Kellogs Fruit Snacks

[stephharjo]

So Ive been gluten free for almost a month, while I no longer am experiencing my severe stomach problems I have still been experiences really bad brain fog. I often eat Kellogg's fruit snacks as a snack thinking that they were safe. Today I experimented and found that within 20 minutes of eating them the brain fog set in. So I went on their website and found that they make these products in the same facility as other wheat containing producs. Aren't they supposed to put that on the package? I always thought that and this will now make things harder due to living in rural alaska and having a fairly limited amount of food choices. Could this be because of cross contamination? I know that it only takes a little bit of taco seasoning to make me ill for days with my stomach, but with these I am only experiencing brain fog, it just seems so strange!

[YoloGx]

  On 8/16/2011 at 7:49 PM, stephharjo said:

So Ive been gluten free for almost a month, while I no longer am experiencing my severe stomach problems I have still been experiences really bad brain fog. I often eat Kellogg's fruit snacks as a snack thinking that they were safe. Today I experimented and found that within 20 minutes of eating them the brain fog set in. So I went on their website and found that they make these products in the same facility as other wheat containing producs. Aren't they supposed to put that on the package? I always thought that and this will now make things harder due to living in rural alaska and having a fairly limited amount of food choices. Could this be because of cross contamination? I know that it only takes a little bit of taco seasoning to make me ill for days with my stomach, but with these I am only experiencing brain fog, it just seems so strange!

I sympathize with your dilemma. Many here actually find that its better, cheaper and more readily available to cook food from scratch--thus just buy non processed meat, whole grain brown rice, fresh (or frozen vegetables if necessary, but check these too!), raw potatoes, turnips etc. and yams. Its a simple diet, but soon your taste-buds will likely prefer it, and certainly you won't be exposed to cross contamination from the glutenous gliadin containing wheat family--which seems to be ubiquitous where anything is processed.

Meanwhile though there is Rice Chex and Corn Chex that is seriously gluten free. I don't eat them but my boyfriend does.

Good luck!

[shadowicewolf]

^^^^ this.

I eat very few processed things now since being gluten free (rice chex is my favorite). And i prefer it! I used to crave pastas and whatnot, now its changed to meat and veggies XD (i'm not complaining)

[stephharjo]

Thank you so much, I had planned on starting to eat less processed items, looks like it will happen sooner rather than later!

[stellinpa]

If you like fruit snacks, Welch's Fruit Snacks are Gluten free, fat free with no preservatives.

[T.H.]

  On 8/16/2011 at 7:49 PM, stephharjo said:

found that they make these products in the same facility as other wheat containing producs. Aren't they supposed to put that on the package?

Sadly, no. It's a voluntary label.

Nuts and dried fruits are also products that often should have that label on the package (if it were required) and don't.

[BeFree]

"found that they make these products in the same facility as other wheat containing producs. Aren't they supposed to put that on the package?

Sadly, no. It's a voluntary label."

I see that this post is a year old...is this still the case? Is that still a voluntary label?

Yesterday I ate the Kellogg's Fruity Snacks thinking they were OK because nothing was indicated on the label. Today I feel TERRIBLE, and very similar to the way I felt the last time I did a gluten test.

I didn't realize that particular labeling might still be voluntary. Can anyone clear that up for me?

[kareng]

  On 4/7/2012 at 1:35 PM, BeFree said:

"found that they make these products in the same facility as other wheat containing producs. Aren't they supposed to put that on the package?

Sadly, no. It's a voluntary label."

I see that this post is a year old...is this still the case? Is that still a voluntary label?

Yesterday I ate the Kellogg's Fruity Snacks thinking they were OK because nothing was indicated on the label. Today I feel TERRIBLE, and very similar to the way I felt the last time I did a gluten test.

I didn't realize that particular labeling might still be voluntary. Can anyone clear that up for me?

In the US, it's voluntary. There are no laws for gluten-free labelling. Wheat is one of the allergens they have to state clearly in the ingredients if it's put into the product on purpose.

[BeFree]

"In the US, it's voluntary. There are no laws for gluten-free labelling. Wheat is one of the allergens they have to state clearly in the ingredients if it's put into the product on purpose."

Thank you so much for letting me know, I was totally unaware of this. I'll be much more careful from now on. Is anyone fighting to make the "shared lines" or "shared facility" labeling mandatory?

[JustNana]

Yes, the law says they must say "wheat" or "gluten" even if the label says "modified food starch" you will see "wheat" in parenthesis.

But if gluten isn't part of the product and only shares some manufacturing space with products which do...the labeling warning of cross contamination is voluntarily.

Congrats on learning so much so quickly. I am 7 weeks gluten-free and my stomach symptoms are gone but they were never the most debilitating symptoms for me. Brain fog, joint pain, exhaustion, itching, etc are still with me. Itching has improved. I am so depleted of some vitamins and minerals it's going to take a while. Also just started on Hashimoto's thyroid type med and probably need higher dose. Will find out Mon.

Vitamin D, B12 and folate (folic acid) deficiency will give you brain fog too! Best wishes.

Linda

[kareng]

  On 4/7/2012 at 3:29 PM, JustNana said:

Yes, the law says they must say "wheat" or "gluten" even if the label says "modified food starch" you will see "wheat" in parenthesis.

But if gluten isn't part of the product and only shares some manufacturing space with products which do...the labeling warning of cross contamination is voluntarily.

Congrats on learning so much so quickly. I am 7 weeks gluten-free and my stomach symptoms are gone but they were never the most debilitating symptoms for me. Brain fog, joint pain, exhaustion, itching, etc are still with me. Itching has improved. I am so depleted of some vitamins and minerals it's going to take a while. Also just started on Hashimoto's thyroid type med and probably need higher dose. Will find out Mon.

Vitamin D, B12 and folate (folic acid) deficiency will give you brain fog too! Best wishes.

Linda

Actually, in the US, they do not have to declare gluten, only wheat. However, most companies will not hide barley/ malt but will list it in the ingredients. Read the ingredient list always.

[SGRhapsodos]

I used to feel like that after eating haribo gummy bears (website says they're gluten-free) and have awful stomach problems for days. I assumed it was more of s blood glucose problem than gluten. I used to get very brain foggy and it would happen everytime I ate something sugary. Maybe your body is reacting to the BG imbalance.

[BeFree]

I'm so surprised they don't have to label this. Aren't there people who have actual wheat allergies? As in, if they come into contact with wheat they'll go in to anaphylactic shock? If the fruit snacks are made on shared lines with Kellogg's cereals, they could just be coated with the stuff.

"I used to get very brain foggy and it would happen everytime I ate something sugary. Maybe your body is reacting to the BG imbalance."

Maybe, but I do feel pretty similar to the way I did the last time I tried to eat gluten. Nausea, headache, tired and foggy, like I have a hangover but I didn't drink.

[kareng]

  On 4/7/2012 at 6:40 PM, BeFree said:

I'm so surprised they don't have to label this. Aren't there people who have actual wheat allergies? As in, if they come into contact with wheat they'll go in to anaphylactic shock? If the fruit snacks are made on shared lines with Kellogg's cereals, they could just be coated with the stuff.

There are health department laws about cleaning food machinery. It's not like there is some gooey stuff from the previous item left on the conveyor belt. The company isn't going to send fruit snack thru a bunch of cereal crumbs.

They have been" working " on a law in the US for many years. We have had info on here about contacting the lawmakers to try to get them moving.