Five weeks later...

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

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-----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?

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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.