High Fructose Corn Syrup & Corn Byproducts

[CNV2855]

I've been gluten free for over four years and I haven't had a complete resolution of my symptoms during that time. I've had moderate improvement but I'm still symptomatic. I do seem to have completely resolution of my symptoms when I completely fast, a clue that I'm eating something I'm not supposed to. My glutening symptoms are worse than many and I get massive swelling, shortness of breath, and what feels like a full of AI attack.

Few weeks ago, I was doing great and picked up some gluten-free corn flour from a health food store and made some cornbread. Had a definitely gluten reaction to it, twice. I re-checked and ate more after I was feeling better to verify that it was that food that was causing the reaction.

I think I'm just super sensitive to gluten and it's not necessarily the corn gluten giving me the problem, but I think that since they are grown on the same fields, milled by the same equipment, stored in the same sacks, processed at the same mills, transported on the same trucks, produced in the same factories that corn and wheat are inseparable and that it's almost impossible to get CC free corn.

So if a "gluten-free" specialized corn flour isn't safe for me, then wouldn't it be logical to assume that I'd also react to corn byproducts like HFCS? The HFCS manufacturers don't need to guarantee there product is gluten free. Other cookeries or companies then use that HFCS and claim their product is gluten free, even though the corn byproducts may not be?

Or is it really possible that some Celiacs do have the same reaction to corn? If that's true why hasn't it been studied?

[Jestgar]

Or maybe you are sensitive to corn?

[captaincrab55]

Did your corn flour have dairy in it ???

[CNV2855]

Did your corn flour have dairy in it ???

No but I've been dairy free for about 2-3 months.

I'd hate to call this a sensitivity. I'm allergic to fish, nuts, eggs, and other proteins but my reaction to those foods is very, very different.

When I'm glutened I have a very specific and harsh reaction. This reaction I had to the corn bread was identical to my gluten reaction but less severe and passed more quickly. Even my DH rash flared.

[mushroom]

My reaction to corn is identical to my gluten reaction. That's why it took me so long to figure out my gluten problems.

[ravenwoodglass]

No but I've been dairy free for about 2-3 months.

I'd hate to call this a sensitivity. I'm allergic to fish, nuts, eggs, and other proteins but my reaction to those foods is very, very different.

When I'm glutened I have a very specific and harsh reaction. This reaction I had to the corn bread was identical to my gluten reaction but less severe and passed more quickly. Even my DH rash flared.

Does the company that makes the corn flour also make gluten products or gluten free oats? If they do the corn flour may be CC'd enough to cause you problems.

[CNV2855]

My reaction to corn is identical to my gluten reaction. That's why it took me so long to figure out my gluten problems.

How have you been doing since you completely removed corn from your diet? I noticed in your signature that you have a lot more foods cut out than just corn, have you been able to reintroduce those foods since you cut out corn?

Ravenwood, the corn flour is Bob's Red Mill. Someone said there are two kinds, one kind that says "gluten free" and one that doesn't. The package I have has no mention of wheat and says, "manufactured in same plant that produces soy and nuts." that's it.

I bought it in a gluten free section, but my point if something like THIS is contaminated, something that is suppose to be safe... There aren't any gluten checks for generic HFCS and other corn byproducts, so how do I know those are safe?

[mushroom]

How have you been doing since you completely removed corn from your diet? I noticed in your signature that you have a lot more foods cut out than just corn, have you been able to reintroduce those foods since you cut out corn?

I have been able to add some potato starch in bread back in to my diet(ate Udi's bread over the summer), also I can handle corn starch now. With corn it seems to be a problem the more whole grain there is; the more refined the better I tolerate it. I have attempted citrus a couple of times, but I think I tried too soon. I am waiting Since I love eggplant so much and never specifically reacted to it (just dropped all nightshades after reacting to potatotes and tomatoes and never did that well with peppers) I am going to give it a try with glutenfreegoddess pizza that love2travel posted a link to in the pizza crust thread. We'll see....

I was never one for sodas, but the HFCS amounts I have consumed in cookies, etc., do not seem to have been a problem for me, probably because they are highly refined. Also, the corn fillers in medications are tolerated now. Overall, my food problems are less of a "problem" now than they have ever been.

[CNV2855]

This is what I reacted to:

http://springsbargains.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bobs-red-mill-cornbread-mix.png

Says gluten free on the bag.

Are you feeling much improved or just slightly better, now that you've removed corn?

[Bubba's Mom]

I don't have any experience with Bob's Red Mill products. I've read on here that a lot of people find their flours are cc. They also make wheat flours and even a bag of something that's just wheat gluten that's used to boost something when making wheat bread.

I'm afraid to try their products!

[Jenniferxgfx]

Chemically speaking, HFCS is so processed and laboratory-derived that I really believe any gluten from the corn has been obliterated. The manufacturing process uses caustic soda and really harsh chemicals that will destroy proteins like gluten. I dont think anyone should eat the stuff though.

I do think cc is very likely in that corn flour at very low levels (I don't think BRM is purposely misleading anyone) and you're very sensitive. Do you have similar reactions to stuff like corn chips? Or non-corn grains like millet or sorghum flour?

[ravenwoodglass]

Ravenwood, the corn flour is Bob's Red Mill. Someone said there are two kinds, one kind that says "gluten free" and one that doesn't. The package I have has no mention of wheat and says, "manufactured in same plant that produces soy and nuts." that's it.

I bought it in a gluten free section, but my point if something like THIS is contaminated, something that is suppose to be safe... There aren't any gluten checks for generic HFCS and other corn byproducts, so how do I know those are safe?

Bob's Red Mill, I think, produces Gluten Free Oats in the facility that makes their gluten-free products. Some of us, like myself react to oats so if you are one of that group that may have been the issue with the corn flour.

[CNV2855]

Chemically speaking, HFCS is so processed and laboratory-derived that I really believe any gluten from the corn has been obliterated. The manufacturing process uses caustic soda and really harsh chemicals that will destroy proteins like gluten. I dont think anyone should eat the stuff though.

I do think cc is very likely in that corn flour at very low levels (I don't think BRM is purposely misleading anyone) and you're very sensitive. Do you have similar reactions to stuff like corn chips? Or non-corn grains like millet or sorghum flour?

I've had a reaction almost every single time I've tried corn chips. Tried diff. brands, same thing. I've reacted to potato chips too... so I figured it was just CC at factory.

Fritos aren't exactly CC safe. What's weird though is if it was CC, then why doesn't rice give me the same problems?

Rice is one of my safest foods... I feel fine when I eat it. I guess I should just avoid corn.

[Jenniferxgfx]

I'm pretty sure rice is (generally) processed in totally different ways than corn, oats, and wheat--- all those non-rice grains seem to have a lot of overlap and contamination in the fields, but rice is grown in paddies and in a completely different manner. Corn won't be grown anywhere near where rice is, but wheat might be nearby.

My botany/agriculture knowledge is rusty, but rice seems to be a very different crop, which works in our favor. (some folks are sensitive to rice too, but it seems like a different sensitivity entirely rather than a cc issue.)

[CNV2855]

I'm pretty sure rice is (generally) processed in totally different ways than corn, oats, and wheat--- all those non-rice grains seem to have a lot of overlap and contamination in the fields, but rice is grown in paddies and in a completely different manner. Corn won't be grown anywhere near where rice is, but wheat might be nearby.

My botany/agriculture knowledge is rusty, but rice seems to be a very different crop, which works in our favor. (some folks are sensitive to rice too, but it seems like a different sensitivity entirely rather than a cc issue.)

If corn caused a reaction in celiac patients enough to cause a DH flare, wouldn't we know about it? Is there really that little research being done about this disease?

There's almost no information out there regarding adverse reactions to corn or a corn enteropathy. I'm having an endoscopy done tom. and I'm interested in the results for sure.

I don't think I'm refractory because I DO get better, it's just that I react to so many foods it's hard to stay better. Each of my gluten reactions are becoming more and more severe and they're actually starting to scare me due to their severity.

[lovegrov]

I don't have any experience with Bob's Red Mill products. I've read on here that a lot of people find their flours are cc. They also make wheat flours and even a bag of something that's just wheat gluten that's used to boost something when making wheat bread.

I'm afraid to try their products!

Bob's Red Mill products that are marked with the gluten-free are made in separate facility from the wheat products

richard

[Jenniferxgfx]

There really is that little research

I've been trying to find research and it's just not there. I'm curious to know if it's a bit insidious why: the treatment for enteropathy is simple compared to other diseases. Avoid triggers! There's no Pharma profits to be made, medical treatments (except diagnostics) for hospitals to push, and doctors are pretty much completely ignorant to disorders triggered by food that aren't allergies. (but even then, allergies aren't well understood either.)

Research is funded by special interest groups. Big Pharma has no need for food reaction studies. Agriculture is BASED on wheat, corn, and soy, so they'd be shooting themselves in the feet by exposing data about the depth of the reaches of food reactions. All those years and dollars spent maximizing crops and an industry that's built on those crops could be in jeopardy with the increased prevalence of celiac (etc).

I know it sounds paranoid, but I really believe it.

Hopefully the world evolves to think differently about the importance of a food supply that's diverse, healthy, and safe for as many as possible.

[mushroom]

There really is that little research

I know it sounds paranoid, but I really believe it.

Hopefully the world evolves to think differently about the importance of a food supply that's diverse, healthy, and safe for as many as possible.

I'm afraid that we really may already be too far down the frankenfood road to reverse the trend, what with contamination of soils and crops and seeds, and the insignifcance of the power of the vote when the pols are beholden to ag and the docs (and scientists) are beholden to pharma, and the voice of reason is consigned to the wilderness....

[Jenniferxgfx]

I'm afraid that we really may already be too far down the frankenfood road to reverse the trend, what with contamination of soils and crops and seeds, and the insignifcance of the power of the vote when the pols are beholden to ag and the docs (and scientists) are beholden to pharma, and the voice of reason is consigned to the wilderness....

I know this is a depressing topic, but I'm glad I'm not alone in these thoughts. I'm afraid it's too late, too. I try to be optimistic, but the scientist in me can't really see how we can pull out of it, at the rate we're going.

[CNV2855]

You know I've never gotten completely better. Every single time I start feeling better, I start becoming more active and start socializing a lot more and also start loosening up my food restrictions and eating more processing food. I always stick to gluten free foods, but it seems everytime I "try" Wendy's or start eating processed gluten-free food, I ALWAYS end up glutened and sick.

anyway...

Under the Food Allergen and Consumer Protection Act, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must issue a rule for the voluntary labeling of food as gluten-free. In the proposed rule, many single-ingredient foods, such as millet, are considered inherently free of gluten. Inherently gluten-free grains will be considered misbranded if they carry a gluten-free label and do not also state that all foods of the same type are gluten-free (eg, "all millet is gluten free"). Twenty-two inherently gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours not labeled gluten-free were purchased in June 2009 and sent unopened to a company who specializes in gluten analysis. All samples were homogenized and tested in duplicate using the Ridascreen Gliadin sandwich R5 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with cocktail extraction. Thirteen of 22 (59%) samples contained less than the limit of quantification of 5 parts per million (ppm) for gluten. Nine of 22 (41%) samples contained more than the limit of quantification, with mean gluten levels ranging from 8.5 to 2,925.0 ppm. Seven of 22 samples (32%) contained mean gluten levels >/=20 ppm and would not be considered gluten-free under the proposed FDA rule for gluten-free labeling. Gluten contamination of inherently gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours not labeled gluten-free is a legitimate concern. The FDA may want to modify their proposed rule for labeling of food as gluten-free, removing the requirement that gluten-free manufacturers of inherently gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours must state on product labels that all foods of that type are gluten-free.

with mean gluten levels ranging from 8.5 to 2,925.0 ppm

Look at those statistics. I guess that means eating any grain or grain containing item, if it isn't guaranteed safe, is akin to playing russian roulette, right?

Nearly 1/3 of all of the grains they tested had >20ppm of gluten. How many manufacturers do you think call their suppliers to make sure the raw product their getting isn't contaminated with gluten? Very few.

Millet flour/305

Millet flour/327

Millet grain/14

Millet grain/25

White rice flour/8.5

Buckwheat flour/65

Sorghum flour/234

Soy flour/2,925

Soy flour/92

Look at that number next to Soy flour. No wonder so many people think they have a soy intolerance...

[T.H.]

I honestly don't know if super-sensitives react to HFCS, but I'm thinking it's a possibility. Not even necessarily due to processing - could be due to cc in the factory. I doubt most companies are making HFCS have gluten-free facilities, although honestly, I've never checked on it.

If it helps you in trying to determine your sensitivity level, the last time I spoke to a BRM rep they said that they tested every batch of their gluten-free products and it had to be below 20 ppm to be sold. The rep also mentioned that most of the time, the batches actually test at 10 ppm or less.

If you can estimate how many grams you ate (from the servings size info. on the package), convert it to kg, and multiply it by the ppm, that'll give you a rough estimate of the possible mg of gluten you had. Could help you in figuring out how much you can have in the future, yeah?

If you react to the corn flour, what other corn products you react to seem to depend a lot on a company's gluten cc risks and your own sensitivity. Even among those with corn allergies, some of them can still have some highly processed corn-derived ingredients, because the processing has eliminated enough of the protein. But some can't have corn products or derivatives at all, even those that have been very highly processed.

Again, whether that's due to something left from processing or cc because the corn is in the facility, I don't think anyone knows.

For gluten cc, I imagine it's the same issue. Some protein may make it through processing, some may be due to gluten presence in the facility.

If you want to examine your own food, this might help you judge your risk level a little. The following substances are ones that are often derived from corn here in the USA, or corn is used in the manufacturing of, and very sensitive corn allergic folks have had trouble with. These are pretty highly processed, but if you tolerate them, that should hopefully give you an idea of what level of processing seems to be safe.

dextrose - used to stabilize iodine in salt

citric acid - used in frozen veggies often, also often used as an antibacterial wash for most beef. It penetrates the first few layers of muscle, so it can't be washed off, really.

lactic acid

baking powder - usually has corn starch added, sometimes potato starch

white rice - corn products often used as a polishing agent

xanthan gum

Or is it really possible that some Celiacs do have the same reaction to corn? If that's true why hasn't it been studied?

I know that some have speculated about this, and cross-reactivity, but I haven't found some good substantiated studies about it. I've seen it mentioned that there was at least one study done on rice and corn and celiacs, and the celiacs didn't seem to react to either one noticeably, as I recall (although the selection process for most studies weeds out most super-sensitives).

[bartfull]

I DEFINITELY react to corn, and BADLY. I don't know yet if I'm a super-sensitive Celiac, but I know I am EXTREMELY sensitive to corn. Advil, the name-brand ibuprophen uses corn for a filler instead of wheat like the store brands do. A week or so ago, I was in so much pain I needed ibuprophen, and all it took was ONE tablet, and my psoriasis flaired immediately and my insomnia came right back. ONE TABLET.

I still had some of the store brand and switched to them. Still had psoriasis, but not as bad, and I actually slept. (not well, but at least I slept.)

It is MY belief, based on no studies or other information - just on my own experience, that high fructose corn syrup may be causing a lot of damage to a lot of people who don't realize it yet. I never had a sweet tooth until after manopause. One of those "fun size" candy bars would end up being thrown away before I could eat the whole thing. Sweets left a bad taste in my mouth, literally.

After menopause, all of a sudden I craved sweets, and I gave in to that craving. I ate rocky road ice cream every night. The marshmallow in rocky road is HFCS. The cookies I used to eat all throughout the day were FULL of HFCS. I really think THAT is what tipped me over the edge.

I HATE corn!!!!!

[padma]

There is another unknown in this corn issue... most corn is now GMO. There are European studies showing problems with the GMO's showing up in mommies blood and babies blood.

There is a great video on You Tube by a doctor at UCSF about Fructose and its effects on the body. Even if you don't understand the details, it becomes clear that we all should not be eating HFCS. It ends up producing some very toxic byproducts in our bodies.

There are a few versions on YouTube that you could check out.

My solution that I came up with that is keeping me symptom free is the following diet: simple organic chicken or turkey, small fish, organic vegetables.. all kinds, and occasional organic brown rice steamed after I've washed it. I have given up on cc gluten free products. I don't eat any candy, soda, coffee, etc. Just pure water with some fruit juice in it some times. I am careful where I buy my spices... never buy from the bulk bins or from cheap companies. Once I figured out that that diet keeps me healthy, I am happy now. No more yo-yo-ing daily.

With all that said, I do try some things once in a great while. This morning I had a gluten free piece of chocolate candy made at a facility where I know the owner. I got really sick, so it must have been cc'd. The owner tries so hard to make things carefully. Last time I'll eat that. Back to fruit.

I finally figured out a week long fast on juice that got my system clear of allergens and gluten. Then I started adding only one food at a time back. It takes so much attention, but it has been worth it. It is how I found out the gluten-free bread I was eating was making me sick.

It takes great patience to figure out all the sensitivities and gluten hiding places. Don't give up.

[CNV2855]

I have noted tremendous improvement in the last few days cutting out corn and fruit, including HFCS. I've been grain free before, but when I cut out corn I started drinking tons of HFCS soft drinks and eating a lot of fruit and fruit juices.

I don't want to write too much on it until I'm positive this improvement I'm feeling is lasting but I'm feeling SO much better.