22
Apr
2016
19
Apr
2016
Barley malt in gluten-free foods; Gluten neutralized sourdough wheat bread. Where is the outrage among our national gluten-free support groups?
Warning: mini rant My question to the national groups: Are you in the pocket of gluten-free food manufacturers? If your answer is: “No” then I ask why you are not up in arms about these issues: Barley malt in foods labeled gluten-free: Some manufacturers are labeling foods gluten-free yet including barley ingredients in these products. A running list of such products is maintained on Gluten Free Watchdog. https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/foods-labeled-gluten-free-yet-containing-barley-malt-ingredients/ Sourdough wheat bread promoted as safe to the gluten-free community: Some artisanal bakers are promoting sourdough wheat...
04
Apr
2016
Purbread Gluten Neutralized Bread: If you have a gluten-related disorder do not eat this bread!
Product Alert: Gluten Free Watchdog tested Purbread and not surprisingly it tested well above 20 ppm gluten. It contains as ingredients: Sour dough starter, Gluten neutralized white winter wheat, Raw pure honey, Pure maple syrup, Pure canola oil, Sea salt. Please do not eat this bread if you have celiac disease or non celiac gluten sensitivity. Purbread is made and sold in Pennsylvania. We are aware of two stores that carry it--Westtown Amish Market and Martindales in Springfield. The baker of this...
14
Mar
2016
Snyder’s of Hanover, Annie’s and all Gluten free manufacturers: What is your protocol for addressing consumer complaints?
In recent weeks, two consumers have contacted Gluten Free Watchdog about potentially serious product issues. The first complaint concerns a Snyder's of Hanover product; the second complaint concerns an Annie's product. In the opinion of Gluten Free Watchdog, neither manufacturer handled their respective complaints well. What do you think? Note: This post was shared with Snyder's of Hanover and Annie's prior to posting. Both manufacturers were invited to provide a comment. A comment from Annie's is included at the end of...
11
Mar
2016
Comment from Gluten Free Watchdog to FDA on the use of barley malt in foods labeled gluten-free
Comments submitted by Tricia Thompson, MS, RD Founder, Gluten Free Watchdog, LLC In response to Docket Number FDA-2014-N-1021 Email: tricia_s_thompson@hotmail.com Web: www.glutenfreewatchdog.org Dear FDA, This letter is an addendum to comment ID: FDA-2014-N-1021-0067 In our previous comment (FDA-2014-N-1021-0067) we wrote: “Can FDA also please clarify the Agency's position on the use of barley malt and barley malt extract in foods labeled gluten-free? Both of these ingredients contain hydrolyzed gluten protein. FDA has advised me via email correspondence that FDA considers malt extract an “ingredient not processed to remove...
01
Mar
2016
Subscription Plan Changes at Gluten Free Watchdog
There are now two subscription plans to choose from at Gluten Free Watchdog. The Watchdog plan ($4.99 monthly) gives you access to all new test reports plus the previous 3 months of testing reports. The Premium plan ($29.99 the first month and then $4.99 monthly) gives you access to all new test reports plus all 5 years of testing data (hundreds of reports). Personal note from Gluten Free Watchdog founder Tricia Thompson: We depend upon and need our subscribers and sponsors to...
16
Feb
2016
Attention Gluten-Free Manufacturers: Important Information about Malt
On March 12, 2014 an FDA staff member (Carol D'lima, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA) participated in an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Medical Nutrition Practice Group Webinar entitled, “New Rules for Gluten Free Labeling: Get the Facts from the Experts.” The webinar included information both in written and verbal format on the ingredient malt extract. Information on FDA slide entitled, “Malt Extract/Syrup” 0 Malt—Product of barley germination 0 Malt Extract/Malt Syrup—Viscous concentrate of water extract of germinated barley 0 “Ingredients not processed to...
04
Feb
2016
Gluten Free Watchdog Comments on Citizen Petition on Gluten Labeling of Medications
As many of you know H.R. 3648: Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2015 was introduced last fall. The full title of this bill is, “To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the label of drugs intended for human use to contain a parenthetical statement identifying the source of any ingredient constituting or derived from a grain or starch-containing ingredient.” An earlier version of this bill was introduced in 2013. According to govtrack.com this bill has...
21
Jan
2016
Call to Action Regarding Barley Malt Ingredients in Foods Labeled Gluten-Free
The FDA recently published a proposed rule for the Gluten-Free Labeling of Fermented or Hydrolyzed Foods. The comment period for this proposed rule is open until February 16, 2016. Please take the time to comment on the proposed rule. Let FDA know that you would like the Agency to state as clearly as possible in a Q&A to manufacturers that barley malt and barley malt extract as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations are not allowed in foods labeled gluten-free. As...
19
Jan
2016