Re: GF Vanilla: gluten in molasses

[Guest guest]

Clan.com software program shows Brer Rabbit and Grandma's Molasses as GF. Brer Rabbit lists as vegetarian, and Grandma's as "vegetarian status unknown."

Although the Clan.com software is a for-fee subscription, especially useful for PDAs, I think my searches for these listings is good publicity for them, and I assume it is okay to tell the group what I learned from the software. I don't have an extreme need for the program, as I don't buy a lot of processed food. However, if it saves me one bad mistake, it's worth the cost. (Besides, my husband gave me the subscription without asking me. I'm glad to have it.) One can buy either the food list or the drug list; we subscribed when they offered a "special combo rate."

Harper

In a message dated 12/24/2004 8:48:51 PM Pacific Standard Time, pknewbury@... writes:

I have heard that molasses can contain gluten (as a flavoring or a thickener, I think), but of all the brands I have checked I have never found one that does contain gluten. Here, as always, it is important to check with the manufacturer (directly or checking on a GF product list) to determine if a product contains gluten; as soon as you assume all molasses is OK because the first four brands were OK, the fifth will have gluten. My guess is only the poorer quality molasses would contain gluten.

Some day all labels will spell out what the product contains; until then we have to check. Not to look a gift-horse in the mouth, but I sure wish that new labeling law had required barley to be listed as well as wheat.

Another idea for using vanilla beans: store them in a jar of sugar and the vanilla will flavor the sugar in a wonderful way. Use the sugar in any recipe that uses vanilla.

Pam Newbury Santa Cruz Celiac Support Group 831-423-6904 pknewbury@...