Trader Joe's / "shared Equipment....shared Facilities"

[Redeemed]

I am new to this, so please bear with me. Has anyone had any reactions to eating food that were labeled "made on shared facilities..." or "shared equipment...?" I recently bought a box of taco shells and a box of waffles at Trader Joe's that were labeled, "made on shared equipment...." I had the taco shells last night, the waffles this morning, and the taco shells (again) for dinner tonight.

I have been feeling the way I used to feel before being diagnosed and was wondering what the concensus is about labeling and the safety of these foods for those of us on a strict gluten-free diet. The thought just crossed my mind that it could be due to these foods. My symptoms are bloating and gas....ugh! Thanks for any help with this.

Lastly, does anyone know of anything in the works to change the labeling laws?

[GlutenFreeManna]

I don't eat anything that says made on shared equipment, even if it's gluten free. I'm super sensitive to gluten cc and it sounds like you just found out the hard way you are too. For taco shells I use Mission corn tortillas. Mission says on their website they make their corn tortillas in a separate facility from the flour tortillas. SO far I have never had a reaction from mission corn products.

[ravenwoodglass]

I avoid anything on shared equipment also. That said there are some of us who don't but IMHO when first starting out with the diet it is best to stick with unprocessed food for safety and quicker healing. After you have healed you can try some of the riskier stuff and see if you tolerate. In addition if you have gluten eaters in your home you are eating daily in a 'shared facility'.

[Britte55]

  On 8/7/2010 at 11:28 PM, Redeemed said:

I am new to this, so please bear with me. Has anyone had any reactions to eating food that were labeled "made on shared facilities..." or "shared equipment...?" I recently bought a box of taco shells and a box of waffles at Trader Joe's that were labeled, "made on shared equipment...." I had the taco shells last night, the waffles this morning, and the taco shells (again) for dinner tonight.

I have been feeling the way I used to feel before being diagnosed and was wondering what the concensus is about labeling and the safety of these foods for those of us on a strict gluten-free diet. The thought just crossed my mind that it could be due to these foods. My symptoms are bloating and gas....ugh! Thanks for any help with this.

Lastly, does anyone know of anything in the works to change the labeling laws?

"Made in a facility that also processes wheat."

"Processed on equipment that is shared with wheat products."

I strictly abstain from foods labeled this way, as I also have found out the hard way that I am sensitive to this kind of exposure to gluten in food.

FDA guidelines on food labeling are, in my opinion, pretty inadequate---even misleading, and particularly dangerous for some, namely those with extreme gluten sensitivity and newly diagnosed celiacs. The last time I researched FDA guidelines was about a year ago, so maybe some things have changed since then, though it doesn't appear that way from the labels I continue to see in stores. A year ago it was indicated on the FDA website that the 'Gluten-Free' labeling standard was something they were in the process of working on. In the prior year or two the FDA was even soliciting feedback from the public on the issue.

I wish first and foremost there could be an official, legal clarification of the definition for the term "gluten-free". Some food manufacturers seem to make up their own. Currently many companies follow the FDA's guideline that was in effect a year ago: even if a food is processed on "shared" equipment, so long as it contains less that 20 ppm (that's 20 parts per million), it is permitted by the FDA to bear the "Gluten-Free" label.

Herein lies the problem--no, danger--with that labeling standard: 20 parts per million seems like a really small amount, right? Someone has determined that such a small amount should cause no harm. But what if a celiac consumes multiple servings per day, every day for a month? Isn't it likely then that that celiac could have an amount of gluten in their system that exceeds 20 ppm? Especially when one of the symptoms of his celiac is a slowed digestion?

I mention the crackers as an example because there is a certain brand that has been on my mind the last couple months, a brand which I see advertised prominently on this website. Labeled "Wheat & Gluten Free" on the front, the side of the box also states these crackers are "produced in a facility that also makes products containing wheat,..." , as well as that each "production run" is tested to confirm gluten levels do not exceed 20 ppm. I doubt such a product would receive the stamp of approval from the Gluten Free Certification Organization. They may be deemed "gluten-free" by the FDA, but I believe they are not gluten free enough for my body; I believe they did make me ill, as other similarly labeled products have in the past.

To be fair and safe, I think only those products which are processed in dedicated gluten free facilities should be entitled to bear the "Gluten Free" label. In the meantime various food manufacturers are able to capitalize on the vulnerabilities of sick people, i.e. people of extreme gluten-intolerance, and the newly diagnosed celiacs who simply don't know any better yet. Like you and me and many others they, too, will find out the hard way that some foods labeled "Gluten-Free!" are in fact not at all safe for them to eat. (I saw someone else blogged something about the Amy's brand, one whose gluten-free labeling I distrust as well...)

When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease I gravitated toward and blindly trusted any food product that said "gluten free" on front of the package. Knowing what I know now, 3 years later, I would advise anyone who is new to the world of gluten free food shopping to make it a habit right off the bat to scrutinize all labeling, front and back and sides. Until FDA labeling standards change and are more strictly regulated, the only gluten-free labels I really trust are those which are accompanied by the Gluten Free Certification Organization's logo.

Good luck, good health

Britte55

[tarnalberry]

I'm one of those who uses many products produced in shared facilities. IMHO, if you let anyone bring a cookie or sandwich into your house (which means you now have a shared facility), it's silly to avoid all products just because of a shared facility label. (That's not to say that there aren't some that you learn to avoid, of course!) But if you want to be extra conservative, then yes, you might try avoiding it.

BTW, it sounds that that may have been a fair amount of processed corn - that would make me bloated even though I don't need to avoid corn entirely.

[Redeemed]

  On 8/12/2010 at 7:37 PM, Britte55 said:

"Made in a facility that also processes wheat."

"Processed on equipment that is shared with wheat products."

I strictly abstain from foods labeled this way, as I also have found out the hard way that I am sensitive to this kind of exposure to gluten in food.

FDA guidelines on food labeling are, in my opinion, pretty inadequate---even misleading, and particularly dangerous for some, namely those with extreme gluten sensitivity and newly diagnosed celiacs. The last time I researched FDA guidelines was about a year ago, so maybe some things have changed since then, though it doesn't appear that way from the labels I continue to see in stores. A year ago it was indicated on the FDA website that the 'Gluten-Free' labeling standard was something they were in the process of working on. In the prior year or two the FDA was even soliciting feedback from the public on the issue.

I wish first and foremost there could be an official, legal clarification of the definition for the term "gluten-free". Some food manufacturers seem to make up their own. Currently many companies follow the FDA's guideline that was in effect a year ago: even if a food is processed on "shared" equipment, so long as it contains less that 20 ppm (that's 20 parts per million), it is permitted by the FDA to bear the "Gluten-Free" label.

Herein lies the problem--no, danger--with that labeling standard: 20 parts per million seems like a really small amount, right? Someone has determined that such a small amount should cause no harm. But what if a celiac consumes multiple servings per day, every day for a month? Isn't it likely then that that celiac could have an amount of gluten in their system that exceeds 20 ppm? Especially when one of the symptoms of his celiac is a slowed digestion?

I mention the crackers as an example because there is a certain brand that has been on my mind the last couple months, a brand which I see advertised prominently on this website. Labeled "Wheat & Gluten Free" on the front, the side of the box also states these crackers are "produced in a facility that also makes products containing wheat,..." , as well as that each "production run" is tested to confirm gluten levels do not exceed 20 ppm. I doubt such a product would receive the stamp of approval from the Gluten Free Certification Organization. They may be deemed "gluten-free" by the FDA, but I believe they are not gluten free enough for my body; I believe they did make me ill, as other similarly labeled products have in the past.

To be fair and safe, I think only those products which are processed in dedicated gluten free facilities should be entitled to bear the "Gluten Free" label. In the meantime various food manufacturers are able to capitalize on the vulnerabilities of sick people, i.e. people of extreme gluten-intolerance, and the newly diagnosed celiacs who simply don't know any better yet. Like you and me and many others they, too, will find out the hard way that some foods labeled "Gluten-Free!" are in fact not at all safe for them to eat. (I saw someone else blogged something about the Amy's brand, one whose gluten-free labeling I distrust as well...)

When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease I gravitated toward and blindly trusted any food product that said "gluten free" on front of the package. Knowing what I know now, 3 years later, I would advise anyone who is new to the world of gluten free food shopping to make it a habit right off the bat to scrutinize all labeling, front and back and sides. Until FDA labeling standards change and are more strictly regulated, the only gluten-free labels I really trust are those which are accompanied by the Gluten Free Certification Organization's logo.

Good luck, good health

Britte55

Britte,

Thanks for your response. I will certainly read labels more clearly, now....as we wait for laws to hopefully change. I agree with everything you said, btw.

[Redeemed]

  On 8/12/2010 at 9:46 PM, tarnalberry said:

I'm one of those who uses many products produced in shared facilities. IMHO, if you let anyone bring a cookie or sandwich into your house (which means you now have a shared facility), it's silly to avoid all products just because of a shared facility label. (That's not to say that there aren't some that you learn to avoid, of course!) But if you want to be extra conservative, then yes, you might try avoiding it.

BTW, it sounds that that may have been a fair amount of processed corn - that would make me bloated even though I don't need to avoid corn entirely.

Funny...about the "shared facility" within our own house.....true! I think I am extremely sensitive to things made on the same equipment b/c corn doesn't bother me. I will be more careful from now on. Thanks!

Rachel