Snickers Bars In Australia

[Olivegirl]

Hello all

I know that snickers bars in Australia are gluten free according to their label - but whenever I eat them, I get glutened type symptoms. Does this happen to anyone else? I'm assuming that perhaps they're processed on the same line as non-gluten-free goods ...

[Saz]

It is possible but usually this will be declared on the label, I've never noticed any warnings on the packet but maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

Not sure how new you are to been gluten-free but another possibility is the wheat glucose syrup. Although technically gluten free some very sensitive people find they react to it.

Also consider where you are buying them from. Coles and other supermarkets sell the ones made in Australia, but Crazy Clarkes etc sometimes sell imported ones. These don't always have same ingredients in them as the ones manufactured here.

I know you said it gives you gluten symptoms but maybe there is something else in the ingredients that don't agree with you?

It may not be something you are allergic to as such. I have no other allergies but I find that eating or drinking certain brands of some products just make feel sick.

[Di2011]

I just drove up to the local servo (I'm near Canberra) and checked (((I am seriously treat/sweet/chocolate deprived!!!)))

Ingredients for both kinds of Snickers had "glucose syrup (sources can be wheat)" so unfortunately I am still treat deprived.

I can't tolerate much if any of the "derived from" products

[pricklypear1971]

I just drove up to the local servo (I'm near Canberra) and checked (((I am seriously treat/sweet/chocolate deprived!!!)))

Ingredients for both kinds of Snickers had "glucose syrup (sources can be wheat)" so unfortunately I am still treat deprived.

I can't tolerate much if any of the "derived from" products

What about nutella? I eat it off a spoon.

I also have great luck with peanut m&m's.

[Saz]

Not sure where you're from but Australian made m&ms aren't gluten-free. Some places sell the the American ones, I haven't checked for awhile but they used to be fine.

[Di2011]

What about nutella? I eat it off a spoon.

I also have great luck with peanut m&m's.

oommgg.. i'm going to check this out tomorrow. Never been a "sweet tooth" but just about anything is sounding good right now.

Everything in small doses I must remember!!!

[ElseB]

My understanding was always that wheat based glucose is so highly refined that there isn't enough gluten left to be harmful.

I found a European Food Safety Authority article that is a bit less definitive (and is making me second guess my past consumption of wheat based glucose!):

For coeliac disease, assessment of the evidence produced including a new clinical study indicates that wheat-based glucose syrup is unlikely to cause an adverse reaction in individuals with coeliac disease provided that the (provisional) value of gluten considered by Codex Alimentarius for foods rendered gluten-free is not exceeded.

If you want to read the whole article, here's the link:

Open Original Shared Link

[Di2011]

My understanding was always that wheat based glucose is so highly refined that there isn't enough gluten left to be harmful.

I found a European Food Safety Authority article that is a bit less definitive (and is making me second guess my past consumption of wheat based glucose!):

For coeliac disease, assessment of the evidence produced including a new clinical study indicates that wheat-based glucose syrup is unlikely to cause an adverse reaction in individuals with coeliac disease provided that the (provisional) value of gluten considered by Codex Alimentarius for foods rendered gluten-free is not exceeded.

If you want to read the whole article, here's the link:

Open Original Shared Link

I've been mostly gluten-free since June. Strictly gluten-free and low iodine for 2-3 months. I've gone basically to meat/fruit/veg/rice diet. Sometimes I add a rice noodle or gluten-free corn/rice pasta/rice thins.

If I have too much of the processed "gluten-free" and those that the authorities deem to be low enough to be (but not actually) "gluten-free" I tend to have serious trouble with DH.

It has only truly started to heal when I cut out the "gluten-free" (no gums, thickeners etc) in the past few weeks.

[anabananakins]

I just drove up to the local servo (I'm near Canberra) and checked (((I am seriously treat/sweet/chocolate deprived!!!)))

Ingredients for both kinds of Snickers had "glucose syrup (sources can be wheat)" so unfortunately I am still treat deprived.

I can't tolerate much if any of the "derived from" products

Cadbury's website has a good list, the plain dairy milk is fine. I like the rolls they sell (the shape that things like fruit pastells come in), with the little round tablet sized pieces of chocolate. You should be able to get that at the servo, even if they don't have the larger blocks.

(also, spending so much time on predominantly US-peopled websites that I'm used to North American english, it was fun see 'servo'! )

[auzzi]

If I have too much of the processed "gluten-free" and those that the authorities deem to be low enough to be (but not actually) "gluten-free" I tend to have serious trouble with DH.

I'm confused.

For it to be labelled "gluten free" in Australia, it must be 3ppm gluten or less [as of July 1 2011]. The labelling of "gluten free" is regulated and policed by Food Standards ANZ.

There is no "deemed low enough to be but not actually...": the science can't measure lower than than 3ppm, so no-one can say for absolute certain the "gluten-

free" is really "gluten-free".

Naturally "gluten-free" products are contaminated all the time .. meats, vegetables, fruits ... depends on how they are handled. But, Food Standards ANZ tests everything, even those ..

As for 20ppm, 100ppm, 200ppm in Australia: imported gluten-free items have to be "gluten free" according to our regulations of 3ppm or less..

..

[Di2011]

I'm confused.

For it to be labelled "gluten free" in Australia, it must be 3ppm gluten or less [as of July 1 2011]. The labelling of "gluten free" is regulated and policed by Food Standards ANZ.

There is no "deemed low enough to be but not actually...": the science can't measure lower than than 3ppm, so no-one can say for absolute certain the "gluten-

free" is really "gluten-free".

Naturally "gluten-free" products are contaminated all the time .. meats, vegetables, fruits ... depends on how they are handled. But, Food Standards ANZ tests everything, even those ..

As for 20ppm, 100ppm, 200ppm in Australia: imported gluten-free items have to be "gluten free" according to our regulations of 3ppm or less..

..

Sorry, hadn't intended to confuse. I had worked in a bakery for 9months until May/June and my system was so overloaded. DH has been a head-to-ankle nightmare. I still wear clothes from neck to ankle and itch pretty much all day. Regardless of whether it is gluten, salts (iodine) etc in the processed goods the bulk are on my avoid list. I didn't have any significant progress until I took out these products.

I have had the same problems with bathroom products. I've had some absolute nightmares with some of the most basic products (naturals, organics, anything) that have gums and other so called gluten-free wheat chemicals with lots of pseudonyms.

I don't have any issues with the authority/regulations/testing etc. I just know from months of experimenting that it doesn't work for me.

[Olivegirl]

Thanks everyone for your responses! I don't normally react to wheat glucose syryp, nor do I have other allergies - but I must admit I haven't tried a snickers in over a year - so maybe I should ty again and see what happens? (and make sure it's one that's manufactured here, not overseas). I occassionally have the same problem with the snack size cadubury's plain chocolate - but not always. So it could be something to do with chocolate per se perhaps.

[beebs]

I eat snickers all the time and have never had a problem, I'm not super sensitive or anything.