Gluten-Free Oats

Oats are complicated! Updated Position Statement on Oats from Gluten Free Watchdog

Tricia Thompson2022-10-27T14:27:17+00:00 This statement may not be reposted without the express written permission of Gluten Free Watchdog, LLC This post was updated on October 24, 2022. ***Note: What follows is the opinion of Gluten Free Watchdog. If you tolerate oats, whether you choose to eat mechanically/optically sorted oats or only purity protocol oats is your decision. You do not owe anyone an explanation. Please make decisions based on all available information.*** BOTTOM LINE Gluten Free Watchdog… Is supportive of purity protocol gluten-free oats supplied by Avena Foods,...

Oats Revisited: Quaker Gluten-Free Oats

Tricia Thompson2022-10-21T16:32:21+00:00 UPDATE October 21, 2022: We reached back out to Quaker Oats to reconfirm the information in this post. Their response: "We have NOT changed anything since the protocol was developed and therefore the graphic is still correct. We believe our stringent protocol and testing approach has served our consumers well and will continue to ensure these high quality standards." UPDATE: In light of the supply issues with oats, Gluten Free Watchdog reached out to Quaker Oats. Question from GFWD: "As you...

Gluten Free Watchdog Statement on Purity Protocol Oat Suppliers

Tricia Thompson2019-10-24T19:20:23+00:00 UPDATED OCTOBER 24, 2019. There is no standardized definition for purity protocol oats*. As a result, not all oats promoted by suppliers as purity protocol are the same. At this time, Gluten Free Watchdog includes five companies in our listing of suppliers providing purity protocol oats to manufacturers, namely Avena Foods, GF Harvest, Montana Gluten-Free Processors, MGM Seed & Grain, and Glanbia Nutritionals. You can read about their protocols at https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/oats-produced-under-a-gluten-free-purity-protocol-listing-of-suppliers-and-manufacturers/ *GFCO along with representatives from Avena Foods, GF Harvest, Montana...

Why mechanically and optically sorted “gluten-free” oats continue to keep me up at night

Tricia Thompson2018-10-30T16:59:05+00:00If you are new to the gluten-free diet and are unfamiliar with the cross contact issues associated with oats and the differences between purity protocol and mechanically/optically sorted oats, please see the following articles before reading this post https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/oats-and-the-gluten-free-diet-qa-part-1/ and https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/oats-and-the-gluten-free-diet-qa-part-2/ Many labeled gluten-free foods contain oats supplied by providers of mechanically and optically sorted oats. Recently a consumer reached out to me regarding the labeling on a gluten-free snack bar containing oats. The label read, “"Contains ... wheat** **Trace amounts...

Updated Testing Protocol from General Mills for Labeled Gluten-Free Cheerios

Tricia Thompson2018-10-16T20:28:10+00:00General Mills uses standard oats that have been mechanically and optically sorted to remove wheat, barley, and rye in their labeled gluten-free Cheerios. Finished product testing (As reported to Gluten Free Watchdog and confirmed October 12, 2018) General Mills is producing gluten-free Cheerios using what they term “validated gluten-free flour.” General Mills determines gluten-free status of a “lot” of oat flour via a lot mean. Further, General Mills determines gluten-free status of a “lot” of gluten-free Cheerios via a lot mean. In both cases, General...

Oats and the Gluten-Free Diet: Q&A Part 2

Tricia Thompson2018-06-19T12:45:15+00:00Two weeks ago I posted on social media asking you to send me your questions on oats—anything that was on your mind. I did this because the situation with oats and the gluten-free diet is one of the most complicated issues I write about–something I've been doing for about 21 years. Because you sent in so many questions, they are being answered in groups. This is the second Q&A post on oats. Some of your questions may have been slightly modified...

Oats and the Gluten-Free Diet: Q&A Part 1

Tricia Thompson2018-06-14T12:21:18+00:00Last week I posted on social media asking you to send me your questions on oats—anything that was on your mind because as I stated, “The situation with oats and the gluten-free diet is one of the most complicated issues I write about--something I've been doing for about 15 years.” I've actually been writing about oats for so long that I forgot just how long. My first article on oats was published in the scientific literature in 1997—21 years ago versus...