Godiva

[plumbago]

I've seen many many many posts about good ole Godiva chocolates. I was at a tiny store today. The sales clerk gave me the typical line - that all products may contain gluten. Classic CYA I figured. I bought the Limited Edition Truffles anyway. (And sampled an in-store chocolate which also happens to be in this collection.) I have not opened my box yet.

The posts on this forum repeat both the POV that it is CYA and that they may contain gluten. One person said that their chocolates are sweetened with barley malt.

Barley malt is not listed in the ingredients. Neither is flour/wheat, nor of course rye.

I read about how they get their ingredients from third parties and can't guarantee them. But they'd have to list wheat, right? That's the law. I read how people have eaten them without a problem, after reading the ingredients and seeing that there is no unsafe ingredient in the list.

Shortcut: to me it does seem like CYA, and that is probably partly because I want to eat them. But, strength is not lacking to give them away as a present if need be. So what does everyone think?

[eatmeat4good]

I don't buy them...I used to love them but the risk seems too great for me.

I had too many years sick.

I happily eat Dove Chocolate.

I hope you post how you do with it.

[IrishHeart]

This is from their website--couldn't be any clearer:

Allergy Information

Does your chocolate contain dairy products? ALL of our dark, milk, and white chocolate may contain dairy or milk products. Any person with a dairy allergy should NOT consume ANY of our products.

Does your chocolate contain nuts? ALL of our products including solid chocolate pieces may contain nuts and/or peanuts. Any person with a nut allergy should NOT consume ANY of our products .

Does your chocolate contain gluten? ALL of our products including solid chocolate pieces may contain gluten. Any person with a gluten allergy should NOT consume ANY of our products.

Anyone you know have a birthday coming up??

[FernW]

I eat Dove and Hersheys (same company). I would not try Godiva risk is too great but if you do try it you may not be as senstive as I am. I get sick for a month and I hate loosing a whole month.

[plumbago]

I have not partaken. I just wanted to see if there was much to be added to the discussion.

Off to the office they go.

However, I am not convinced that they are not gluten free. What I have been finding is that more and more food processors are just opting out of the game by saying that they 'may' contain gluten. Well it 'may' rain tomorrow. They're damned if they do, damned if they don't, I guess. And so are we. And round and round we go.

Plumbago

[eatmeat4good]

Thanks for posting back.

I have been wondering about you sitting there with that box of chocolates.

If they didn't make you sick I might have tried them.

Darn.

But we are probably better off anyway.

Lucky people at the office.

[IrishHeart]

Honestly, their company statement is pretty emphatic, not wishy-washy or CYA, so I would never try it!

Too bad; I loved Godiva.

[plumbago]

Honestly, their company statement is pretty emphatic, not wishy-washy or CYA, so I would never try it!

Too bad; I loved Godiva.

To me, it's total CYA. If you look at the ingredients, there is nothing gluten in them. There is no wheat, barley, there is no "may contain traces of," - nothing. It's only their web site that says that. That's why it makes me say it's total CYA.

It's my opinion that food companies just want to opt out so they say (not on the package, mind you) "may contain" blah blah.

They just want to end the conversation. Or never get in on it.

Plumbago

[eatmeat4good]

Well, it's not top of the line, but I ate Palmer's chocolate covered peanuts and it said may contain traces of peanut or treenut. No mention of wheat. I ate them. I figured they would have a statement if it could contain traces of wheat. But no. Nothing. I got soooo sick. After I came out of hell, I googled and sure enough, they have the "may contain traces of wheat" on their website but not on the bag. No gluten ingredients whatsoever. I thought it would be ok... It was not.

Therefore, I can't be brave anymore. I believe all CYA statements, because it covers my "A" too.

[plumbago]

Well, it's not top of the line, but I ate Palmer's chocolate covered peanuts and it said may contain traces of peanut or treenut. No mention of wheat. I ate them. I figured they would have a statement if it could contain traces of wheat. But no. Nothing. I got soooo sick. After I came out of hell, I googled and sure enough, they have the "may contain traces of wheat" on their website but not on the bag. No gluten ingredients whatsoever. I thought it would be ok... It was not.

Therefore, I can't be brave anymore. I believe all CYA statements, because it covers my "A" too.

Can you provide the web site of Palmer's? I just googled, and could not find it. But this might be interesting - may contain traces on the Web site but not the package. Would be interesting to know if this complies with the labeling laws. But not to nitpick, the Godiva site says may contain gluten, not 'traces of.'

Plumbago

[IrishHeart]

To me, it's total CYA. If you look at the ingredients, there is nothing gluten in them. There is no wheat, barley, there is no "may contain traces of," - nothing. It's only their web site that says that. That's why it makes me say it's total CYA.

It's my opinion that food companies just want to opt out so they say (not on the package, mind you) "may contain" blah blah.

They just want to end the conversation. Or never get in on it.

Plumbago

They make candies with gluten in them and do not wish to clean machinery in between runs, probably? (just guessing).

The website has this statement:

"Any person with a gluten allergy should NOT consume ANY of our products.

I see this as pretty straight forward. Not CYA--but a warning.

If you want to risk that, that is entirely up to you.

****EDITED TO ADD: What I interpret this is...if the CONSUMER wants to risk that, it's a personal decision.

[plumbago]

At the risk of prolonging this, I would like to say again that I did not consume the box of chocolates. What I was hoping to get into is a discussion about labeling and companies' appetites for the gluten free market. It's possible that Godiva uses gluten machinery and does not decontaminate it. It is also possible that they do not, but they just don't want the headache. How can we know? I hate mysteries, and -- again -- I did not eat the box of chocolates, and would like to know a bit more without relying on speculation and conjecture.

You have it abundantly on record that you would not eat them. Can we have a broader discussion?

Perusing other blogs about this, I see some of them are asking the same question I am: is it CYA or legit? If it's legit why won't they say what the gluten ingredient is? Again what puzzles and intrigues me is how they can say that all their products may contain gluten, but a reading of the ingredients reveal no gluten in them!

Part of why I am persisting is for the benefit of other curious people in the future who want to know which SPECIFIC ingredient is the one that's the culprit.

I think there's something going on here. But if in the end, there's not, I'll be the first to admit (and explain) it, rest assured.

Plumbago

[IrishHeart]

I hate mysteries, and -- again -- I did not eat the box of chocolates, and would like to know a bit more without relying on speculation and conjecture.

You have it abundantly on record that you would not eat them. Can we have a broader discussion?

No need to be irritated with me, as I certainly meant no harm. Gosh, I was not trying to be difficult. I was just reiterating what the company said --and I thought it was pretty clear, so I am not sure what the confusion is about. I know you did not eat the chocolates ( I saw that) and I did not mean YOU should not eat them---it was an "editorial" you--as in the consumer. The company seems to be saying it is ill-advised.

If I was not clear, that's my fault. But you asked our opinions and I merely gave mine.

I agree about the mystery aspect of the labeling laws and I am afraid I do not know the answer as to why the companies are unwilling/unable to state things more clearly.

So, I'll bow out here and hope you find some folks who know more about this. I'll have to leave this to others to speculate upon with you.

Cheers,IH

[kareng]

If I had seen the chocolate at the store, read the ingredients and it didn't mention wheat or malt anywhere, I would have eaten them. But now that I have "seen" that the website says not to eat them I will try to remember not to.

Whether its a CYA statement or not,it is different from the standard "we don't add gluten but can't guarantee the procdures of our suppliers blah blah blah". This pretty much says they think some gluten might slip in. I don't think its an ingredient that has gluten or it would have to be listed (because all ingredients have to be listed). Sounds like a manufacturing practice. If you want to know for sure, email the company. Unless any of us work for them, we really can only guess why they say that.

In the US, we have no laws about labelling this type of thing. Some companies will say "processed on shared lines" most don't.

Its frustrating.

[Lisa]

If Godiva does not want the millions of people with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity to purchase their products....it's alright with me. I will gladly comply.

[psawyer]

Here is my interpretation:

There is no gluten intentionally in the chocolates, but gluten is used in the same facility. As such, they can not be certain that cross-contamination has not happened.

The chocolates are probably gluten-free, but choose another brand if the notice worries you.

[Mossy]

I ate some Godiva chocolates today and tonight I am sick. I am usually super careful about what I eat. I did read the label and there were no gluten ingredients. But I didn't google it to check. The website says that people who are sensitive to gluten should avoid all their products. Lesson learned!