Truncated Ingredients Lists

[WhenDee]

Don't even say it: every time I try to 'cheat' and find a good snack that is bad for me, I end up sorry. I should just stick to healthy food.

That said: I knew I was getting gluten somewhere, because I was slowly getting pretty sick. I finally bought a large bag of Lay's Vinegar & Salt potato chips. Before I had been buying the very small bags so that I wouldn't be tempted to overeat. I didn't look them up online, but the ingredients appeared okay.

When I bought the larger bag, however, I saw that the ingredients list had been completely shortened on the small bags! At least HALF the ingredients were missing! And on the big bag, plain as day, WHEAT.

ETA: this product IS listed as gluten-free on their website.

We live in the middle east, and I haven't been home to the USA since finding out I'm celiac, so I don't know if it is allowed in the USA to truncate ingredients like this, to just leave them off the packaging entirely.

If it IS allowed, it shouldn't be. And if they are changing their packaging because there are virtually NO food laws here, then shame on Frito-Lay for cutting corners. I may not live in America currently, but I am an American, and you made me sick!

Between Frito-Lay and Mars, the two worst offenders I've found so far, I've just about given up on anything that wasn't packaged in Australia or New Zealand. We should be demanding better food packaging labels!

And yes, it's back to "good" food for me. The kind you know is gluten-free because you made it yourself from simple ingredients...

[lynnelise]

Sorry the chips made you sick!

The gluten free list on Frito Lay's website says it only pertains to products made and distributed in the U.S.

[WhenDee]

Sorry the chips made you sick!

The gluten free list on Frito Lay's website says it only pertains to products made and distributed in the U.S.

Yes, this is why I was upset. They say this & then do not label their packages properly, so that they appear to still be gluten-free here. I have found this to be true with everything made by Mars, as well.

The real problem is that these companies do not care about the consumer & do the absolute bare minimum required in each location. Where I live, there are no laws, so Frito Lay follows no rules at all. Even when I return to the USA I will not be buying Frito Lay anything!

[hnybny91]

I just bought a big bag of Lay's salt and vinegar the other week and it did not say wheat on the ingredients list.

[sa1937]

The ingredient list on the label will always trump those listed on the website. And it's true that something here in the U.S. may have different ingredients than in overseas markets.

[kareng]

Other countries may have different laws and customs on packaging. It appears, from your info, that the laws in the Middle East are not pro- consumer. Many countries place a greater priority on the safety and growth of industry then the " little people's" health and safety.

[Salax]

Just my 2 cents, but I have noticed (being a huge fan of salt and vinegar chips) most of the vinegar used is malt, hence a no no for us. Very rarely (if at all) have I seen one that doesn't and that is safe. In general I just avoid them them because of the malt.

Although I do notice small unheard of brands, that label well tend to sit better with my tummy than Lays does.

Happy chip hunting.

[T.H.]

I just bought a big bag of Lay's salt and vinegar the other week and it did not say wheat on the ingredients list.

For whatever bizarre reason, companies often put different ingredients in, depending on the country a product is distributed to. Maybe just what's more available in the closest production factory's area? Don't know if you saw, but she bought hers outside the US and Canada.

[lovegrov]

All I can say is that in the U.S., the Lay's Salt and Vinegar chips are definitely gluten-free. And the vinegar is NOT malt vinegar.

richard

[Salax]

All I can say is that in the U.S., the Lay's Salt and Vinegar chips are definitely gluten-free. And the vinegar is NOT malt vinegar.

richard

Good to know, but I thought there were several comments on the fact that Lay's isn't a "gluten free" claimer, because their products are made on the same lines as gluten containing products. And many peeps have had issues with their products that "look" gluten-free but they have a gluten reaction, called the company to find that there are shared lines.

Either way, call the company..me thinks.

[lovegrov]

Good to know, but I thought there were several comments on the fact that Lay's isn't a "gluten free" claimer, because their products are made on the same lines as gluten containing products. And many peeps have had issues with their products that "look" gluten-free but they have a gluten reaction, called the company to find that there are shared lines.

Either way, call the company..me thinks.

Sorry, when I said they were gluten-free I meant that they are on the Lay's list of products that don't contain gluten and that the ingredients in fact read gluten-free. This particular product probably is made on a shared line, since Lay's has only a handful that are made on dedicated lines.

richard

[Salax]

Sorry, when I said they were gluten-free I meant that they are on the Lay's list of products that don't contain gluten and that the ingredients in fact read gluten-free. This particular product probably is made on a shared line, since Lay's has only a handful that are made on dedicated lines.

richard

Gotcha.