Comparing Chips For Super Sensitives

[T.H.]

With the discussion on chips, I got curious enough to do some checking on the various companies everyone was recommending (I might have missed a few, though!) Figured I'd share what I found, to help those here figure out what they can have, based on their level of sensitivity. Anyone else have some to add, please do!

Please note, the following only applies to the gluten free chips made by these companies. Some companies make both gluten free and regular chips, both.

1. 
   
   
2. Boulder Canyon chips - gluten-free line, but not a gluten-free facility. Every batch is sent out for testing, but I'm still waiting to hear the ppm of the test. Assuming 20ppm.
   
3. Frito Lay's chips - Lay's staxx is the only chip of theirs made on a gluten-free line. It is tested for gluten at periodic intervals, must be <20ppm.
   
4. Food Should Taste Good chips - certified by the GFCO, so <10ppm
   
5. Garden of Eatin' chips - some made without gluten ingredients, but not tested for gluten and not made on a dedicated gluten-free line. Hain Celestial, the parent company, does not consider them one of their gluten-free products.
   
6. Kettle Brand potato chips - gluten-free facility, every batch tested to <20ppm. Also, all their flavors have to have tested to <10ppm, if from other suppliers.
   
7. Late July Organic chips - GFCO certified, so <10ppm
   
8. Lundberg chips - gluten-free facility, periodic testing, <20ppm gluten. The gal recommended that if anyone reacted to less than 20ppm, they might wish to stick with the plain rice, but not the rice cakes or chips. The rice itself is processed in a separate facility with only rice and no added ingredients.
   

Re: GFCO certified foods. The reason I don't have a lot of information on these other than ppm is because information like testing frequency differs based on risk assessment. Where they get their ingredients, whether they have a gluten-free facility or not, and so on, all affect their process and testing procedures, and is often pretty much a pain in the butt to get. So I stop at GFCO certified and hope that'll be enough. :-)

I'm still waiting on some information for Mission chips. The only thing I can say for sure is that when I asked about all their corn products and gluten free lines, they said that their corn tortillas were made on a gluten free line, and they didn't comment on any other product. I'm assuming that means the tortilla chips are NOT made on a gluten free line, sadly.

[GFreeMO]

Thanks for the info! Mission Corn Chips are safe too. They have the allergen info on their website.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Thanks for the research! I had also mentioned Grande brand chips but I can no longer reccomend them as I just noticed over the weekend that they stopped labeling their chips as gluten-free. I wonder if that means they are anticipating the new law and just not calling them gluten-free anymore because they are not tested. Anyway I was so sad to see the gluten-free label gone and didn't risk buying them.

It's been at least a year since I tried Garden of Eatin but they used to be labeled as gluten-free as well. Sad that the company will no longer call them that but I'm glad they are being honest about them not being tested and mad eon shared lines. I think we are going to see this happening to a lot of products once the testign requirements are in place.

[T.H.]

I had also mentioned Grande brand chips but I can no longer reccomend them as I just noticed over the weekend that they stopped labeling their chips as gluten-free.

Oh, I did miss those! You know, I'm on a research kick anyway. I'll go call 'em up and see what's going on. I think you're right on the money, though, that some companies are anticipating the gluten free law finally going into effect. I was noticing in one of the gluten free grocery guides that a number of companies stopped calling a number of their 'naturally 'gluten free foods gluten free, like Safeway's nuts, for example.

Mission Corn Chips are safe too. They have the allergen info on their website.

I was hoping they might be, but honestly, they're looking possibly okay for regular celiacs, and probably not good for super sensitive ones. On reading their Gluten/allergen FAQ the first time, they struck me as a perfect example of a company that gives almost the right answers to the questions, while trying to avoid answering them completely.

Actually, you know what, I think I'm going to go ahead and bring up their FAQ in another post here. They are just too good an example to waste! :-)