Barley Contamination Archives - Gluten Free Watchdog

17 Feb 2021

Dandy Blend Instant Herbal Beverage: Where is the enforcement FDA?

This herbal beverage is labeled gluten-free and lists as ingredients “extracts of roasted barley, rye”. After seven years of reporting this product to FDA, it remains on store shelves. What follows are the nitty-gritty details.

Initial correspondence with FDA

Gluten Free Watchdog first made FDA aware of this product via email on January 10, 2014—over SEVEN years ago!FDA’s initial email response received January 17, 2014:“As far as the product, “Dandy Blend Instant Herbal Beverage”, we do not have enough information to be able […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Facial Misbranding 0 Comments Read more...

23 Jun 2020

FOR FOOD MANUFACTURERS: SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT INGREDIENTS CONTAINING GLUTEN

During this period of food shortages and supply disruptions as a result of COVID-19, FDA is allowing manufacturers to make certain ingredient substitutions without changing the ingredients list. FDA stated in a letter to Gluten Free Watchdog that their COVID-19 food labeling flexibilities:

“… are not to be used when they may pose a health or safety issue. This would include the introduction of an ingredient containing gluten. Substitutions, in any amount, are not appropriate without a corresponding label […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Gluten-Free Labeling 4 Comments Read more...

08 Mar 2019

When beer “crafted to remove gluten” is wrongly advertised as “gluten-free”: How to report to the TTB

If you come across a bottled malt beverage in the US market that has been “crafted to remove gluten” (e.g., made using malted barley but treated with an enzyme) yet is represented in advertisements from the brewer as “gluten-free” please email the TTB market compliance division at Market.Compliance@ttb.gov. Photos representing the issue are useful to include.

The regulation of beer is not straightforward.
What follows is a primer that hopefully makes a complicated topic easier to
understand. Please read it carefully. […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Gluten-Free Beer, Gluten-Free Labeling of Alcoholic Beverages 1 Comment Read more...

02 Mar 2019

Yeast extract confusion made worse by the lack of manufacturer transparency

Gluten Free Watchdog received a consumer complaint about
Health Valley Gluten Free Café Chicken Noodle Soup. The product includes the
ingredient “flavors (including yeast extract).” Long story short, according to
the consumer who contacted us, she was told by Health Valley customer service
representatives that the source of the yeast extract was brewer’s yeast.
However, she never received a definitive answer regarding whether the brewer’s
yeast was spent brewer’s yeast.

Generally speaking, we do not advise contacting manufacturers about labeled gluten-free foods containing yeast extract. […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Gluten-Free Diet, Gluten-Free Labeling 10 Comments Read more...

11 Jun 2018

Reminder: “Gluten-Removed” Malt Beverages can be Labeled “Gluten-Free” in the State of Oregon

A consumer recently contacted Gluten Free Watchdog about Walkabout GFA (gluten-free ale) from Walkabout Brewing Co. The beer is labeled gluten-free and includes the following statement on the label, “Walkabout GFA is brewed with malted barley and hops specially crafted to be gluten-free.”

Consumer question: Is this legal?

Answer: Yes, in the state of Oregon (this product is also labeled, “for sale in Oregon only”).

Bottom Line: The TTB regulates malt beverages made using both malted barley and hops (e.g., what we […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Gluten-Free Beer, Gluten-Free Labeling of Alcoholic Beverages 0 Comments Read more...

13 Sep 2017

Article Summary: Gluten-Free Labeling: Are Growth Media Containing Wheat, Barley, and Rye Falling through the Cracks?

Article Summary:
Gluten-Free Labeling: Are Growth Media Containing Wheat, Barley, and Rye Falling through the Cracks?
Tricia Thompson, Melinda Dennis, Luke Emerson. J Acad Nutr Dietet. 2017. In Press.
Background: Bacteria are used in a variety of products, including probiotics. These microorganisms may be grown on media that may include ingredients derived from gluten-containing grain (ie, wheat, barley, and rye). Historically, some concern has been expressed in the celiac disease community that the use of gluten-derived/ gluten-containing growth media may result […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Testing for Gluten Contamination 5 Comments Read more...

19 May 2017

Call to Action: Barley protein should be added to FALCPA and here’s why

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.

Post (#19)…

The information included in this post is not cause for undue alarm. But there is a reason why Canada and the European Union require sources of gluten, including barley to be declared in the ingredients list. It is high time the US […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten-Free Diet 1 Comment Read more...

18 May 2017

Ingredient Information: Dry Smoke Flavoring & Barley Malt Flour

Post (#18)…

Please read this information very carefully as it may become confusing very quickly.

This information applies to foods NOT labeled gluten-free.

Dry smoke flavoring may use barley malt flour as a carrier agent. For examples see:

http://www.redarrowusa.com/products/condensed-natural-smoke/charzyme-hickory/

http://www.spicebarn.com/hickory_smoke_powder.htm

It is not known at this time […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten-Free Diet 3 Comments Read more...

17 May 2017

Ingredient Information: Yeast Extract & Barley

Post (#17)…

The following information applies to foods NOT labeled gluten-free.

Individuals with celiac disease have long been advised to avoid brewer’s yeast when the source is spent yeast. Spent yeast is a by-product of the beer brewing process—what is left of the yeast once […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten-Free Diet 0 Comments Read more...

11 May 2017

Barley: At one time a controversial grain for folks with celiac disease

Post (#11)…

Believe it or not barley has not always been universally excluded from the gluten-free diet…

Dicke, in his classic feeding trials reported in 1953 (see post https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/the-gluten-free-diet-is-born-thank-you-dr-dicke/) determined that, “Of the starch containing foodstuffs as far as investigated, the following are harmless: wheat […]

By Tricia Thompson Barley Contamination, Celiac Disease Awareness Month 7 Comments Read more...