Hershey's Contamination?

[AJ Leigh]

I know that there are a few threads on here about Hershey's, but I just had a question. I've been eating candy bars pretty frequently the last month, and I've noticed that I haven't been feeling great. A lot of muscle pain, fatigue, stomach bloating, etc. The two candy bars I frequent most are Skor bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, both Hershey's products. I've read the labels, visited multiple websites, including the Hershey's site, all of which claim these are gluten free. Tonight, after feeling pretty good for the first time in about two months, I ate a Skor bar for dessert. About an hour later I started feeling fatigued, bloated, and even a little over-heated, all symptoms I get after ingesting gluten. I am lactose intolerant, but it takes a pretty significant amount of dairy to bother me.

Does anyone else have this problem???

[Maggie Mermaid]

I've had to minimize eating any Hershey's candy products because they seem to make me breakout in whiteheads. If I eat a serving of their products 3 days in a row, I break out. I could never figure out what it was because there wasn't anything unusual in the ingredients. European chocolates don't affect me the same way.

[Bubba's Mom]

I ate a Hershy's bar with almonds two days ago and got gluten symptoms. I'm logging everything I eat and it's the only new item I added to my diet.

[AJ Leigh]

That's weird about the white heads! I am monitoring my diet very closely and that candy bar was the only thing it could be. I guess no more Hershey's (. Maybe I should try another brand of chocolate and see.

[Coolclimates]

I heard that the Hershey's company is very secretive about whether there are gluten and/or cross contamination in their products. I have heard other people trying to get this information from this company and have been very frustrated because they never seem to give a direct answer or their answers are too vague. I've been told that plain Hershey's bars, ones with almonds and chocolate kisses are all ok. But that's just what I've heard from others. I avoid all their other products because there seems to be too much conflicting information.

[AJ Leigh]

  On 8/24/2011 at 7:35 PM, Coolclimates said:

I heard that the Hershey's company is very secretive about whether there are gluten and/or cross contamination in their products. I have heard other people trying to get this information from this company and have been very frustrated because they never seem to give a direct answer or their answers are too vague. I've been told that plain Hershey's bars, ones with almonds and chocolate kisses are all ok. But that's just what I've heard from others. I avoid all their other products because there seems to be too much conflicting information.

Yes, it does seem like they have something to hide!

[catsmeow]

I have gotten sick multiple times on both Hershey's chocolate bars and Hershey's drops. I've finally come to the conclusion that they are not safe. I never eat them any more, to many bad experiences. I have no problem with M&M's and M&M's with peanuts, both made by Mars.

I don't think that it's a wheat issue though because if it were wheat I would have an immediate and violent histamine reaction since I have a very serious allergy to wheat. What I get is a delayed reaction that fits into the gluten sensitivity department. So, maybe it's gluten from barley or rye. I get a migraine, joint pain, fatigue, body aches, some diahrrea, and bloating that lasts 2-3 days. It's not worth it to me anymore.

[Takala]

When they moved a lot of their manufacturing out of the country, it coincided with going from disclosing ingredients and gluten free status being pretty much assured to the current situation of inquiries as to just what is actually in those flavorings is not being volunteered. Which was sort of heartbreaking, as I and others used to eat quite a bit of plain chocolate bars and kisses..... now there are just too many stories of random reactions.... looks like they'd rather make a buck $ than guarantee a loyal customer base.

Yeah, I am suspecting hidden barley malt from the natural flavorings, too, but not consistently. Somebody ought to do a spoof video called Barley, The Conquistator El Mundo.

[catsmeow]

  On 9/2/2011 at 4:17 AM, Takala said:

When they moved a lot of their manufacturing out of the country, it coincided with going from disclosing ingredients and gluten free status being pretty much assured to the current situation of inquiries as to just what is actually in those flavorings is not being volunteered. Which was sort of heartbreaking, as I and others used to eat quite a bit of plain chocolate bars and kisses..... now there are just too many stories of random reactions.... looks like they'd rather make a buck $ than guarantee a loyal customer base.

Yeah, I am suspecting hidden barley malt from the natural flavorings, too, but not consistently. Somebody ought to do a spoof video called Barley, The Conquistator El Mundo.

I totally agree with you. Hershey's went down the toilet. All they have is the good name and they're ruining that. I also suspect that it is barley, which does not have to be declared. Barley is used in many candies to add flavor, so those natural flavorings could very well be barley.

[Sarah B]

Yeah, I try to avoid hershey produces as well. I first started to noice it with the hershey kisses. I get alot of the same symptons you all discribed.

[Coolclimates]

shame on you, Hersheys! I'm gonna have more honest chocolates that don't play all of these guessing games....seriously.

[shadowicewolf]

i've never had a problem with them

[Terri O]

This thread makes me wonder...I just bought a bunch of Hershey's cause they were 4/$1. Guess I will get them out of the "secret stash" and let the fam eat them up! Terri O