News

31 Jul 2019

Gluten Free Watchdog Now Testing Restaurant Menu Items for Gluten

After
years of good intentions, Gluten Free Watchdog has started testing menu items
represented as gluten-free.

What is being tested? Early testing is focusing on nationwide chain restaurants that state in writing and verbally that their menu items marked gluten-free are appropriate for folks with celiac disease.

What is the protocol for collecting samples and sending them to the lab? Subscribers to Gluten Free Watchdog are facilitating this testing. Volunteers are purchasing the same menu item from chain restaurant locations across […]

By Uncategorized 1 Comment Read more...
18 Jul 2019

Call to Action: Help Us Determine the Current Status of Facial Misbranding of Gluten-Free Foods on Store Shelves

Please help us assess the current labeling status of gluten-free foods previously reported to FDA for facial misbranding (i.e., food is labeled gluten-free but lists an ingredient not allowed under the FDA’s gluten-free labeling rule).

The next time you are shopping for food, please check store shelves for the products listed below. In the relatively recent past these products have included a gluten-free claim on their packaging and named in the ingredients list an ingredient not allowed under FDA’s […]

By Uncategorized 0 Comments Read more...
17 Jul 2019

Removing Gluten from Fryer Oil: A High School Science Fair Project

Alannah Miller and Alisa Stolyar from Hopkinton High School in Massachusetts provided a summary of their science fair project, “Let’s Yeet This Wheat: Removing Gluten From Fryer Oil” to Gluten Free Watchdog for posting. We are proud to have helped sponsor this project in support of young women in science, especially those working in the celiac disease and gluten-free realm. Brava to these young women. Please read their summary report. (click on the icon after it loads).

By Gluten Contamination of Food 2 Comments Read more...
12 Jun 2019

FOIA Request from Gluten Free Watchdog Pertaining to Product Complaints Submitted to CAERS

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 […]

By FDA Action Alerts 0 Comments Read more...
28 May 2019

A young person’s take on a mascot for celiac disease and a campaign to raise awareness

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 […]

By Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019 3 Comments Read more...
21 May 2019

Letter to FDA Regarding Restaurant Use of the Term Gluten-Free on Menus

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 […]

By Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019, FDA Action Alerts 2 Comments Read more...
20 May 2019

Celiac Disease Awareness Month Call to Action: The Celiac Disease Community Needs a Mascot!

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 […]

By Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019 26 Comments Read more...
14 May 2019

Celiac Disease Awareness Month Call to Action: Email your representative TODAY in support of the Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2019 (sample text provided)

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 […]

By Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019, Gluten-Free Labeling 1 Comment Read more...
13 May 2019

Letter to FDA Regarding Allergen Advisory Statements for Wheat on Foods Labeled Gluten-Free

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

By Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2019 6 Comments Read more...
©2013