Re: GF Living and FDA labeling

[Guest guest]

Ok, so this bothers no one else? Or my email is too long to read??On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 12:31 AM, Naren Wadhwani <narenw@...> wrote:

I believe Gluten Free Living is the title of the magazine I was reading the other day at cafe Mariposa. I was really dismayed at the information put out by the chief editor I believe, and apparently the way FDA labeling laws are going to progress. The article I read said that there are 3 major celiac organizations, 2 of which are pushing for a single " gluten free " label for products adhering to a 20 ppm maximum gluten content. The one other group is supporting a plan to have a " low gluten " or some such label and a much stricter gluten free label. The author repeatedly states that " all foods contain some gluten, even those marketed as gluten free such as gf mixes, etc. " So this is the perspective of the magazine, that many celiac have over-reacted to things such as blue cheese and other foods thought to possibly have trace amounts of gluten. I cannot believe her " all foods contain some gluten " comments. Like there's gluten in a strawberry now?

It's taken me a long time to figure out, but I know that I am sensitive to trace amounts or extremely low amounts of gluten. The 20ppm thing is most upsetting, because then only the gf labeled foods I now use will be options for me (and if some of them change their practices as a result it will cause more problems). What do you guys think? Is it really that confusing, as our celiac organizations assert, to have 2 labels like " gluten free " and " low gluten " ?

NarenOn Sun, May 11, 2008 at 11:44 AM, Pam Newbury <pknewbury@...> wrote:

When quinoa first became popular many celiacs reacted to it.

There was suspicion that cross contamination was happening, but there is always

the possibility that, as with oats and canola, some celiacs are sensitive to

(or irritated by) quinoa as well as to wheat.

Pam

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Melita

Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 11:07 AM

Subject: [ ] quinoa

Has anyone had a reaction to quinoa?

I had some GF pasta made from it and I got sick. It is the only thing I can

think of that would have caused it as I had that with sauce.

But I also had an Amy's Organic rice crust GF pizza around that time too.

Whatever it was, it definitely upset my stomach.

[Guest guest]

…I think you stunned us with that

info. This is for sure upsetting news. I am super sensitive to

trace amounts of gluten and in my celiac eyes, there is no such thing as “low

gluten” - if I saw that oxy moron of a label on a product I would walk

right by it. Thanks for sharing this info, I want to get a copy of this

article and start to follow this story more.

Side note – a friend of mine sent me

this link:

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/gluten+free?CMP=KNC-G-LB-MED & ovchn=GGL & ovcpn=Health+and+Medicine+Basic & ovcrn=sr2LB1go22897sb5651pi10ai1781+gluten+free+t-shirts & ovtac=PPC & SR=sr2LB1go22897sb5651pi10ai1781

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Naren Wadhwani

Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 10:19

AM

Subject: [ ] Re: GF

Living and FDA labeling

Ok, so

this bothers no one else? Or my email is too long to read??

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 12:31 AM, Naren Wadhwani <narenwgmail> wrote:

I believe Gluten Free Living is the title of the magazine I was reading

the other day at cafe Mariposa. I was really dismayed at the information

put out by the chief editor I believe, and apparently the way FDA labeling laws

are going to progress. The article I read said that there are 3 major

celiac organizations, 2 of which are pushing for a single " gluten

free " label for products adhering to a 20 ppm maximum gluten content.

The one other group is supporting a plan to have a " low gluten "

or some such label and a much stricter gluten free label. The author

repeatedly states that " all foods contain some gluten, even those marketed

as gluten free such as gf mixes, etc. " So this is the perspective of

the magazine, that many celiac have over-reacted to things such as blue cheese

and other foods thought to possibly have trace amounts of gluten. I c

annot believe her " all foods contain some gluten " comments.

Like there's gluten in a strawberry now?

It's taken me a long time to figure out, but I know that I am

sensitive to trace amounts or extremely low amounts of gluten. The 20ppm

thing is most upsetting, because then only the gf labeled foods I now use will

be options for me (and if some of them change their practices as a result it

will cause more problems). What do you guys think? Is it really

that confusing, as our celiac organizations assert, to have 2 labels like

" gluten free " and " low gluten " ?

Naren

On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 11:44 AM, Pam Newbury <pknewburyearthlink (DOT) net>

wrote:

When quinoa first became popular many

celiacs reacted to it. There was suspicion that cross contamination was

happening, but there is always the possibility that, as with oats and canola,

some celiacs are sensitive to (or irritated by) quinoa as well as to

wheat.

Pam

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of Melita

Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 11:07

AM

Subject: [ ] quinoa

Has anyone had a reaction to quinoa?

I had some GF pasta made from it and I got sick. It is the only thing I can

think of that would have caused it as I had that with sauce.

But I also had an Amy's Organic rice crust GF pizza around that time too.

Whatever it was, it definitely upset my stomach.