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

Hidden Valley Ranch Reply

TriciaW

Recommended Posts

TriciaW Newbie
TriciaW
Posted

I was so disappointed with the response I received from Hidden Valley Ranch regarding the source of the maltodextrin in their ranch seasoning and dip mix. I thought I would share for those who might be interested:

"Dear Mrs. W------,

Thank you for contacting us about our Hidden Valley Salad Dressing Mix.

As is the case with many companies, the specific ingredients of our formula are proprietary.

I am sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Again, thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Jewel Santana

Consumer Response Representative

Consumer Services

Did you know: Kids eat more vegetables when they come with Ranch Dressing. "

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

While the reply is not helpful, I can add to it. If it is maltodextrin that you are concerned about, maltodextrin is so highly refined that even if it was from wheat, there would be no detectable gluten in the maltodextrin, which is a very small part of the dressing. If it WAS wheat-derived, in the USA that fact would have to be clearly disclosed on the label using the exact word "wheat."

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

I was so disappointed with the response I received from Hidden Valley Ranch regarding the source of the maltodextrin in their ranch seasoning and dip mix. I thought I would share for those who might be interested:

"Dear Mrs. W------,

Thank you for contacting us about our Hidden Valley Salad Dressing Mix.

As is the case with many companies, the specific ingredients of our formula are proprietary.

I am sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Again, thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Jewel Santana

Consumer Response Representative

Consumer Services

Did you know: Kids eat more vegetables when they come with Ranch Dressing. "

Take another approach, when contacting companies. Ask if their Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing is gluten free, and what is there allergen policy. I expect their answers will be a bit more fluid.

I buy it all the time, after I read the label. :)

I Googled Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

Open Original Shared Link

1974girl Enthusiast
1974girl
Posted

I sure hope that it is safe. I eat it all the time. It was in a book I bought that tells grocery store items and if they are safe. My nutritionist recommended it. Anyway, it said it was safe.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I got some in a gift box from the Univ of Chicago Celiac Center. If its not gluten-free, the Celiac Center just made many people sick! What a way to drum up business! :D

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

I believe I read recently that Hidden Valley is about to add "gluten free" to their labels. They said the newly labeled bottles would be out sometime in June, I think.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

I got some in a gift box from the Univ of Chicago Celiac Center. If its not gluten-free, the Celiac Center just made many people sick! What a way to drum up business! :D

B) I guess we will see. Karen, keep us updated. :)

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 3 weeks later...
heidi b Rookie
heidi b
Posted

How can Hidden Valley Ranch be gluten-free if it contains modified food starch and MSG?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

How can Hidden Valley Ranch be gluten-free if it contains modified food starch and MSG?

Modified food starch is gluten free unless it says wheat. MSG is gluten free.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I believe I read recently that Hidden Valley is about to add "gluten free" to their labels. They said the newly labeled bottles would be out sometime in June, I think.

I also recall reading that article. I almost posted that I had read it but then didn't find it on a quicky google search and was afraid I was imagining things or mistaken. I guess my memory isn't as bad as I feared!

I eat Hidden Valley all the time, if it had gluten I'd know within half an hour.

heidi b Rookie
heidi b
Posted

Modified food starch is gluten free unless it says wheat. MSG is gluten free.

Some people say modified food starch is safe and some do not. This website has it on the unsafe list. If it truly is safe, we could eat more products more cheaply. Where can I find more information?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Some people say modified food starch is safe and some do not. This website has it on the unsafe list. If it truly is safe, we could eat more products more cheaply. Where can I find more information?

In the US, if it's made from wheat, it will, legally, have to say so.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I have been on the diet for twelve years now. When I started, MFS was on the warning lists because it could be made from wheat. In my time, I have never found a case where it actually WAS wheat.

During that time, label rules have changed in both Canada and the US. The presence of wheat must now be clearly disclosed using the word "wheat." So MFS is safe unless you see the word "wheat" on the label.

123glldd Collaborator
123glldd
Posted

Knowing they were suppose to be updating labels this month to say gluten free I e-mailed them and received this reply this afternoon (I am currently back home in Newfoundland, Canada)...

"Thank you for contacting us.

The FDA requires that we list the following allergens on our ingredient labels:

1. Egg

2. Soybean (excluding high refined oil)

3. Dairy

4. Peanut

5. Wheat (barley, rye, oats, or any source of gluten)

6. Fish

7. Crustacean

8. Tree Nut

For the most accurate source of information, please check the back of the ingredient panel for every purchase as ingredients may change. Additionally, the term "Natural Flavor" is proprietary to our formula however, if any of the allergens listed above were present in the natural flavors it would be called out specifically on the ingredient panel. Further, none of our products are manufactured on dedicated lines.

Again, thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Mayra Linares

Consumer Response Representative

Consumer Services"

How are they claiming gluten free without dedicated lines or at least telling us that they clean them? I'm very confused after that...

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

How are they claiming gluten free without dedicated lines or at least telling us that they clean them? I'm very confused after that...

I am not up-to-date of the Canadian criteria, but Peter posted it clearly.

But, in the US, the term "gluten free" is voluntary on labels, as no legal definition is standardized at this point. Close, but we're not there yet.

Nothing in life is guaranteed to be gluten free. It's an improbability. So we do our best.

Reading labels works for me, although I know that there is a small group of others that might need to take that extra step regarding shared equipment. I'm not one of them.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

How are they claiming gluten free without dedicated lines or at least telling us that they clean them? I'm very confused after that...

In the US, there is currently no regulated definition of gluten-free, although there is a proposed one from a few years ago. In Canada, there is a clear one.

Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) are required in both countries. That includes proper washing of equipment between batches. That applies to all products, not just ones claimed as gluten-free.

The regulations in Canada, and federal law (FALCPA) in the US, require the disclosure of top allergens, one of which is wheat. Your post above contains the FALCPA list. Canada currently adds sesame seeds and sulphites to that list. In August, 2012, Canada will add mustard seeds, rye, barley and oats to the list. HOWEVER, in both countries, the rule applies only to ingredients intentionally in the food, and does not address cross-contact issues.

But that is where GMP comes in. GMP make cross-contact much less likely.

Disclosure of shared equipment and/or facilities is completely voluntary in both countries.

In Canada, a "may contain" statement may be on the label if there is sharing, and, despite GMP, there is a risk. An example would be a baked product with no intentional gluten content, baked in the same kitchen as regular wheat-based goods. The possibility of airborne flour can not be controlled. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency explicitly states that such a warning can not be used as a substitute for GMP.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Thanks Peter for your informative reply. :)

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. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,335
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    johnfreirefr
    Newest Member
    johnfreirefr
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • 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.