Disturbing Message From Kraft

[RPM]

Like a lot of you, I've always been one to trust in Kraft but this message I got earlier surprised me. I've been feeling terrible recently and the ONLY thing I've had differently is Kraft BBQ sauce. They all say "vinegar" but Kraft says that their "vinegar" is distilled vinegar which means it could be from wheat (and I'm one of the sensitive ones) so I decided to call and ask.

The guy asked me for the bar code of a sauce, I gave him a recent one and he said the vinegar is fine but "there's gluten containing ingredients in the spices"...it's not like he said there COULD be in the typical CYA response, he actually said the spices contained gluten...there's nothing suspicious on the label, your typical BBQ sauce, but I even double checked with him and he said it was coming up as containing gluten in some of the ingredients...I've seen a LOT of gossip and talk about Kraft on the delphi board recently and didn't really think much of it but that surprises me

Maybe it's just this BBQ sauce, maybe it's others too, but for somebody to firmly say that it contains gluten, after I give him the bar code and he looks it up and everything, surprises me.

I know about the whole "we can't guarantee our sources etc etc" but that's a whole different story, this is actually coming up as not gluten-free and there's nothing on the label about it.

I don't really know what to make of it but I guess be careful.

[kareng]

I guess you could report them to the FDA. I believe the legal definition in the US of spices is that they can't contain grain. They must be spices. Also, if they are adding wheat without labelling, that would be another legal problem.

I'm guessing that they are trying to have a CYA statement and it's not been handled well. They probably mean that they get the " spices" from a company that doesn't test for gluten and neither does Kraft.

Perhaps an email to Kraft to get that cleared up?

[MaryJones2]

That really surprises me because Kraft has a policy to disclose gluten and other allergens on the label and it's been in place for quite a while - they voluntarily label all gluten sources and not just wheat. Their products seem to have a pretty good reputation. I would call again and speak to someone else - perhaps a supervisor and try to figure out exactly what he meant and what he was referencing.

I would be curious to know what you find out.

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[~**caselynn**~]

This is unfortunate, I wonder what else has changed?

[Lisa]

This is unfortunate, I wonder what else has changed?

I'm still not sure anything has changed. Sometimes your information is only as good as your customer service representative.

I, too, would encourage the OP to make that call again and talk to a supervisor.

In additions, if a vinegar was a from a wheat source, it BY LAW would be required to be listed on the ingredient listing or in an allergen warning.

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Reading Labels

Carefully read the ingredient statements on all food labels each time you make food selections. This enables you to obtain the most accurate ingredient information for the specific products you select. It also allows you to get the most current information since ingredients in products may change over time. The ingredient information on labels of Kraft products is very specific to help you make accurate and informed choices. If a Kraft product has an ingredient that is a source of gluten, the specific grain will be listed in the ingredient statement, no matter how small the amount. For labeling purposes, Kraft products will always state the names ‘wheat, barley, rye and/or oats’ when they are added to a product either directly as an ingredient or as part of an ingredient.

Examples of Ingredient Statements*

1) Kraft products made with a gluten-containing grain list the grain in the ingredient line using commonly known terms such as wheat, barley, rye and/or oats.

HONEY MAID: Honey Graham Crackers

HONEY MAID® Graham Crackers Ingredients: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, GRAHAM FLOUR (WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, SOYBEAN OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, HONEY, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN-AN EMULSIFIER, CORNSTARCH.

2) Kraft products made with an ingredient that contains a source of gluten will list that grain source in parentheses after the ingredient in the ingredient line if that is the only source of gluten in the product. This method is used, as necessary, to identify sources of gluten in flavors, modified food starch and other ingredients.

(The bold is mine)

[lovegrov]

After reading the thread on delphi, it's apparent that Kraft hasn't changed it's policy one bit. I'll still be buying with confidence from them.

richard

[modiddly16]

Sounds like a case of a confused rep to me. test the theory out and call back with the same question and see what happens!

[psawyer]

After reading the thread on delphi, it's apparent that Kraft hasn't changed it's policy one bit. I'll still be buying with confidence from them.

richard

As will I.

[RPM]

I called back and the woman said she wouldn't recommend trying it because the flavorings might contain it. She said the suppliers only have to tell them if there's wheat in the product so they're not sure if it has other forms of gluten or not. I don't know, I use Kraft products but both responses surprise me, I was under the impression that if it has gluten, it'll say it, but if their suppliers only have to tell them if there's wheat then that seems like it could be risky. At least with the BBQ sauces, obviously there's a lot of products like Oscar Meyer and such where there's nothing to worry about.

If somebody else wants to ask, they can, the bar code is 21000 67916.

[Skylark]

I called back and the woman said she wouldn't recommend trying it because the flavorings might contain it. She said the suppliers only have to tell them if there's wheat in the product so they're not sure if it has other forms of gluten or not. I don't know, I use Kraft products but both responses surprise me, I was under the impression that if it has gluten, it'll say it, but if their suppliers only have to tell them if there's wheat then that seems like it could be risky. At least with the BBQ sauces, obviously there's a lot of products like Oscar Meyer and such where there's nothing to worry about.

If somebody else wants to ask, they can, the bar code is 21000 67916.

I don't think these reps know what they're talking about. The chances of finding barley or rye hidden in natural flavorings is slim to none. The only possibility is barley malt, which I've never seen in BBQ sauce. Also barley malt is expensive so it's usually listed separately as a luxury ingredient.

I'd be willing to bet the "gluten" in the natural flavorings the first rep saw was monosodium glutamate. A lot of people who are poorly educated about the diet find the world glutamate confusing.

By the way, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce is really good and gluten-free.

[~**caselynn**~]

Ya know, I'm not even sure of the last time I bought Kraft anything...I didn't before celiac, and def don't now, how odd...maybe Kraft Mac n cheese years ago in college...hmmm....

[lovegrov]

Ya know, I'm not even sure of the last time I bought Kraft anything...I didn't before celiac, and def don't now, how odd...maybe Kraft Mac n cheese years ago in college...hmmm....

Kraft makes so many things under so many names I'd be stunned if you haven't bought something made by them without even knowing it.

richard

[tracijo]

I don't think these reps know what they're talking about. The chances of finding barley or rye hidden in natural flavorings is slim to none. The only possibility is barley malt, which I've never seen in BBQ sauce. Also barley malt is expensive so it's usually listed separately as a luxury ingredient.

I'd be willing to bet the "gluten" in the natural flavorings the first rep saw was monosodium glutamate. A lot of people who are poorly educated about the diet find the world glutamate confusing.

By the way, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce is really good and gluten-free.

It surprises me that you haven't seen barley malt in BBQ sauce. I don't check sauces themselves (I only use Sticky Fingers, which I had used from before being diagnosed, and is gluten-free), but on a small snack pack of Lays Barbecue chips, malted barley was listed as an ingredient.

[Skylark]

It surprises me that you haven't seen barley malt in BBQ sauce. I don't check sauces themselves (I only use Sticky Fingers, which I had used from before being diagnosed, and is gluten-free), but on a small snack pack of Lays Barbecue chips, malted barley was listed as an ingredient.

Good to know! See how it's listed separately, though?

[MaryJones2]

It surprises me that you haven't seen barley malt in BBQ sauce. I don't check sauces themselves (I only use Sticky Fingers, which I had used from before being diagnosed, and is gluten-free), but on a small snack pack of Lays Barbecue chips, malted barley was listed as an ingredient.

It's common to see gluten in potato chips and snacks but not as much in BBQ Sauce so I'm not surprised...

[~**caselynn**~]

Kraft makes so many things under so many names I'd be stunned if you haven't bought something made by them without even knowing it.

richard

Well, considering I barely eat processed foods, I'm pretty sure lol I got on raw, organic kick once and loved it! I'm not completely raw but pretty close. I've tried pretty hard to stick to it, but I fall off the wagon as much as everyone else.