Glutened Again By So Called "gluten Free"

[GFreeMO]

A few hours ago for lunch, I made myself a plain burger. I ate that with Heinz ketchup. I know this is safe as I have eaten it a million times. I usually eat Lays plain Stax but since reading Frito Lays gluten free list, I decided to try Lays Classic plain chips. With in an hour of eating the chips, I got my normal reaction, short of breath, flushed face, extreme bloating and D.

I suspect that Frito Lays has a huge CC issue going on. It just makes me furious that some companies claim products to be gluten free and then we get really sick.

Makes me want to eat nothing processed. I could have cut up potato and fried them in some oil and made my own chips and I wouldnt be feeling so badly right now.

[IrishHeart]

A few hours ago for lunch, I made myself a plain burger. I ate that with Heinz ketchup. I know this is safe as I have eaten it a million times. I usually eat Lays plain Stax but since reading Frito Lays gluten free list, I decided to try Lays Classic plain chips. With in an hour of eating the chips, I got my normal reaction, short of breath, flushed face, extreme bloating and D.

I suspect that Frito Lays has a huge CC issue going on. It just makes me furious that some companies claim products to be gluten free and then we get really sick.

Makes me want to eat nothing processed. I could have cut up potato and fried them in some oil and made my own chips and I wouldnt be feeling so badly right now.

You know, I have been wondering about Lay's chips. They are the one thing I "sneak" from time to time. I eat NO OTHER PACKAGED FOODS!! and I,too get flushed face, scratchy throat and short of breath!! OMG!! I have wondered what was messing with me!! Maybe that's it for me, too ...WOW.... Thanks for posting this!! It's been a mystery....I feel like an idiot.

I am so Sorry you feel so bad

[Monklady123]

You know, I have been wondering about Lay's chips. They are the one thing I "sneak" from time to time. I eat NO OTHER PACKAGED FOODS!! and I,too get flushed face, throat scratchy and short of breath!! OMG!! I have wondered what was messing with me!! Maybe that's it for me, too ...WOW.... Thanks for posting this!! It's been a mystery....I feel like an idiot.

I am so Sorry you feel so bad

Yeah, I don't trust Lays. Next time you want a chip try Utz brand. It says right under the ingredients list "this is a gluten free food."

Hope you feel better soon.

[IrishHeart]

Yeah, I don't trust Lays. Next time you want a chip try Utz brand. It says right under the ingredients list "this is a gluten free food."

Hope you feel better soon.

BUT the Lay's bag says "Gluten Free" too!! so much for that!! I'll try the Utz..Hubby says we should eat Cape Cod brand as we KNOW that's all they make at their factory ...thanks!

[IrishHeart]

Yeah, I don't trust Lays. Next time you want a chip try Utz brand. It says right under the ingredients list "this is a gluten free food."

Hope you feel better soon.

Since we are on the topic of gluten-free foods "are they/aren't they?"....I WAS eating Oscar Meyer cold cuts. Supposedly gluten-free/CF/SF, so THEY say...but felt "spacey" --one of my "tells" -- after eating it so I stopped.

Are Oscar Meyer deli cuts in the package "safe"..??would you happen to know??

[Lisa]

The term "gluten free" is not yet a legal standard in the US. All labeling gluten free labeling is voluntary. Most companies do not test, to claim a "gluten free" status, or at least under the 20ppm suggested as a standard.

What I have seen and most likely will see more of in the future is companies claiming "no gluten ingredients". That will relieve them of any cross contamination claims, nor the obligation to test.

It's not perfect, BUT...WE'VE COME A LOOONG WAY BABY!

[IrishHeart]

The term "gluten free" is not yet a legal standard in the US. All labeling gluten free labeling is voluntary. Most companies do not test, to claim a "gluten free" status, or at least under the 20ppm suggested as a standard.

What I have seen and most likely will see more of in the future is companies claiming "no gluten ingredients". That will relieve them of any cross contamination claims, nor the obligation to test.

It's not perfect, BUT...WE'VE COME A LOOONG WAY BABY!

Hi Lisa,

No gluten ingredients would be a lot clearer!! I am aware of this <20 ppm thing (and I agree with you that this country is waaaay behind other countries in this regulation) but I was HOPING...foolishly...that a company's word was good. It's not. I have been burned many times. Oh well.

I think a product made in a "dedicated" gluten-free factory is about as good as it gets.

I am lucky! We have a totally gluten-free bakery/restaurant near us. Only place I feel safe to eat!!

[Lisa]

I just want to add that many of us have a wide spectrum of sensitivity. Some people can be ill from a product that contains no gluten ingredients (due to cross contact), whereas some have eaten the same product for years without issues.

Many times its trial and error and individualized. It doesn't necessarily mean that a particular product is not safe for others

[GFreeMO]

Ive never heard of Utz chips. I don't think they have them in my part of the country. (Missouri) Anyone know where I can find them?

[Lisa]

Ive never heard of Utz chips. I don't think they have them in my part of the country. (Missouri) Anyone know where I can find them?

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[GFreeMO]

The Utz chips look great and what an allergy friendly company! It looks like they are mostly on the east coast. Too bad they are no where to be found in my area.

I have been eating the plain Lays Stax for 2 years before I tried these Lays Classic chips today and never had a problem with them. They are made on dedicated equipment in a whole other country. Mexico

Back to Stax for me. Live and learn I guess. Celiac makes you want to stick with tried and true brands and never veer from them.

[Lisa]

The Utz chips look great and what an allergy friendly company! It looks like they are mostly on the east coast. Too bad they are no where to be found in my area.

I have been eating the plain Lays Stax for 2 years before I tried these Lays Classic chips today and never had a problem with them. They are made on dedicated equipment in a whole other country. Mexico

Back to Stax for me. Live and learn I guess. Celiac makes you want to stick with tried and true brands and never veer from them.

Well then, live a little....ALL flavored STAX are gluten free. Branch out for the BBQ!

[IrishHeart]

Well then, live a little....ALL flavored STAX are gluten free. Branch out for the BBQ!

I think I am just "super-sensitive" right now I seem to do all right with Cape Cod chips...but, that's ALL they make in their factory...anyway, thanks for your thoughts! Appreciate it!

[Robert16]

I give CAPE COD CHIP a-plus also they are great only snack i get to.

[sa1937]

The Utz chips look great and what an allergy friendly company! It looks like they are mostly on the east coast. Too bad they are no where to be found in my area.

Utz chips are made in Hanover, PA, which probably explains why that brand is so readily available in grocery stores around here (south central PA).

[GlutenFreeManna]

I am super sensitive to cc and I eat Wavy Lays all the time without problems, BUT I don't consider them a "gluten free product" I consider them to be something with no gluten ingredients added. Because of that difference in my mind, I wouldn't be too surprised if someday I had a reaction to eating them. When I think of "gluten free products" I think of products that are actively marketed as gluten free, meaning it's printed in BIG letters on the front (not the tiny note under the ingredients) and they advertise as gluten free, are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility or have an endorsement from a gluten-free organization. I know it sucks that a main stream product with no gluten ingredients added cannot be trusted, but I'm much more dissappointed when a company makes bold gluten-free claims and then fails to make a 100% safe product.

I hope you recover quickly from your glutening.

[lovegrov]

Since we are on the topic of gluten-free foods "are they/aren't they?"....I WAS eating Oscar Meyer cold cuts. Supposedly gluten-free/CF/SF, so THEY say...but felt "spacey" --one of my "tells" -- after eating it so I stopped.

Are Oscar Meyer deli cuts in the package "safe"..??would you happen to know??

They are. Kraft will clearly list any gluten so just rad the ingredients, and I don't think any of their cold cuts have gluten.

richard

[T.H.]

Kraft will clearly list any gluten so just rad the ingredients, and I don't think any of their cold cuts have gluten.

But they still fall into that category of 'no gluten ingredients' rather than 'gluten free and actually testing our products to prove it,' unfortunately.

[tea-and-crumpets]

I was actually looking at the Lays list today, since I wanted to try the Tostios scoops chips. They say specifically that Lays Classic are gluten free AND that they have tested to less than 20 ppm.

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Is this new? I don't remember anything beyond Stax being tested before. If it is new, maybe you got a batch from before?

Actually, looking at it again it says the list was updated on February 21, 2011.

[GFreeMO]

I was actually looking at the Lays list today, since I wanted to try the Tostios scoops chips. They say specifically that Lays Classic are gluten free AND that they have tested to less than 20 ppm.

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Is this new? I don't remember anything beyond Stax being tested before. If it is new, maybe you got a batch from before?

Actually, looking at it again it says the list was updated on February 21, 2011.

I may have had the older non tested ones b/c the date on my bag was March 8th. I think that they have a shelf life of several months. at any rate, I wont be eating them again. I emailed Frito Lay and they told me that the Stax were still the only chips produced on dedicated equipment.