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May Contain Trace Amounts Of Wheat

JaneWhoLovesRain

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JaneWhoLovesRain Enthusiast
JaneWhoLovesRain
Posted

Ugh, I don't like that phrase, mostly because it doesn't tell me anything for sure. Does anyone know, how likely is is that something with this on the label actually does contain wheat? Is it 95% of the time? 1% of the time? 50% of the time? impossible to say? Does it ALWAYS have wheat?

I've been feeling yukky the last couple of days and for me that means feeling off balance, on the verge of vertigo, etc. Plus my terrible, itching, mystery rash for which I still have no firm diagnosis, is making a comeback after disappearing almost entirely. (DH biopsy came out negative, yet no one can tell me what it was.)

I have not been diagnosed with celiac or any wheat intolerance, it's just a guess on my part. Because I've been feeling so out of kilter I searched my pantry trying to find if there is any way some gluten could have gotten into my system. Finally found it on the cashews "may contain trace amuonts of peanuts . . . coconut, soy, milk, wheat."

So what I'm really wondering is how likely is it that there actually was some wheat that happened to blow into this canister during production? and could it be enough to set something off in me? Or is more of a cover your butt phrase that manufacturers use?

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pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Any of the above, from what I can tell. It probably means its processed on shared equipment. They clean it, but stuff happens.

Do what you're comfortable with.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I'm never comfortable with anything that carries that statement. I get nuts that are guaranteed gluten-free. And I can't have peanuts right now b/c of sals but the hubs eats Planters Spanish peanuts & it says right on the canister, "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts". Period. Okay. Good to go on that.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

It is a tough call, and will vary from company to company, and from country to country.

In Canada, such a statement is allowed when, despite the manufacturer's best efforts, they can not be certain that all traces have been prevented. Use of wheat flour, which can become airborne, may lead to such a label notation. It can not be used as an excuse not to do proper cleaning--Good Manufacturing Practices are required.

In the US, I believe that there are no hard rules, but it can only be used to warn against possible contamination--it can not refer to something intentionally included in the product.

When I have a choice between two similar products, one of which has this disclaimer, I tend to choose the other one. This is not completely rational, since I am well aware that all such "may contain" statements are entirely voluntary. :huh:

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

I never know what to think about this either. In our litigious society manufacturers have to protect themselves. It could be that something with wheat is processed in the same building or it could mean on the same lines. Who knows?

I go to a place that has handmade candy. I checked the ingredients and they were all gluten free. I've eaten the same candy from there many times and never got sick. I always get marshmallows on a stick that are dipped in caramel and then in chocolate. Then I watched them making it recently and found out that they dip everything in the same vat of chocolate, including pretzels.

It was something I didn't even think about. Now I wonder if all sorts of chocolates are CC'd even in factories because they maybe use the same chocolate over and over again.

hexon Rookie
hexon
Posted

I never know what to think about this either. In our litigious society manufacturers have to protect themselves. It could be that something with wheat is processed in the same building or it could mean on the same lines. Who knows?

I go to a place that has handmade candy. I checked the ingredients and they were all gluten free. I've eaten the same candy from there many times and never got sick. I always get marshmallows on a stick that are dipped in caramel and then in chocolate. Then I watched them making it recently and found out that they dip everything in the same vat of chocolate, including pretzels.

It was something I didn't even think about. Now I wonder if all sorts of chocolates are CC'd even in factories because they maybe use the same chocolate over and over again.

I recently discovered that my study spot was directly adjacent to a local candy store, so being the diligent student I am I decided I needed a candy break. I really wanted chocolate covered raisons! However, I saw they also had chocolate covered pretzels and other wheat containing goodies, so I asked them about using the same chocolate for everything. Of couse they did, so I ended up getting candy that didn't have chocolate :(.

In regards to the OP's topic, I'm more afraid of the statement "may contain traces of wheat" than "processed in a facility that also processes wheat." I will buy gluten-free products with the second statement, but I had to stop my mother from using jarred jalape

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

I think Mars has a statement explaining their meaning of "may contain" and "processed". The link is in the peanut butter m&m's thread.

It's enlightening.

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sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

I think Mars has a statement explaining their meaning of "may contain" and "processed". The link is in the peanut butter m&m's thread.

It's enlightening.

Link for that thread?

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Link for that thread?

anabananakins Explorer
anabananakins
Posted

I'm in Australia and I don't know the rules around the 'may contain' warnings here (I really should look that up) but I have a personal policy not to eat anything with one. I figure that if it's on there, then someone thought there was some chance of contamination and I appreciate the heads up. In two years I've never had any problems with an australian product that was gluten free by ingredient (not labelled gluten free) without the 'may contain' warning, so this policy is working for me. Plus, I find it's easier to get people to take me/the diet seriously since I can issue a blanket statement about it (we have way fewer varieties of products in Australiaso if I say I can't eat X product in X brand pretty much everyone knows what I'm talking about) That said, the one time I did eat something with a 'may contain' warning was dried apricots I bought at LAX and they were fine, but I did really kick myself for eating them without checking the label first, I don't know what I was thinking, especially when I was about to get on a flight.

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

Thanks!

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