misseditbythatmuch

Hiya!

I am just about to embark on a somewhat unplanned road trip through Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador). I am not sure yet of what places I'll see and when I'll be in certain places. I will probably be emphasizing the more natural sides of the provinces. I expect to pass through the larger cities but hope to spend more of the time in nature :-)

Does anybody have any suggestions or recommendations about places to eat or get gluten-free food while I'm there? I have already gathered a bit of information, from the Halifax, Charlottetown, and Newfoundland chapters of the Canadian Celiac Association.

I certainly agree that it is no guarantee. I am just wondering if it is actually true in practice in most (not all) cases.

I understand that it can be used in any kind of product, gluten-free or not. Considering the expense of xantham gum, is this true in practice? Or is xantham-gum mostly used in gluten-free items? I have not done a survey orfproducts since I was thought about this question, but my recollection is that whenever I have seen xantham gum in products, I have not seen other gluten-containing ingredients on the list.

When I have seen xantham gum on an ingredient label, I have often not seen anything else that would clearly indicate that it has gluten, though sometimes there could be items such as "natural or artificial flavours".

Consider xantham gum is relatively expensive, does the use of xantham gum suggest that the maker of the product is using it to make it gluten-free? Or might it just simply be the best ingredient for them to use to get the texture they want?

Well, if the cans you have used have never had warnings about wheat on them, they are OK (according to Fry's customer service number).

Fry's may use multiple suppliers simultaneously, or they may just switch suppliers occasionally. The three cans of cocoa I mention in my original post were bought at different times. It is possible that Fry's had one supplier when my sister bought her cocoa, another one when my parents bought their cocoa, and yet a different one when I bought mine. We don't know.

It also shows that it can be worth it to phone up the number provided on the label.

For that, it may be hit or miss. In some cases, the person you talk to may be very helpful and informative. In other cases, unfortunately, they may not have a clue of what you're talking about.

What about Fry's? That's gluten-free. Not sure if it's available in the UK, though.

It turns out that some cans of Fry's Cocoa may have traces of wheat. There is (or has been) more than one facility that produces this, and at least one of them may have issues of cross-contamination. (I just posted a new topic about this entitled 'Fry's Cocoa' - Jan 9, 2009).

Is Fry's Cocoa gluten free..."Fry's" is the brand name

Lemonade

It turns out that some cans of Fry's Cocoa may have traces of wheat. There is (or has been) more than one facility that produces this, and at least one of them may have issues of cross-contamination. (I just posted a new topic about this entitled 'Fry's Cocoa' - Jan 9, 2009).

Fry's is a brand of Cocoa that is sold in Canada (and possibly other countries). I recently have been trying to figure out if it is gluten-free, so I have been reading labels.

Initially figuring this out was confusing. One of my sisters has a can of this cocoa which says that it may contain traces of wheat (and may also mention other allergens). My parents have a can of it that says it may contain traces of milk (but does not mention wheat). I just recently bought a can of it that has no mention of traces of allergens. So what gives?

My mother phoned up Fry's and got the answer. It turns out that Fry's Cocoa is produced by at least three different suppliers. So, though the cans look nearly the same, they have been made at different facilities. The can my sister has was made at a place where wheat cross-contamination could happen. The cans that my parents and I have don't have this problem.

So, one product, three different cans, two of the products with different allergy alerts and one with none. Always read the label!.

Geoff

Hi TFG,

I am in the same position as you. I do not have any digestive reactions to gluten. So if I get glutened, I don't know it. This may not be that bad if it happens rarely. But I am wondering if I will come across cases where I am regularly eating something that is supposed to be gluten-free, but isn't. The main way I will know if this is having an effect on me is likely only if my main known symptom (iron-deficiency anemia) goes away. (I have other possibly symptoms, but it is not clear yet whether they are caused by celiac disease.)

Geoff

I'm recently diagnosed, and was only tested because my sister is Celiac (well, plus a case of what I thought was gastro).

For those who are not sensitive in their reaction to gluten, how far do you go to protect yourself from ingesting it?

Do you worry about things made on production lines that process gluten-containing foods? Do you only worry about the "obvious" sources such as toasters, deep fat fryers and shared condiments, or not even those?

Does anyone think it is being overly cautious to avoid gluten-free pizza from a restaurant which is cooked in the same oven as the other pizza?

TFG

Hiya Rachel,

I'm from Montreal as well. and, like you, I am newly diagnosed. I am also trying to find places for specialty foods.

I have heard that Marie Nature in Laval is a very good place. I hope to go there sometime in the next week.

Geoff

Hi, I was wondering if there's anyone on here from the Montreal area? I'd love to know where you shop for specialty foods.

thanks

Rachel