The products in the photo have been requested for testing by subscribers to Gluten Free Watchdog. They will be sent to the lab beginning this week. Requests are made for any number of reasons, including peace of mind regarding favorite foods.
On June 11, 2019, Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, Founder of Gluten Free Watchdog and Kaki Schmidt, Esq. submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Health and Human Services FOI/Privacy Acts Division concerning six product (food) complaints filed with CAERS following the instructions of FDA staff. Complaint numbers were not provided by CAERS for any of these complaints. Nor were any of the complaints acknowledged by CAERS.
This FOIA requests ALL CAERS/FDA records pertaining to […]
Last week, Gluten Free Watchdog issued a call to action asking the community to brainstorm on a visually impactful and positive mascot to represent celiac disease—thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. The original idea included a chameleon. Their changing colors could represent the many and varied signs and symptoms of celiac disease. Please see https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/celiac-disease-awareness-month-call-to-action-the-celiac-disease-community-needs-a-mascot/
The daughter of a Gluten Free Watchdog community member drew
this picture of a chameleon. She cleverly included various signs and symptoms
on the body […]
Gluten Free Watchdog’s second call to action for Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019 was a request for the community to submit photos of restaurant menus that designate items as gluten-free yet provide a disclaimer about the lack of suitability for someone with celiac disease. The response was overwhelming. Thank you! A handful of the photos are included in the attached letter to FDA regarding restaurants and their use of the term “gluten-free”. Please read the letter and let me […]
In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is issuing four calls to action (one each week).
The fourth call to action is to brainstorm on a “mascot” for
celiac disease/gluten-related disorders. The allergy community has “Turn it
Teal” lighting, red sneakers, & orange wigs–all visually impactful,
positive, and successful campaigns to raise awareness. The celiac disease
community needs something similar.
What follows are my thoughts but please share your thoughts too!
My current idea is pretty simple–buttons, etc. in various languages with […]
In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free
Watchdog will be issuing four calls to action (one each week).
The third call to action pertains to the Gluten in Medicine
Disclosure Act of 2019.
Please personalize the sample letter pasted below and
adapted from a letter provided to Gluten Free Watchdog by Rachel Jenkins,
Legislative Assistant to Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13). Email this letter to
your local representative. A state-by-state directory is available at https://www.house.gov/representatives
You can also find your representative by zip code at https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative?fbclid=IwAR0XjoajmDCz7loMHtt2-Tx8K6-Rvf6QifiyVklSPejTw1J7A7ene0gwbUA
For more […]
Gluten Free Watchdog’s first call to action for Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019 was a request for the community to submit photos of product labels that included both a gluten-free claim and an allergen advisory statement for wheat. The response was overwhelming. Thank you! Some of the photos are included in the attached letter to FDA regarding advisory statements. Please read the letter and let me know if you have any questions. https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/CallToActionMayContainStatementsFDA3.pdf
In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free
Watchdog will be issuing four calls to action (one each week).
The second call to action pertains to restaurants with menu items designated as “gluten-free” but not recommended for those with celiac disease.
FDA states the following about gluten-free claims and restaurants*:
“If restaurants or other retail food establishments wish to make “gluten-free” claims (or the synonymous claims “no gluten” “free of gluten” or “without gluten”) for any of their menu items, […]
In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog will be issuing four calls to action (one each week).
The first call to action pertains to allergen advisory statements for wheat on labeled gluten-free foods. Help Gluten Free Watchdog raise awareness among FDA staff about the use of these statements by industry.
Please take photos of products you have in hand (versus product images and information posted online by manufacturers) that are labeled gluten-free AND include a may contain […]
Due in large part to data published in the
public domain by Quaker, the celiac disease community continues to learn about
the nature of gluten grain cross contact in oats, including that:
Grains of wheat, barley, and rye are unevenly distributed within a given amount of oats. Despite what may be the best efforts of suppliers, gluten-containing grains have been found in both final product purity protocol oats and final product mechanically and optically sorted oats.See https://www.somatopublications.com/oat-consumption-by-celiac-disease-patients-outcomes-range-from-harmful-to-beneficial-depending-on-the-purity-of-the-oats.pdf
Based on Gluten Free Watchdog’s social […]
