What The Heck Got Me

[GFreeMO]

Hi super sensitives,

Here I am again wondering what got me. I have been doing so well too. Anyway, I added 4 things to my diet. Sunmaid raisins, Dei Fratelli tomato sauce and Progresso chicken broth. I am thinking the chicken broth is CC but no clue. The tomato sauce lists vinegar on the label and the word "spices" Vinegar has gotten me in the past. I can't eat pickles b/c of the vinegar. The last thing that I added was McCormick cream of tartar spice. Any clues?! This is so discouraging.

[T.H.]

I'd check the foods first, the cream of tartar last.

Sunmaid does focus on dried fruit, so it might be okay, but dried fruit very frequently is processed in facilities that process wheat - you'd have to contact them to see if it's a wheat free facility, though, as they don't have to state that.

The Dei Fratelli tomato soup contains wheat, so it might be worth checking to see if it is processed near the tomato sauce, possibly.

Did the progresso broth say gluten free on the package? I was looking these up in my little Cecelia's marketplace gluten-free guide, and it doesn't have Progresso chicken broth listed as gluten free. General Mills says that if a product is considered gluten free, they will put that information on the label.

The McCormick cream of tartar I think is usually good for many folks, but I believe it's made in the same facility as the spice mixtures that contain gluten. You'd wanna double check that, though. It's been a while since I last looked that up.

[dilettantesteph]

I would cut them all out and try again after you return to health. Then add things only one at a time. I hope you feel better soon.

[IrishHeart]

I agree with Stephanie--wait and retry each one individually.

Single ingredient McCormick spices are gluten free.

Their statement is:

"Thank you for contacting us regarding your special allergies and intolerances to gluten. We understand that there are a growing number of people that have gluten concerns. We would like to take this opportunity to provide some additional information and let you know that there are many products available to you that will add the flavor you desire.

We often get the request for a list of our gluten-free products. We do not provide a list because we want you checking the ingredient statements of our products. McCormick can guarantee you the following:

1. All of our single ingredient spices are gluten-free. Our single ingredient spices are 100% pure, with nothing additional added to them.

2. All of our extracts are gluten-free. They are made with a synthetic Ethyl Alcohol, not a grain-based alcohol.

3. If our products have gluten in them, it will be listed clearly in the ingredient statement. We do not hide any allergens under “natural flavors” or “spices.” This pertains mainly to our Dry Seasoning mixes and some blends. An example is our Beef Stew Seasoning Mix. This contains gluten, and states, “Wheat Gluten,” in the ingredient statement.

4. McCormick goes a step further. If an ingredient is derived from wheat source, such as Maltodextrin, it will be listed as “Maltodextrin (WHEAT), in the ingredient statement.

5. McCormick follows good manufacturing practices at our plants and takes extra precautions to eliminate the possibility of mislabeling or cross-contamination.

Sunmaid raisins are gluten-free and safe, as far as I know.

Their statement is:

We do not pack any products containing gluten at our Kingsburg plant. There are no additives or preservatives in our Sun-Maid Natural Sun-Dried Raisins or our Zante Currants. When the raisins are ready to be processed, we clean the raisins using large aspirators (vaccums), graders, and shakers to remove stems, dirt, and other foreign objects.

We then do a very thorough washing in fresh water which not only rehydrates the raisins, but also serves to move the raisins along the conveyor systems during processing. There are no additives used to coat the raisins.

Some of our dried fruits are packaged at other plants that also produce products that contain wheat. These products are labeled where appropriate with the statement "Packed in a facility that also packs.," which can be found just below the ingredient statement on the package.

Here is a link to gluten-free chicken broths--and Progresso is listed there.

Open Original Shared Link

Are you sure it is a gluten reaction?

[T.H.]

Re: the sunmaid raisin - thanks for the information! I was wondering if they had a large enough volume to focus on raisins alone. Nice to know that they do. :-)

Re: the progresso - I'm guessing they've got the gluten-free label, then. Argh, so frustrating when major brands like that are left out of my gluten-free guide. It'd be nice to be able to get some of these for my dad that aren't the most expensive brands out there!

Re: McCormick. I was actually thinking more in terms of cross-contamination issues rather than hidden added gluten, you know? I haven't called the company myself, but according to others who have, McCormick does "run the blends that contain gluten on the same lines as their other products." (Open Original Shared Link - although this post is a year old, so it might not be accurate any longer) So that could be a potential issue, if one tends to react to food processed on shared lines.

[MaryJones2]

Progresso broth contains autolyzed yeast which is basically MSG so if you are sensitive to MSG that might be the culprit.

[IrishHeart]

McCormick does "run the blends that contain gluten on the same lines as their other products." (Open Original Shared Link - although this post is a year old, so it might not be accurate any longer) So that could be a potential issue, if one tends to react to food processed on shared lines.

AHA!! well, I did not know THAT part about McCormick using shared lines myself! hmm. (I am not one to use products that are produced on shared lines with wheat.) So, thanks for that! I consulted the Cecelia's Gluten Free shopping Guide for that spices info when I was newly DXed.

And I read all the info on their site. I do use McCormick spices regularly, however--and have not noticed a single problem. I usually get the "glazed donut" head and the "ever-popular big D" from trace gluten right away.

Ah well, as we all know....everyone's system is different.

[IrishHeart]

Progresso broth contains autolyzed yeast which is basically MSG so if you are sensitive to MSG that might be the culprit.

Good point! MSG makes me feel awful.

[GFreeMO]

Ahhhh..MSG..thats it. I had no idea that yeast extract was MSG. Thanks for your help everyone.

[IrishHeart]

Ahhhh..MSG..thats it. I had no idea that yeast extract was MSG. Thanks for your help everyone.

Just a thought.....I use the Kitchen Basics broths-- free of gluten, other allergens and MSG.

Here ya go!

Open Original Shared Link

[GFreeMO]

Just a thought.....I use the Kitchen Basics broths-- free of gluten, other allergens and MSG.

Here ya go!

Open Original Shared Link

Thank you! I will buy that brand next time. It was right under the Progresso too. Should have reached down a shelf!

[IrishHeart]

Thank you! I will buy that brand next time. It was right under the Progresso too. Should have reached down a shelf!

You're so welcome... MSG is a bugger

[dilettantesteph]

As an extremely sensitive celiac, I have had problems with McCormicks single ground spices. I did better buying them whole, washing, and grinding myself. Later I moved to home grown only.

[Gemini]

McCormick's single spices are gluten free and will clearly label any of their products that contain wheat.

The vast majority of Celiacs can use them without issue.

[salexander421]

We've had issues with so many different dried fruits but never sunmaid raisins!

[elfie]

Gemini, that's great about McCormick's. Could you provide a link to where that information came from? I like to double-check information since many things on the web are opinions or passing on of opinions. I went to the McCormick's site and couldn't find anything about gluten free or wheat warnings. I figure I just didn't know how to phrase my search right to get the the information. Thanks.

[sa1937]

This is from the Open Original Shared Link Or you can contact them from their link if you want to ask any further questions

Question: Do your products contain gluten?

Answer: None of our single ingredient spices and herbs contain gluten. In addition, all of our extracts, including Pure Vanilla, are gluten-free. Some of our products do contain gluten. When WHEAT is the source, it will always be called out within the ingredient statement, and listed in bold.We do not maintain a list of gluten-free products, as our formulas change from time to time.

[Gemini]

This is from the Open Original Shared Link Or you can contact them from their link if you want to ask any further questions

Question: Do your products contain gluten?

Answer: None of our single ingredient spices and herbs contain gluten. In addition, all of our extracts, including Pure Vanilla, are gluten-free. Some of our products do contain gluten. When WHEAT is the source, it will always be called out within the ingredient statement, and listed in bold.We do not maintain a list of gluten-free products, as our formulas change from time to time.

Thank you, Sylvia...you beat me to it! I should add that whenever I state something on this website regarding the safety of a food product, I always have done my homework on the product and either have called them or find info like this on their website. Maybe in future I will make sure to provide a link to the site to put others at ease. There is enough misinformation out there without confusing people further.

As far as the hidden gluten thing goes, at least in the US and Canada, there is no hidden gluten in food products. If wheat could be in the product, it will be clearly listed. Not so for barley but barley is used far less often in stuff and new Celiacs just have to bone up on Food 101 to catch where the barley may be. Don't rely so much on government to do that for you...we all know how that goes. With a little food education, this diet will not seem so daunting.

[elfie]

Thank you for the responses and link to McCormick's where they make that statement. I imagine most people do research to form their opinions.

It's too bad McCormick's doesn't back up their answer with information on the testing they do to substantiate their claims. Having grown up around farming there's just too many different farming practices for me to agree 100% with their claim without it being backed up with testing. The information hasn't been scientifically proven. I will agree that the spices themselves are naturally gluten free, but if a company is going to call something gluten free I would expect them to actually have testing done to back it up.

Gluten free is getting to be too big of a business and there's still not any kind of standard for labeling.

Thanks again.

[sa1937]

Thank you for the responses and link to McCormick's where they make that statement. I imagine most people do research to form their opinions.

It's too bad McCormick's doesn't back up their answer with information on the testing they do to substantiate their claims. Having grown up around farming there's just too many different farming practices for me to agree 100% with their claim without it being backed up with testing. The information hasn't been scientifically proven. I will agree that the spices themselves are naturally gluten free, but if a company is going to call something gluten free I would expect them to actually have testing done to back it up.

Gluten free is getting to be too big of a business and there's still not any kind of standard for labeling.

Thanks again.

I'm pretty comfortable using McCormick's herbs and spices so I guess each person has to make up their own mind as to what they want to use. I honestly don't know how many companies actually post on how they test or what ppm they test for. You might want to call or write McCormick's to see if you can get further clarification (and then let us all know).

The FDA is working on publishing guidelines for what constitutes gluten-free. Hopefully we'll see a statement in 2012 from what I've read. It's definitely long overdue.

[dilettantesteph]

It's too bad McCormick's doesn't back up their answer with information on the testing they do to substantiate their claims. Having grown up around farming there's just too many different farming practices for me to agree 100% with their claim without it being backed up with testing.

I have to agree. I have seen too many examples of things which were called gluten free which were found not gluten free with testing. See the dietician Tricia Thompsons gluten testing results, for example. Open Original Shared Link

Just because a company claims that their foods are gluten free doesn't mean that they necessarily are. This is especially so if we are talking about the low levels which bother super sensitives.

[Mnicole1981]

Older post I found after Googling this Progresso Chicken Broth that I had today that just made me feel terrible. My stomach and arms felt like they were inflamed about 45 minutes after I ate it.