Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

The Tale Of The Moldy Cookies

modiddly16

Recommended Posts

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted

There is a product out there on the market that I very much enjoy, so I'm not going to post the company name on here because I don't want to completely blame them for my bad experience. I stopped by my local grocery store and picked up a bag of these delicious cookies (mind you at $8.99 a bag, they better be delicious), the expiration date said good through Feb. 2011...which you always have to check because some stores are better about watching this than others.

So yesterday, I remember that I bought the cookies...I open the fully sealed bag and take a bite...then I inhale, and smell what can only be described as how a nail salon chemical smells. I look down again at the cookie and notice gree fuzz...all over the cookie.

I immediately lost my cookies (pun intended), as my gag reflex gets out of control if something smells 1/4 as bad as this did. I had my finacee look at the rest of the bag and all of them were covered in the fuzz.

While I'm aware that I should look before I eat (sometimes with cookies my inner fat girl comes out :ph34r: ) but has anyone had this happen?

I emailed the company letting them know and was going to return them to the store in hopes that I'd get my money back, which I doubt.

I just wasn't sure if this was something others have experianced, or if I'll ever be able to eat a cookie again. blech. :blink:

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


shopgirl Contributor
shopgirl
Posted

Oh, that's awful.

I used to drink bottled Starbucks Mochas every day and once took a huge mouthful without sniffing first

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted

Agh..yuck.Hopefully the get back to you soon with a refund and gift cards for your trouble!

GlutenGladi8or Apprentice
GlutenGladi8or
Posted

If the manufacturer is an up-and-up company you'll get your money back. If not, go to the retailer. Just make sure that you have the box that they were sold in, and the respective code dating (as they will need that to process your refund).

SO many things could have led to this:

- Is the item all natural or organic? Without a preservative, they have a tendency to have shorter shelf lives.

- Are the cookies sold at a shelf stable temperature? If so, high heat in the store can make items go bad.

- The retailer could have let this item sit in the back of the store at a high temperature.

Let us know if the manufacturer gets back with you and their actions to rectify the situation.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

I have had moldy Ener-G bread that was not expired and still sealed.

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

There is a popular snack bar that is gluten free that I eat all the time, but .... now I always open it up carefully and LOOK at it first before that initial bite.

You can recover. But you may have just developed a new .... habit. :ph34r:

MelindaLee Contributor
MelindaLee
Posted

I had a simlar experience with some crackers. It was the first time I had bought them so I didn't know what the taste was supposed to be. The best I can describe is it smelled like they used algae in the crackers! :P The company was wonderful and actually sent me a new box of crackers, plus a whole box of gluten-free foods...many of which I hadn't tried before. (Though I still have yet to try the crackers that weren't good. :blink: )

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted
  • Author

I returned them to the store and they refunded me my money and were really apologetic. I told them that I obviously didn't blame them but when something is $8.99 you can't just waste that type of money, especailly on cookies! I emailed the company the day it happened and have heard nothing back from them yet, which is really disappointing. I know that companies are busy and sometimes it takes a day or so to respond to someone but a week? I don't love that. I work in customer service and responsiveness is a high priority!

GlutenGladi8or Apprentice
GlutenGladi8or
Posted

I work in customer service and responsiveness is a high priority!

Give them one more phone call next week and see if they respond. In your message, let them know that you personally make responsiveness a priority in your life and you hope that they do the same. In your message, let them know:

- The retailer

- Date of purchase

- Date of consumption

- Code date on box (you may need to hold it up to the light and read the stamp sideways)

Hopefully, they will clean up their own backyard. If not, let the board know about the manufacturer after the first of the year.

Here's why I take this so seriously. ONE bad gluten free product interaction can cast a terrible shadow on ALL gluten-free products. And, I think we are all in agreement on this board to move forward with the Gluten Free agenda.

Good luck!

Nor-TX Enthusiast
Nor-TX
Posted

I have had this happen twice with Daiya cheese purchased at Whole Foods. The first time I opened the package the cheese was all green even though the "best buy" date was a long way off. The package was not split or opened in any way. It took me weeks to purchase the next bag - it was fine. Again I bought a bg and once more when I opened it the center was green. I now puchase it at Sprouts and it has been good, although last week the bag I bought had a rip I noticed when I was putting it in the fridge. I packaged it into another bag. I am not rough or neglectful with my groceries so I don't know what happened. I didn't return the Whole Foods bags because it is an hour drive to get there. I didn't return the Sprouts bag because I can't be sure when the rip happened. I don't think I will buy the Daiya cheese again or at least for a long time - it's too expensive to be so much work and quite frankly, it really isn't that good.

  • 2 weeks later...
modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted
  • Author

So now I'm mad. The company hasn't responded to two e-mails about the situation. That's just poor customer service and quite frankly, I'm not sure I'll be purchasing their product again!

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

So now I'm mad. The company hasn't responded to two e-mails about the situation. That's just poor customer service and quite frankly, I'm not sure I'll be purchasing their product again!

What is the name of the product?

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted
  • Author

They were Aleia's Almond Horn Cookies.

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted
  • Author

I just sent them another email letting them know how disappointed I was in their lack of response and that I couldn't justify supporting their product if they couldn't bother responding to those loyal to them. I imagine I came across as a B word.

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted
  • Author

well now I feel bad.

I am very sorry for the delay in my reply. I just checked our spam folder online and found your first email. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience you may have been caused and thank you so much for taking the time to email us. I would like to also thank you for purchasing our cookies. I am very sorry you did not have the opportunity to open a bag of our gluten free almond horn cookies and enjoy the extraordinary aroma of the recipe. We are committed to delivering quality, delicious, safe, all natural, gluten free products to the people that need them.

As a young company, that is growing by leaps and bounds, I can say, we have experienced some growing pains. We have been assessing all packaging possibilities with our lab and they have educated us on many different potential ways our packaging could occasionally become flawed and how our products can become compromised in transport. The lot number you gave me indicates that the cookies were produced and shipped in July. With the extremely high humidity we had this summer it is very possible the reason for the mold is a weather related problem.

I can assure you our gluten free bakery facility follows HACCP and good manufacturing practices and the inner bag that we use is FDA approved. Thank you for including the lot number and enjoy by date. This information is especially important to us. We do have a quality control manager who oversees the quality standards of our raw materials all the way through to the finished product. I have notified him of your lot number incident.

For being so kind to write to us, we would like to send you some cookies. Please give me your address and I will ship them to you. I apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced; we will do everything possible to eliminate similar problems in the future. We really do appreciate your feedback, and look forward to hearing from you again.

Kindest Regards,

Linda

Linda Allain

VP Customer Relations

Aleia's Gluten Free Foods

4 Pin Oak DriveBranford, CT. 06405P: 203.488.5556

F: 203.488.0923aleias@sbcglobal.netFollow us: Open Original Shared Link

shopgirl Contributor
shopgirl
Posted

It's great that they got back to you but what a goofy email. :lol:

Give the free cookies they send you the once over before you eat them.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Really enjoyed this thread with all the ups and downs of yaack, now I'm mad, NOW I'm mad, K now I feel bad. You made me laugh Mo!!!!

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted
  • Author

well I was pretty mad!!! but after her response and her offer for free cookies I felt badly for coming across as a jerk :(

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

well I was pretty mad!!! but after her response and her offer for free cookies I felt badly for coming across as a jerk :(

Let us know if you get the cookies and how they are.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. JudyLou
      - JudyLou replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      Thanks so much!
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      I have osteopenia and have cracked three vertebrae. Niacin is connected to osteoporosis! Do talk to your nutritionist and doctor about supplementing with B vitamins. Blood tests don't reveal the amount of vitamins stored inside cells. The blood is a transportation system and can reflect vitamins absorbed from food eaten in the previous twenty-four...
    3. JudyLou
      - JudyLou replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      Thank you so much for the clarification! Yes to these questions: Have you consulted dietician? Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies? Osteoporosis? Thyroid? Anemia? Do you take any supplements, or vitamins? I’m within healthy range for nutritional tests, thyroid and am not anemic. I do have osteopenia. I don’t take any medications, and the...
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      @JudyLou, I have dermatitis herpetiformis, too! And...big drum roll... Niacin improves dermatitis herpetiformis! Niacin is very important to skin health and intestinal health. You're correct. dermatitis herpetiformis usually occurs on extensor muscles, but dermatitis herpetiformis is also pressure sensitive, so blisters can form...
    5. trents
      - trents replied to Mark Conway's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      5

      Have I got coeliac disease

      And I agree with Wheatwacked. When a physician tells you that you can't have celiac disease because you're not losing weight, you can be certain that doctor is operating on a dated understanding of celiac disease. I assume you are in the UK by the way you spelled "coeliac". So, I'm not sure what your options are when it comes to healthcare, but I might suggest...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,155
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Beccad611
    Newest Member
    Beccad611
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • JudyLou
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By JudyLou · Posted

      Thanks so much! 
    • knitty kitty
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      I have osteopenia and have cracked three vertebrae.  Niacin is connected to osteoporosis! Do talk to your nutritionist and doctor about supplementing with B vitamins.  Blood tests don't reveal the amount of vitamins stored inside cells.  The blood is a transportation system and can reflect vitamins absorbed from food eaten in the previous twenty-four to forty-eight hours.  Those "normal limits" are based on minimum amounts required to prevent disease, not levels for optimal health.   Keep us posted on your progress.   B Vitamins: Functions and Uses in Medicine https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9662251/ Association of dietary niacin intake with osteoporosis in the postmenopausal women in the US: NHANES 2007–2018 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11835798/ Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/   Nutritional Imbalances in Adult Celiac Patients Following a Gluten-Free Diet https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8398893/ Nutritional Consequences of Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Diet https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7422/15/4/61 Simplifying the B Complex: How Vitamins B6 and B9 Modulate One Carbon Metabolism in Cancer and Beyond https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9609401/
    • JudyLou
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By JudyLou · Posted

      Thank you so much for the clarification! Yes to these questions: Have you consulted dietician?  Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?  Osteoporosis? Thyroid? Anemia?  Do you take any supplements, or vitamins? I’m within healthy range for nutritional tests, thyroid and am not anemic. I do have osteopenia. I don’t take any medications, and the dietician was actually a nutritionist (not sure if that is the same thing) recommended by my physician at the time to better understand gluten free eating.    I almost wish the gluten exposure had triggered something, so at least I’d know what’s going on. So confusing!    Many thanks! 
    • knitty kitty
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @JudyLou,  I have dermatitis herpetiformis, too!  And...big drum roll... Niacin improves dermatitis herpetiformis!   Niacin is very important to skin health and intestinal health.   You're correct.  dermatitis herpetiformis usually occurs on extensor muscles, but dermatitis herpetiformis is also pressure sensitive, so blisters can form where clothing puts pressure on the skin. Elastic waist bands, bulky seams on clothing, watch bands, hats.  Rolled up sleeves or my purse hanging on my arm would make me break out on the insides of my elbows.  I have had a blister on my finger where my pen rested as I write.  Foods high in Iodine can cause an outbreak and exacerbate dermatitis herpetiformis. You've been on the gluten free diet for a long time.  Our gluten free diet can be low in vitamins and minerals, especially if processed gluten free foods are consumed.  Those aren't fortified with vitamins like gluten containing products are.  Have you consulted dietician?  Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?  Osteoporosis? Thyroid? Anemia?  Do you take any supplements, medicine, or vitamins? Niacin deficiency is connected to anemia.  Anemia can cause false negatives on tTg IgA tests.  A person can be on that borderline where symptoms wax and wane for years, surviving, but not thriving.  We have a higher metabolic need for more nutrients when we're sick or emotionally stressed which can deplete the small amount of vitamins we can store in our bodies and symptoms reappear.   Exposure to gluten (and casein in those sensitive to it) can cause an increased immune response and inflammation for months afterwards. The immune cells that make tTg IgA antibodies which are triggered today are going to live for about two years. During that time, inflammation is heightened.  Those immune cells only replicate when triggered.  If those immune cells don't get triggered again for about two years, they die without leaving any descendents programmed to trigger on gluten and casein.  The immune system forgets gluten and casein need to be attacked.  The Celiac genes turn off.  This is remission.    Some people in remission report being able to consume gluten again without consequence.   However, another triggering event can turn the Celiac genes on again.   Celiac genes are turned on by a triggering event (physical or emotional stress).  There's some evidence that thiamine insufficiency contributes to the turning on of autoimmune genes.  There is an increased biological need for thiamine when we are physically or emotionally stressed.  Thiamine cannot be stored for more than twenty-one days and may be depleted in as little as three during physical and emotional stresses. Mitochondria without sufficient thiamine become damaged and don't function properly.  This gets relayed to the genes and autoimmune disease genes turn on.  Thiamine and other B vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are needed to replace the dysfunctional mitochondria and repair the damage to the body.   I recommend getting checked for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  More than just Vitamin D and B12.  A gluten challenge would definitely be a stressor capable of precipitating further vitamin deficiencies and health consequences.   Best wishes!    
    • trents
      Have I got coeliac disease

      By trents · Posted

      And I agree with Wheatwacked. When a physician tells you that you can't have celiac disease because you're not losing weight, you can be certain that doctor is operating on a dated understanding of celiac disease. I assume you are in the UK by the way you spelled "coeliac". So, I'm not sure what your options are when it comes to healthcare, but I might suggest you look for another physician who is more up to date in this area and is willing to work with you to get an accurate diagnosis. If, in fact, you do not have celiac disease but you know that gluten causes you problems, you might have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). There is no test available yet for NCGS. Celiac must first be ruled out. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that damages the lining of the small bowel. NCGS we is not autoimmune and we know less about it's true nature. But we do know it is considerably more common than celiac disease.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.