How Not To Buy Cross Contaminated Items

[1desperateladysaved]

Must I call every company for everything I buy or suffer the consequences? I hate to get started calling every company for everything I buy since my family already thinks I spend too much time on this stuff.

Please anyone, short cut.

[kareng]

If you are going to do that, you should probably re- do it every few months to see if anything has changed.

I use a bit of common sense. Factories that process tomatoes, only process tomatoes. I have found 1 brand that adds flour to the flavored pastes ( Contadina). I guess you could cross that brand off your list but I wouldn't bother calling every brand or every batch number of other brands.

One way to avoid this is to not buy anything more processed than fresh fruit and veggies, small batch dairy from local dairies, etc. I don't do that and I feel good and my blood test numbers are good.

[1desperateladysaved]

If you are going to do that, you should probably re- do it every few months to see if anything has changed.

I use a bit of common sense. Factories that process tomatoes, only process tomatoes. I have found 1 brand that adds flour to the flavored pastes ( Contadina). I guess you could cross that brand off your list but I wouldn't bother calling every brand or every batch number of other brands.

One way to avoid this is to not buy anything more processed than fresh fruit and veggies, small batch dairy from local dairies, etc. I don't do that and I feel good and my blood test numbers are good.

Right, I grind my ownalmond and bean flours usually. It is flours such as bean and also carob that I think gave me this trouble. So, do you use no flours?

[dilettantesteph]

Since you posted this in the super sensitive section, I will make the assumption that you are super sensitive I am also super sensitive. I don't spend very much time calling people. I have had bad experiences with that. For instance, I did call a company after finding a gluten grain in their whole grain sorghum. They told me about all their efforts to exclude them, which seemed great, but said that one must have gotten through. About a week later, someone I know called the same company to ask about cross contamination concerns. They told her that they had never had any complaints. This same sort of situation has been repeated.

What I do, is mainly stick with produce and veggies. When I add something new, I try to add only one new thing per week. I try to write it all down. That way I hope to be able to track the source should I start to have a reaction. To choose what to try, I use common sense as described by Kareng, I'll check websites, I'll look at recommendations from other super sensitives, and I might make some phone calls.

[kareng]

Sorry. I clicked to this from the " new content" list. I didn't see it was super sensitive section.

For the Super Sensitives, like Steph, they seem to grow a lot of their own foods or get them from local farmers that they can view the growing practices, etc. I am always in awe at the amount of gardening, even in the colder months, she does. It exhausted me to think about! But I want to try her winter gardening, maybe next winter. I have been watching where, in my yard, gets the most winter sun. I think, now that I have more energy, it might be fun to try.

[GottaSki]

I don't make many calls anymore -- my first year I found email contact with companies preferable as then there was a paper trail of the conversation and I could share any pertinent intel here.

My calls nowadays are limited to a few processed items I buy for my kids - these are very rare as we use mostly non-processed foods. I do use BRM, Pamela's and Betty Crocker flours and baking mixes on a regular basis for the rest of the family.

With time I think you will get a better sense of what items need verification -- until then -- hang in there

[cavernio]

Gluten test strips?

[1desperateladysaved]

Gluten test strips?

Is there such a thing? And then I have trouble with corn too.

[dilettantesteph]

Sorry. I clicked to this from the " new content" list. I didn't see it was super sensitive section.

For the Super Sensitives, like Steph, they seem to grow a lot of their own foods or get them from local farmers that they can view the growing practices, etc. I am always in awe at the amount of gardening, even in the colder months, she does. It exhausted me to think about! But I want to try her winter gardening, maybe next winter. I have been watching where, in my yard, gets the most winter sun. I think, now that I have more energy, it might be fun to try.

Just let me warn you that it mainly winter harvesting, not winter gardening. Things don't grow much when it's cold and the days are short. They more keep in the ground outside. You need to start things at the end of the summer. Of course, that depends on your climate. I'm in zone 6. Look for books by Elliot Coleman. He is the winter gardening expert.

[kareng]

Just let me warn you that it mainly winter harvesting, not winter gardening. Things don't grow much when it's cold and the days are short. They more keep in the ground outside. You need to start things at the end of the summer. Of course, that depends on your climate. I'm in zone 6. Look for books by Elliot Coleman. He is the winter gardening expert.

Yeah. You gave me a link to it before. I'm in Kansas City. We had such a mild winter last year it would have worked well. Maybe not tomatoes tho

[1desperateladysaved]

Zone 3. The temp is below zero of late. People do it; the heat would only be worth it if one had to, for sure.

I do have a garden in the summer and freeze and can. This has really been a blessing for us. There isn't any gluten in the tomatoes, if I can ever eat them again.

Diana

[dilettantesteph]

I did come across a garden blog of someone in Wyoming who harvests vegetables all winter from unheated tunnels. I can't find it now since the forum where I posted it is down. I can't remember where in Wyoming, but it looks like zone 2 or 3. Reading that is what gave me the courage to try it here.