A few intersting things that came my way this week

[Guest guest]

Here are a few things to think about and discuss.

“Naturally gluten-free” products tested and found to contain gluten. This interesting study highlights the difficulty of trying to determine what products are truly free of gluten and possible cross contamination. Testing many such products (rice flour, millet, soy flour, polenta, buckwheat, etc.) proved that some products that do not warn of possible contamination have significant levels of gluten, while others that do warn of shared facilities have no detectible gluten. I sincerely hope that the FDA pays attention to the study and begins to understand the topsy-turvy world of guess-and-hope choices we gluten-sensitive eaters live in. The study didn’t even address the likelihood of great differences between batches from the same producer: I think that would have been even more eye-opening.

I think this study goes a long way to explaining why many celiacs that follow a strict GF diet still have below-normal absorption. I think it could also explain many mysterious gluten exposures. More and more I am becoming convinced that, as much as possible, we need to choose gluten-free products that are made specifically to be gluten-free in gluten-free facilities by manufacturers that have made certain their products are uncontaminated and have gone to the trouble of testing the final product and having it certified. Of course, the number of products that fit this category, albeit growing, is vanishingly small. And, of course, if the FDA puts into law their “one-size-fits-all” labeling system, few manufacturers will be motivated to go to such lengths.

What can we do? Keep informed and keep raising our voices about what is important to us as consumers of gluten-free foods.

St Sure of Sure Food details her experience with a not-so-gluten-free muffin. (It’s not a pretty picture.) Another reminder that, while we can be happy to see GF foods available more often, we have to protected our health by always asking those hard questions and holding providers to a high standard. This is also another reason to value those who go the extra mile to make GF foods in GF facilities.

An interesting survey about how restaurants accommodate food-allergic guests. No surprises here: 70% expect us to let them know of our needs. The ones I want to know more about are the 13% who have their servers ask diners about their allergies. Are there really restaurants out there that do that? Where are they? I’ve never been to one.

Pam