FDA thinks gluten-free means what is says

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 21, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Bite, Post # 21

According to the FDA, “”Gluten-Free’ Means What It Says.” See https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm363069.htm

My response: Really? Then why do we continue to find products labeled gluten-free on store shelves that contain wheat flour, malt vinegar, malted barley, and hydrolyzed wheat protein?

According to FDA:

“”This standard ‘gluten-free’ definition eliminates uncertainty about how food producers […]

Folks are sometimes curious about my diet asking, “What foods do you normally eat?”

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 20, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Tail Wag, Post # 20

Folks frequently reach out asking whether or not I eat a particular food, such as oats, or what I do in certain situations, such as restaurants. Just last week, I was asked, “What foods do you normally eat?”

Consequently, I decided it would be worthwhile to update a post […]

Manufacturers: No more sloppy responses when contacted by gluten-free consumers

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 19, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Bark, Post # 19

In mid-April I was contacted by a member of the Gluten Free Watchdog community about a curious ingredient in a variety of Magnum ice cream–“corn syrup (wheat).” This product is NOT labeled gluten-free.

My response: “This is an FDA-regulated product. There is an FDA CFR for corn syrup: Sec. 184.1865 […]

Plastic in Larabars: If you want this to stop then make some noise

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 18, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Bark, Post # 18

Plastic in Larabars

The current problem of plastic in Larabars is not a gluten-free issue per se. But these bars are a go to snack food for many in the celiac disease community. These bars were my breakfast each and every day for years. I first came across plastic in […]

With a little help from my friends: Some dietitians in my celiac disease village

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 17, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Face Lick, Post # 17

No one should function in a vacuum. We all need colleagues and friends who share our experiences, who know where we are coming from, and who just plain “get it” and “get us.” I am fortunate to have many fabulous dietitian colleagues. There are three in particular (among […]

Getting into the weeds with FDA: Can gluten-free bread carry an “enriched gluten-free bread” claim?

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 16, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Bite, Post # 16

Question: Can gluten-free bread carry an “enriched gluten-free bread” claim?

Answer: No.

Why: In a conversation with the FDA, a dietitian colleague and I were advised that the term “enriched” cannot be declared on the label of a gluten-free food that has an “equivalent” wheat-based product with a standard of identity. […]

Which of these nutrients may be found in low amounts in gluten-free diets as typically followed worldwide?

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 15, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Pant Tug, Post # 15

Question: Which of these nutrients may be found in low amounts in gluten-free diets as typically followed worldwide?

Carbohydrates
Fiber
Iron
Folate
Niacin
Vitamin B12
Calcium
Phosphorous
Zinc

Answer: All of them

There are currently discussions on social media pertaining to the nutritional adequacy and general healthfulness of the gluten-free […]

Which ingredient in this list might contain malt?

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 14, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog pant tug, Post # 14

Question: In the US, which ingredient in the list below might contain malt causing the product to have a gluten level of at least 20 ppm when tested with the competitive R5 ELISA (detects gluten protein fragments from fermented/hydrolyzed protein)?

Ingredients: Yellow corn meal, Chili powder, Maltodextrin, Corn starch, […]

Happy Mother’s Day

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 13, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Face Lick, Post # 13

This is a repost from last year with a couple updates

On this Mother’s Day thank you to…

All the moms who contact me with test requests and questions–questions about ingredients, labeling, cross contact, oats, Cheerios, and so many others. You all are working to create a healthy environment where […]

Are the oats in this labeled gluten-free product gluten-free?

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,

A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog

May 12, 2018

Gluten Free Watchdog Bite, Post # 12

Did you know that the term “gluten-free” is not supposed to be included in an ingredients list to describe oats?

I posed the following question to the FDA, “Is there anything in FDA labeling regulations that would prevent a manufacturer who is using specially produced gluten-free oats in their product […]