? Is this true?

Sorry if I seem dense. I'm still recovering from the whole "Fruity Pebbles is gluten free" incident.

[celiac3270]

Oh yeah...Modified food starch is often gluten-free...it could be wheat, but it could also be corn, rice, etc.

[lovegrov]

While you DO need to check it, MFS is almost always gluten-free. It's very, very rarely made from wheat.

richard

[julie5914]

I have read that, in the US, modified food starch is almost always made with corn and therefore ok. This was from the gluten-free bible, I think. It the modified flour, or whatever they call it, that is not ok.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

You can get RC cola at Walmart.

[KaitiUSA]

I have read that, in the US, modified food starch is almost always made with corn and therefore ok. This was from the gluten-free bible, I think. It the modified flour, or whatever they call it, that is not ok.

modified food starch can be questionable..most of the time it is ok but most doesn't cut it and therefore it must be checked on.

The gluten free bible has a lot of inaccuracies...they say certain things are not gluten free that are and vice versa...the book really is bad for new people to the diet

I have run into quite a few things that had gluten in the modified food starch.

[Jnkmnky]

Well, once again a whole new world of gluten-free awaits my son. In less than a week I've learned that Fruity Pebbles are gluten-free, Cocoa Pebbles are gluten-free, and all of those foods with Modified Food Starch **may be gluten free. Do you realize how many food doors were just opened!! I feel like a 'virgin' all over again. I'm going shopping!

[VydorScope]

Well, once again a whole new world of gluten-free awaits my son. In less than a week I've learned that Fruity Pebbles are gluten-free, Cocoa Pebbles are gluten-free, and all of those foods with Modified Food Starch **may be gluten free. Do you realize how many food doors were just opened!! I feel like a 'virgin' all over again. I'm going shopping!

[connole1056]

Kati is correct about the food starch and The gluten-free Bible. I would never recommend that. I guess one could take a chance and hope the starch is gluten-free but it is dangerous.