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