Allergen Advisory Statements and Your Favorite Chocolates

Over the holidays we
received emails from community members concerned about the gluten-free status
of various candies, including those made by See’s Candies and Hammond’s
Candies.

Focusing on See’s Candies (and
long story short), this is what their website currently states about gluten:

…

Allergen Information

Valid January 1, 2019
– December 31, 2019

GLUTEN INFORMATION

Candies produced in See’s
Candies facilities do not contain gluten, and these products are the vast
majority of those we sell. We purchase a small amount of specialty candies made
by third parties, and these also […]

Reminder: Pick Through Your Lentils for Errant Wheat and Barley!

We continue to receive reports of errant gluten-containing grains in bags of dried lentils sold in the US. Health Canada just issued a recall on a brand of lentils for undeclared gluten. As a general reminder, under US GIPSA standards (Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration), lentils are allowed to contain a certain percentage of foreign grain, including wheat, barley, and rye. As a precaution, please make sure to pick through dry lentils carefully and rinse them very thoroughly under […]

Grocery stores: please do not place gluten-free flour below or next to wheat flour on store shelves

NOTE: A pdf of the letter is available at this link GFWDStoreLetter2018Update

Thank you to the Gluten Free Watchdog subscriber for sharing the attached photo.

Dear manager,

It has recently come to our attention at Gluten Free Watchdog, LLC that gluten-free flour is being placed below or next to wheat-based flour on store shelves. This may not seem like much of an issue. However, when wheat-based food “leaks” as is often the case with bags of flour it is a health hazard. Wheat […]

Gluten levels in products NOT labeled gluten-free but appearing to be free of gluten ingredients

Testing data from Gluten Free Watchdog was recently published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The focus of the article is allergen advisory statements for wheat but the article also includes data on gluten levels of products not labeled gluten-free but appearing to be free of gluten ingredients. It was recently brought to my attention that these levels should be highlighted (thanks, Al!).

Summary findings for products NOT labeled gluten-free:

101 total products tested

87 products tested below 5 parts per million […]

General Product Warning: Check Your Lentils (including certified gluten-free lentils) for Foreign Grain

Bottom Line: Gluten Free Watchdog has received a number of consumer complaints about foreign grain in packages of lentils. The most recent complaints are for Edison Grainery French Green Lentils and Beluga Lentils (both certified gluten-free) and Simply Nature Organic Green Lentils distributed by Aldi and labeled “naturally gluten-free food.” Please carefully inspect and wash all lentils that you purchase (see specific recommendations below).

Edison Grainery: The three most recent consumer complaints for this manufacturer involve a single errant grain […]