Five weeks later...

I wrote to Bobbi Brown, and here's the answer I got back today. As usual, a non answer.

* * *

-----Original Message-----
From: sarahjimmarcy@yahoo.com
Date: 04/16/2011 13:25:09 EST
To: ConsumerCare-US@gcc.bobbibrown.com
Cc:
Subject: Concerns about a Bobbi Brown Product

1. Message/Comment: Could you please tell me if any of your products contain gluten ingredients?

* * *

06/29/2011

Dear Ms. McNeal,

Thank you for your interest in Bobbi Brown. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern about gluten and apologize for the delay in responding to your concerns.

We would like to explain that a vast number of raw materials from many different suppliers and sources are used in the manufacture of Estee Lauder Companies' products. It is therefore not possible for us to fully guarantee that our products are completely free of ingredients that may elicit an allergic response in highly sensitive individuals who react to gluten.
For example, it is possible that small amounts of a wheat sourced ingredient may remain on shared manufacturing equipment even after a thorough cleaning. We therefore recommend that you discuss this with your physician, because consumer safety is of utmost concern to us.

However, as we do not have a comprehensive list of products that contain or don't contain certain ingredients, if you would kindly provide us with the specific products names and shades and ingredients with which you are interested, we will be happy to have our chemist check for each of them.

We hope you look to Bobbi Brown for all your beauty needs.

Sincerely,

Francesca Gray
Global Consumer Communications

Udi's

I asked Target, via e-mail, to start carrying Udi's bread. Their current bread selection is the pits. Here is their response:

Dear Target Guest,

Thanks for letting us know what you're shopping for at Target. I'm sorry for any disappointment, but we don't carry the Udi bread you're looking for.

We appreciate hearing your comments, because they're a big help to us. Although I can't promise we'll carry this item, I'll let our Grocery team know you're looking for it. In the meantime, we'll keep working hard to ensure we have only the best products on our shelves.

Looking for meal ideas or SuperTarget® coupons? Be sure to visit us online at www.target.com/supertarget.

Sincerely,

Glenn
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com
(800) 316-6151
[THREAD ID:1-7TO6TX]

--- Thanks, Glenn. ---

Anyone heading to Valley Fair?

Here is the response I got from them to see if they had anything g-free:

Hi Sarah,

Yes we do have gluten free food available in the park at 2 locations.

Mama Chetta Pizza offers gluten-free pizza.
Planet Snoopy Grill offers gluten-free pizza, cookies and brownies.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments or concerns.

Thank you,
Megan McKenzie
Marketing Intern

Regarding Amy's GF Mac & Cheese

We have learned that going with whole foods is just easier and healthier. But once in a while, you want to heat something up. So the Amy's Gluten Free Mac & Cheese seemed like a good option. I mean, the first words on the package are 'gluten free'. Flip the package over and you'll see your standard cross contamination statement. So, I e-mailed them and here is their response:

Hello Sarah,

Thanks for your email. We can certainly understand your concern. Amy's
Kitchen produces more than fifty gluten-free products. We realize that
many people who consume these products have Celiac Sprue and cannot
safely consume gluten. We understand the severity of this disease and
do not take lightly our responsibility to produce foods that are safe
for our consumers. Amy's gluten-free products do not contain any wheat,
rye, barley or oats.

We assure this gluten-free standard by internal or independent testing
of every product and by manufacturing processes that ensure absence of
cross contamination. Amy's staff includes a number of professionals
having expertise in food allergens and their testing.

We take extraordinary measures to ensure our gluten-free products are
indeed gluten-free. A wide range of activities and cross-checks are
completed to ensure that cross-contamination and/or inadvertent use of
the wrong ingredient does not occur in our facilities. Examples
include:

v Analysis for gluten in our in-house allergen lab; each
manufacturing run of a Gluten- Free product is tested to ensure it
complies with the Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act
(FALCPA) definition of Gluten-Free (<20 ppm). We use the best
available technology in our allergen testing laboratory. FALCPA does
not require that gluten-free products be manufactured in a
facility that does not also process gluten products.

v Spot screening of ingredients and finished products at
University of Nebraska (FARRP - Food Allergy Research and
Resource Program) to confirm there are no unlabeled allergens
(utilize tests for gluten, soy, milk, certain tree nuts, etc.).

v Manufacturing is scheduled so that there are never two items
(with differing formulations) manufactured on the same line in
one shift. All changeovers involving an allergen in the product run
first which does occur in the following product requires a full
clean up. Additionally, all equipment is inspected prior to use. This
assures there is no allergenic material left on the equipment
which may contaminate the next batch.

v Separate item numbers for all ingredients; these are checked by
two individuals on receipt of the ingredient and three people on
use of the ingredient to confirm the correct item is used.

v Use of colored tags, papers and containers in production as an
addition visual check to ensure intermediate components are not
interchanged.

v Designated areas for soy flour and nonfat dry milk use to
control airborne allergens.

v Bar code readers at packaging lines to ensure correct package is
used with each product.

In response to requests from consumers, we decided to add the following
statement to our packages several years ago:

Individuals with Food Allergies: This product is manufactured in a
facility that processes foods containing wheat, milk, soy, tree nuts and
seeds. Amy's Kitchen does not use any peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs.

We believed that customers have the right to know this information, but
we make the statement still knowing that the products we label as
gluten-free are indeed gluten-free. While we do have gluten in our
production facility, every precaution is taken to ensure
cross-contamination does not occur, and we test to prove it. This
statement does not in any way relieve us of our responsibility to ensure
the product is gluten-free.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Carol Tamagni
Consumer Relations
Amy's Kitchen, Inc.

Bobbi Brown make up

Sent two e-mails and never heard back. I am disappointed, as this is my favorite brand. Finally, I called a 1-800 number who said I had to call a 1-888 number. I asked if the eye shadows are gluten free.

"What is the name of the product?"

"Um...eye shadow."

"Bobbi Brown eye shadows contain soy."

"Fine, but I'm calling to find out about gluten. Do they contain gluten?"

"Our data base returns answers based on allergens. Soy is the only allergen in our eye shadows."

"Then it's confirmed: There is no gluten in your eye shadows."

"There is soy."

And on and on with each product at each company.

As you can tell, this is frustrating and overwhelming me this week.

A simple yes or no would do

Dear Ms. McNeal:

Thank you for contacting us about gluten in Nature Valley trail mix bars.

General Mills offers several products that are labeled gluten-free. Please check the package label for the gluten-free statement on the front/side/back of the package. Only products that can be verified to be gluten free will be declared as gluten free on the label. It is important to check the product label each time you purchase a product because it has the most accurate information about the product in the package.

Because we constantly strive to improve our products′ quality and nutritional value, the most up-to-date product information is on the package the product is purchased in. For that reason, we do not distribute product information lists as they could quickly become outdated. A current list of products on the market that are gluten free can be found by visiting www.glutenfreely.com. It is important to check the package label before purchasing for the gluten-free statement on the front/side/back of the package to verify that the package you choose is gluten free.

For products not labeled gluten free, we will always declare gluten containing ingredients if they are added to the product. If the ingredient declaration lists wheat, oats, barley, rye, or derivatives of these grains, then the product contains gluten. Examples of derivative ingredients include: malt, barley malt, organic malt, semolina, Durham, triticale, and spelt. We do not include gluten containing ingredients in the ′Natural Flavors′ or ′Spices′ on the product ingredient list. If there are gluten ingredients in our products, those ingredients are always clearly listed.

If there are no gluten- containing ingredients listed in the product ingredient label, but the product does not make a gluten free claim, it is because we cannot fully assure that this product is gluten free. While we have not added gluten-containing ingredients, factors such as sourcing, conditions of manufacture, etc. do not allow us to provide the full level of assurance that a gluten free claim requires.

Additional information regarding gluten may be obtained by contacting your health care professional or one of these organizations.

Celiac Sprue Association/United States of America, Inc.
PO Box 31700
Omaha, NE 68131-0700
402-558-0600
Or toll free: 877-CSA-4-CSA (877-272-4272)
www.csaceliacs.org

Celiac Disease Foundation
13251 Ventura Blvd. #1
Studio City, Ca. 91604
Phone: (818)990-2354
Fax: (818)990-2379
www.celiac.org



We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Norma Stone

Consumer Services

Just when you think you've got it...

You find out that you don't. Found gluten in Aveda's Smooth Infusion as well as Activia yogurt. This is really getting overwhelming, to be honest. It's almost like there is no way to get it right.

Punch Pizza is trying

They got back to me quickly and a few weeks later, made this annoucement:


We have received many requests over the years for a gluten free pizza.

We have been experimenting with gluten free dough and have yet to come up with one that tastes good. We also have tried gluten free dough from other pizza restaurants and have not found any good examples.

So we went back to the drawing board and looked for ways to enable our gluten free customers to fully appreciate our ingredients and our wood fired flavors. We came up with a traditional Neapolitan recipe that we call the Pizzaiolo. Using roasted eggplant and fior di latte mozzarella as the “crust” you then add your favorite pizza ingredients on top. The ramekin is then roasted in our wood fired oven for a delicious alternative to our pizza.

Since we are unsure of the demand for it, we will initially offer it each Thursday night for dinner at our Highland Park Pizzeria for the next month. If it becomes popular, we will expand into the other stores and add additional times. The Pizzaiolo will be the same price as the equivalent pizza on our menu and we will be happy to recommend our favorite combinations.

Please come by starting this Thursday, May 5th to Highland Park to taste our gluten free “pizza”! If you plan to come, please comment on the Wall so we can prepare for demand. Feedback on the Pizzaiolo will also be appreciated.

**Please Note: Since we have flour in the air in our kitchens, the Pizzaiolo is not safe for those with severe flour allergies.



So tonight, it's Pizzaiolo night!

Another response

This one is formatted in a "well there's good news and bad news" format.

On Mon, 4/25/11, customerservice@alexiafoods.com wrote:

From: customerservice@alexiafoods.com
Subject: Consumer Affairs Email Response (Case#: 60093965)
To: sarahjimmarcy@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, April 25, 2011, 9:35 AM

Dear Ms. McNeal,

Thank you for your email concerning our Alexia products.

We are pleased to tell you that our potato products are gluten free. However, due to an expansion in our production, we now employ a facility where products containing wheat are also produced. While our products are produced on dedicated lines, our packaging will carry the following advisory:

Produced in a facility that may manufacture other items containing wheat or tree nuts (pine nuts)

Understanding the concerns that many gluten sensitive consumers have with cross-contamination, great precautions are taken to effectively clean the equipment in between production runs in accordance with organic and kosher guidelines. We can not, however, guarantee that there will not be trace cross-contamination.

As products are produced in the new facility the Gluten Free statement on the package will be removed. If you find any packages that have the Gluten Free statement, they were produced at the time the facility was indeed gluten free.

I hope that this information is helpful to you in determining whether or not our products are appropriate for your needs.

Sincerely,



Heather
Consumer Affairs Representative
Alexia Foods
Case: 60093965

1-866-484-8676
www.alexiafoods.com

I'm burning out

Checking and rechecking each product is really exhausting. Plus, with customer service departments structured the way they are, you frequently get a non answer.

I now just bring my cell phone to the grocery store and shop when I know customer service will be open. I call the 1-800 number on the package. Inevitably, they ask me for the bar code. Then they ask if I'd like to be on their mailing list. Here is a typical response:

* * * * *

Yes, Emerald Dry Roasted Almonds are gluten free.

From: Sarah McNeal [mailto:sarahjimmarcy@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 6:19 PM
To: Cathy Stagg
Subject: Re: Diamond Foods

Cathy - specifically, the Emerald Dry Roasted Almonds are gluten free? I do not know what 'culinary' nuts includes.

--- On Tue, 5/3/11, Cathy Stagg wrote:

From: Cathy Stagg
Subject: Diamond Foods
To: sarahjimmarcy@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 5:35 PM

May 3, 2011

Ms. Sarah McNeal

Dear Ms. McNeal:

Thank you for your recent e-mail concerning gluten in Diamond Foods
products.

Diamond of California Culinary Nuts do not contain gluten.

The Emerald of California product line is produced and packaged at the
Diamond Foods processing facilities. Some of the Emerald snack nut
products contain gluten. They are as follows.

Emerald Honey Roasted Peanuts
Emerald Dry Roasted Walnuts
Emerald Wasabi Dry Roasted Peanuts
Emerald BBQ Dry Roasted Peanuts
Emerald Chipotle Dry Roasted Peanuts
Emerald Berry Blend Trail Mix
Emerald Breakfast Blend Trail Mix
Emerald Tropical Blend Trail Mix
Emerald Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix
Emerald S'mores Trail Mix
Emerald Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts - Original Blend
Emerald Sweet and Salty Mixed Nuts - Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter
Blend

Diamond adheres to superior Good Food Manufacturing Practices, and all
processing lines are thoroughly cleaned between packaging runs of the
different Emerald products which greatly lessen the chance that any of
our non-gluten products come into contact with gluten products.

Second question - MSG is a sodium salt of glutamic acid. It is commonly
used as a flavor enhancer.
Natural flavoring is an essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive,
protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or
enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a
spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast,
herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood,
poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose
significant function in food is flavoring.

We appreciate your interest in our products.

Sincerely,


Cathy Stagg
Consumer Affairs Representative

Hard to understand

When I told my friend that we had to go gluten free, she said, "Oh, you'll miss potatoes." And when I told my Mom, she said, "So that means no more rice."

I can't say that, two weeks ago, I would have responded differently.

What the heck is gluten? Is it starch? Who knows?

With so much misunderstanding out there, the idea of going someplace other than here at home for a gluten-free meal seems scary. How would anyone know that it no potatoes and rice? How would they know to check the soy sauce?

We've decided to just have meals at home for a while.

Bean flour?

First epic fail, as Marcy would say. I made blueberry muffins with Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour Mix. They "tasted like moldy corn muffins" according to you know who. And I agreed. Plus, they were pale and anemic looking. My first thought was, "So this is gluten-free baking?"

However, my neighbor came to the rescue with some GOOD All Purpose Flour Mix by Cooqi, available at Tailor Made in Woodbury, MN. The next batch of blueberry muffins turned out much better.

Turns out, the first ingredient in Bob's AP Flour Mix is garbanzo beans. Can anything - anything? - good come from garbanzo bean flour?

Almost blew it again

I decided to make blueberry muffins for Marcy. The recipe calls for vanilla. I make my own vanilla, so I just got it out of the pantry and was about to pour it in when I realized: I made this vanilla with grain alcohol. I decided to skip it till I can figure out a good substitute.

Lactose Intolerant

Little One is lactose intolerant, too. So stopping at Cold Stone Creamery tonight posed its own set of challenges. No cones, for sure, but we found a FABULOUS non-dairy raspberry sorbet, only 160 calories and 0 fat. I forgot to make sure they used a clean scoop, however, as one dipped in cookies and cream ice cream then used for the sorbet could set off a gluten response.

Chipotle has a gluten free burrito bowl. But we have to make sure staff change their gloves before making it.

So many details. I'll get this right soon, I hope.

Confusion at Trader Joe's

I have been to four grocery stores in search of gluten-free foods. They aren't that hard to find. But finding gluten-free foods made in a plant that doesn't manufacture wheat is a little harder, though.

That's the big difference between "gluten free" and "no gluten ingredients". The cross contamination, or threat of cross contamination, is what celiacs have to avoid.

Whole Foods is light years ahead of everyone else in terms of selection and signing of gluten-free foods. They gave me a little tour and handed me 20 pages of items.

SuperTarget comes in second. You have to really look, but there are Ian's frozen foods in the frozen/children's section. There are gluten free Betty Crocker mixes and Bisquick has jumped on board, too.

Trader Joe's caused me the most confusion. Looking at the five pages of g-free foods listed on their website, I was thinking it was the promised land. But most stuff has the threat of cross contamination -- gluten free, made in plants that manufacture wheat products BUT their vendors sterilize the equipment between processing runs. Well, that was an option I wasn't prepared for.

In the end, I did not buy them because I don't want to end up with more food I can't use. Even their canned black beans had wheat ingredients. That means that the gluten-free meal I served last week really wasn't gluten free.

Byerly's comes in dead last. I sent them an e-mail last Tuesday regarding some salad-bar caesar dressing. The shelf dressing has a different set of ingredients than the salad bar does. But they still haven't gotten around to responding.

Gluten in Taco Seasoning?

Why, oh why, would anyone think about checking taco seasoning mix for gluten? Good thing they did, though, because there it is. Trader Joe's has a gluten-free version, but I think I will investigate making my own.

The Purge

I cleaned out the pantry today. I have three bags of groceries for the Boy Scouts' Food Drive that is coming up. I also brought three bags of groceries back to SuperTarget and they took everything. Everything!

Another Surprise, This Time About Cookies

Jim called from work to report that he was doing all he could to go g-free. He wants to know how hard it is, he says, so at the coffee shop, he got an oatmeal cookie.

I had to explain to him that oatmeal cookies generally still have flour in them.

He didn't know.

I asked him if he had ever made cookies before.

He hasn't.

Third Surprise

Gluten in soy sauce? Yep, it's true. There is hidden gluten in all kinds of things, including soy sauce.

Second Surprise

Once we found out that Marcy has celiac, we were told that we had to be tested, too. There is a genetic component to celiac. Jim's test came back negative, our second surprise. I was sure he would be the culprit! Those Irish genes seemed to point right to it. I get tested this Thursday.

First Surprise

After a year and a half of stomach issues and several visits to the pediatrician, my daughter, now 13, made it clear that these stomach issues were affecting her life. She was waking up at 4 in the morning with stomach pain, missing school days and extremely tired every day. Rashes would appear for no reason. Migraines and headaches were becoming more frequent.

Since we had tried everything our pediatrician had recommended and none of it worked, we first tried going lactose free. That helped for a few days but then stopped.

I decided to get a referral to a specialist and was sent to the pediatric Minnesota GI clinic. We had to wait four weeks to get in.

They asked about my daughter Marcy's symptoms then drew some blood. They sent us home with a lactose intolerance test.

The tests came back saying the celiac panel was high.

The next step was an upper endoscopy. This would require going to the hospital, IVs and the works. Couldn't we just go gluten-free? No. Too big of a life change, they said. You want to be sure.

So to be sure, we went to the hospital and two days later found out that she does, indeed, have celiac disease. That was our first surprise.