Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

May Contain Trace Amounts Of Wheat

JaneWhoLovesRain

Recommended Posts

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?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


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.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


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!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      0

      Rainforest Cafe Fined After Child's Severe Allergic Reaction: What It Means for Gluten-Free Safety

    2. marion wheaton
      - marion wheaton replied to marion wheaton's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      3

      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      Thanks for responding. I researched further and Lindt Lindor chocolate balls do contain barely malt powder which contains gluten. I was surprised at all of the conflicting information I found when I checked online.
    3. trents
      - trents replied to marion wheaton's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      3

      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      @BlessedinBoston, it is possible that in Canada the product in question is formulated differently than in the USA or at least processed in in a facility that precludes cross contamination. I assume from your user name that you are in the USA. And it is also possible that the product meets the FDA requirement of not more than 20ppm of gluten but you are a...
    4. BlessedinBoston
      - BlessedinBoston replied to marion wheaton's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      3

      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      No,Lindt is not gluten free no matter what they say on their website. I found out the hard way when I was newly diagnosed in 2000. At that time the Lindt truffles were just becoming popular and were only sold in small specialty shops at the mall. You couldn't buy them in any stores like today and I was obsessed with them 😁. Took me a while to get around to...
    5. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      14

      My only proof

      @Jmartes71, I understand your frustration and anger. I've been in a similar situation where no doctor took me seriously, accused me of making things up, and eventually sent me home to suffer alone. My doctors did not recognize nutritional deficiencies. Doctors are trained in medical learning institutions that are funded by pharmaceutical companies...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,414
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Jane Margaret
    Newest Member
    Jane Margaret
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • marion wheaton
      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      By marion wheaton · Posted

      Thanks for responding. I researched further and Lindt Lindor chocolate balls do contain barely malt powder which contains gluten. I was surprised at all of the conflicting information I found when I checked online.
    • trents
      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      By trents · Posted

      @BlessedinBoston, it is possible that in Canada the product in question is formulated differently than in the USA or at least processed in in a facility that precludes cross contamination. I assume from your user name that you are in the USA. And it is also possible that the product meets the FDA requirement of not more than 20ppm of gluten but you are a super sensitive celiac for whom that standard is insufficient. 
    • BlessedinBoston
      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      By BlessedinBoston · Posted

      No,Lindt is not gluten free no matter what they say on their website. I found out the hard way when I was newly diagnosed in 2000. At that time the Lindt truffles were just becoming popular and were only sold in small specialty shops at the mall. You couldn't buy them in any stores like today and I was obsessed with them 😁. Took me a while to get around to checking them and was heartbroken when I saw they were absolutely not gluten free 😔. Felt the same when I realized Twizzlers weren't either. Took me a while to get my diet on order after being diagnosed. I was diagnosed with small bowel non Hodgkins lymphoma at the same time. So it was a very stressful time to say the least. Hope this helps 😁.
    • knitty kitty
      My only proof

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jmartes71, I understand your frustration and anger.  I've been in a similar situation where no doctor took me seriously, accused me of making things up, and eventually sent me home to suffer alone.   My doctors did not recognize nutritional deficiencies.  Doctors are trained in medical learning institutions that are funded by pharmaceutical companies.  They are taught which medications cover up which symptoms.  Doctors are required to take twenty  hours of nutritional education in seven years of medical training.  (They can earn nine hours in Nutrition by taking a three day weekend seminar.)  They are taught nutritional deficiencies are passe' and don't happen in our well fed Western society any more.  In Celiac Disease, the autoimmune response and inflammation affects the absorption of ALL the essential vitamins and minerals.  Correcting nutritional deficiencies caused by malabsorption is essential!  I begged my doctor to check my Vitamin D level, which he did only after making sure my insurance would cover it.  When my Vitamin D came back extremely low, my doctor was very surprised, but refused to test for further nutritional deficiencies because he "couldn't make money prescribing vitamins.". I believe it was beyond his knowledge, so he blamed me for making stuff up, and stormed out of the exam room.  I had studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I switched because I was curious what vitamins from our food were doing in our bodies.  Vitamins are substances that our bodies cannot manufacture, so we must ingest them every day.  Without them, our bodies cannot manufacture life sustaining enzymes and we sicken and die.   At home alone, I could feel myself dying.  It's an unnerving feeling, to say the least, and, so, with nothing left to lose, I relied in my education in nutrition.  My symptoms of Thiamine deficiency were the worst, so I began taking high dose Thiamine.  I had health improvement within an hour.  It was magical.  I continued taking high dose thiamine with a B Complex, magnesium. and other essential nutrients.  The health improvements continued for months.  High doses of thiamine are required to correct a thiamine deficiency because thiamine affects every cell and mitochondria in our bodies.    A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function.  The cerebellum of the brain is most affected.  The cerebellum controls things we don't have to consciously have to think about, like digestion, balance, breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, hormone regulation, and many more.  Thiamine is absorbed from the digestive tract and sent to the most important organs like the brain and the heart.  This leaves the digestive tract depleted of Thiamine and symptoms of Gastrointestinal Beriberi, a thiamine deficiency localized in the digestive system, begin to appear.  Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Beriberi include anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, headaches, Gerd, acid reflux, gas, slow stomach emptying, gastroparesis, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation, incontinence, abdominal pain, IBS,  SIBO, POTS, high blood pressure, heart rate changes like tachycardia, difficulty swallowing, Barrett's Esophagus, peripheral neuropathy, and more. Doctors are only taught about thiamine deficiency in alcoholism and look for the classic triad of symptoms (changes in gait, mental function, and nystagmus) but fail to realize that gastrointestinal symptoms can precede these symptoms by months.  All three classic triad of symptoms only appear in fifteen percent of patients, with most patients being diagnosed with thiamine deficiency post mortem.  I had all three but swore I didn't drink, so I was dismissed as "crazy" and sent home to die basically.   Yes, I understand how frustrating no answers from doctors can be.  I took OTC Thiamine Hydrochloride, and later thiamine in the forms TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) and Benfotiamine to correct my thiamine deficiency.  I also took magnesium, needed by thiamine to make those life sustaining enzymes.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins, so the other B vitamins must be supplemented as well.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   A doctor can administer high dose thiamine by IV along with the other B vitamins.  Again, Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine should be given if only to rule Gastrointestinal Beriberi out as a cause of your symptoms.  If no improvement, no harm is done. Share the following link with your doctors.  Section Three is especially informative.  They need to be expand their knowledge about Thiamine and nutrition in Celiac Disease.  Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test for thiamine deficiency.  This test is more reliable than a blood test. Thiamine, gastrointestinal beriberi and acetylcholine signaling.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12014454/ Best wishes!
    • Jmartes71
      My only proof

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      I have been diagnosed with celiac in 1994, in remission not eating wheat and other foods not to consume  my household eats wheat.I have diagnosed sibo, hernia ibs, high blood pressure, menopause, chronic fatigue just to name a few oh yes and Barrett's esophagus which i forgot, I currently have bumps in back of my throat, one Dr stated we all have bumps in the back of our throat.Im in pain.Standford specialist really dismissed me and now im really in limbo and trying to get properly cared for.I found a new gi and new pcp but its still a mess and medical is making it look like im a disability chaser when Im actively not well I look and feel horrible and its adding anxiety and depression more so.Im angery my condition is affecting me and its being down played 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.