Happy Gluten-Free Halloween

I have a special attachment to Halloween.

Nearly 20 years ago, we celebrated this crazy day of costumes and candy with tremendous relief. My then 2-year-old daughter had just been diagnosed with celiac disease after a scary -- much scarier than any dressed-up ghoul -- rapid decline from a healthy toddler to one who couldn't walk and could barely hold up her head.

But by Halloween she was on a gluten-free diet, nearly back to herself and so excited to wear her unicorn costume and go out collecting candy. I think of that every year when pumpkins and ghosts start appearing.

Certainly we were a little afraid of what to do about Halloween candy given that we were so new to the diet and there was so little gluten-free information available then. But my daughter was so happy about the holiday we were determined to find a way to keep her safe while not ruining it for her.

In the pictures we have from that year, she looks a little gaunt because of all the weight she had lost while sick, but there's huge smile on her face as she sits surrounded by all her candy spread on the floor.

From that first year until the last she trick-or-treated we used a trading system -- for every piece of candy she had to give up because it contained cookies or wafers or rice crispy pieces or any kind of gluten, she could choose one from our stash of gluten-free Halloween treats.
 
So she grew up loving Halloween and had more gusto for it, from picking and planning a costume to hiking the length and breadth of our neighborhood, than our other two children. The year she was Cinderella, it poured. But she was not deterred and came home soaking wet but happily clutching a pillow case loaded with candy.

This year I found the perfect card to send her at college. It had a drawing of many streets and homes with a little ghost making its way through them. "So little time, so many houses," it said, capturing her Halloween philosophy.

So I hope all the children who follow a gluten-free diet have a happy and memorable Halloween. For their parents, I would advise using the trade system, as well as emphasizing all the fun of carving a pumpkin, making pumpkin seeds, decorating the porch, dressing in costume and then combing  the streets when it's dark. The candy is important too, I know that. But don't let worry about it cast a pall on Halloween

Here's a candy list to help you out. (Make sure you always read package labels as these are the most up-to-date sources of information. For example, Nestle now includes a label statement on several Wonka brand products that says they are made in a facility that also processes wheat. This includes Bottle Caps, Gobstoppers, Nerds, Runts, Spree and Sweet Tarts.)

Happy Halloween and Best Witches,

Amy Ratner

What I am working on for the next issue...

Last Thursday I attended a taping of The View in preparation for an interview of Elizabeth Hasselbeck for our next issue. I have to say watching a taping of a live show is an amazing experience, the production crew is flying all over the place making sure things work out perfectly.

I woke up in the middle of the night because it occurred to me that the ABC Studios were just about as far west as they could possibly be on the island of Manhattan. My plan of a train to Grand Central station and walking up was not going to work.

Plan B of taking train to subways and walking west was not going to work either. Plan C of driving in is always fraught with the “what if” there is an accident, or construction on the bridge, or a dead dog slowing traffic to one lane on the West Side Highway (it happened once).

Plan D was train to taxi from 42nd street to West 66th. I knew I had plenty of time even with the morning rush.

New Yorkers have a habit of telling their taxi drivers the route to go, but this time I bit my tongue and just sat back after I said “320 West 66th.” He started off in a boneheaded direction, but I didn’t say anything.

Somehow my taxi driver heard me say “50th and 6th” and that is where he was taking me. He started to turn east on 50th street and I yelled out, and I admit I did holler, “No, No, No…I’m going to 66th and West End, way, way west of here.”

Sadly, he did not stop his turn in time and we were heading east. I was due at the studio in ten minutes. Instead of freaking out, I just said, “I’m going to put my head down and you are going to get me there as fast as you can please.”

It is just too terrifying to look up when your taxi driver is trying to get from point A to point B in a ridiculous hurry. We lurched and screeched our way to 66th and West End.

He dropped me at a corner and there was a huge throng of people, which looked like kids. I actually wondered if it was an American Idol tryout…but remembered that I was looking for ABC, not Fox.

Actually, I was just looking for someone with a clip board, interns always have clipboards. I found a kid with a clip board, who started laughing at my question of where the lineup was for ABC’s The View. She told me I was in the middle of a New York City public school fire drill!

I jogged the block and found another young person with a clipboard, and this time she really was an intern and I found my way in.

At this point in time, I was sorry that I hadn’t taken a piece of advice from Elizabeth’s first book to carry a snack in my purse…I think the adrenaline kicked my stomach into high gear!

As I said it was very interesting and fun to watch the show happen. Look for the interview in Vol 11, #4!
Kendall Egan

Gluten-Free Favorites

If you follow the gluten-free diet, the Natural Products Expo East was pay back for all the times you went somewhere and there was nothing gluten-free to eat.

So many of the 1,400 exhibitors whose booths packed the Baltimore Convention Center had gluten-free foods to sample it was easy get to the point where you could not take one more bite.

In the interest of spreading the word about good, new gluten-free products I did my best to taste as many products as possible. Here's info on some of my personal favorites.

Star Fish Panko breaded shrimp. The breading on the shrimp is made by Aleia's and both it and the finished shrimp are certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. The sample I tasted had a terrific crispy crust on a plump tasty shrimp.This product is not yet available on the Starfish website but it is offered at the Gluten-Free Mall, where it is currently on sale.

"home free" crunch mini vanilla cookies were selected as a finalist in the Expo best foods category, which included all products, not just those that were gluten free. They combine a nice light taste with healthy ingredients, including 13 grams or more of whole grains per 6 cookie serving. Certified gluten-free oats are the main ingredient in the cookies. They are made on equipment that is also used to make products with barley flour, but Jill Robbins, company president, said gluten-free ingredients are segregated, gluten-free baking is done on separate days and thorough cleaning procedures are used. In addition, the company tests for gluten in the finished cookies, which are certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Udi's frozen pizza, in three cheese, margherita and pepperoni flavors, had a nice thin crust. The pizza is made in a dedicated gluten-free plant and is certified by GIG. Udi's also introduced  Chocolate Chia and Blueberry Nutri- tops, which are like muffin tops. Blueberry has 8 grams of whole grains and 5 grams of fiber. Both are fortified and should be available soon.

feel good foods will be selling its new gluten-free egg rolls in stores by the end of the year. They come in chicken, vegetable and shrimp flavors and were flying off the plate as quickly as company reps could cook them up at Expo. Most importantly the wrapper was nice and crispy. In fact it was so good I did not pay much attention to the filling. I think that means I need another sample! I also tasted the company's Asian style dumplings which I had trouble making when I tried them at home. I honestly thought this was one of those good ideas that just did not work. But they were being prepared at the show and turned out fine, so maybe it was just me. Feel good foods products are made in a facility that also processes wheat, but the company says strict safety measured are followed to prevent cross-contamination.

Canyon Bakehouse Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia might not be new to everyone, especially those lucky folks in the company's home state of Colorado, but this was the first time I had a chance to taste it. Both it and the 7-grain bread had great texture. The company, which uses a dedicated gluten-free bakery, is transitioning to use of all whole grains in all of its products. The hamburger buns already 100 percent whole grain, and brown rice is the main ingredient in the focaccia.

Kinnikinnick frozen, ready to fill  pie crusts. My grandmother was a master of the flaky pie crust, a skill I did not inherit even in the wheat-flour form. So I've always been intimidated by gluten-free pies that were not of the crushed-cookie crust variety. For anyone who has longed for gluten-free pie but has similar crust insecurity, these might be the easiest answer. The pie crusts are available in stores now and come two in a package. They are made in dedicated gluten-free facility.

Eco Planet Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries. For kids of all ages who miss the indulgence of  Pop Tart-like treat, these will be a welcome addition to the gluten-free line up. They contain seven whole grains, but the first two ingredients are rice flour and tapioca flour, which means these less nutritious flours are used in greater quantity than the healthier whole grain mix. Still, it's a toaster pastry so the stab at a healthier mix is a good start. They are certified by GIG, made in a dedicated facility and expected to be in stores soon.

Medora Snacks Popcorner. These triangle chips are made from air-popped popcorn and come in five flavors. The most exciting news about this product is that it is handed out as a snack on Jet Blue flights. When I fly, the snack is usually pretzels or honey peanuts that contain wheat starch. I love the idea that gluten-free travelers don't have to refuse the snack. The main ingredient is yellow corn enriched with iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.

Jovial brown rice pasta. This rivals some of the best gluten-free pasta already on the market. It cooks evenly and does not have that tale tell mushy gluten-free consistency. The pasta comes in five shapes and is made in a dedicated gluten-free facility. I also liked the Jovial cookies, which come in fig, and vanilla and chocolate cream filled. I love figs so these cookies, which Jovial says are the first fig-filled gluten-free cookies, really appealed to me. They are made in small patches and mixed by hand in a family-owned bakery in Italy. The bakery is not totally gluten-free but dedicated equipment is used and production is done on separate days. Each batch is tested to less than 10 ppm of gluten. Both the pasta and cookies are certified by GIG.  

Snikiddy "eat your vegetables" chips. There's been explosion of gluten-free chips, but what I like about these is they contain one full serving of vegetables in a one-ounce one- serving bag. They also provide 35 percent of your daily requirement of Vitamin A. Snikiddy usually targets its products for children, but these are being pushed for adults. The chips are made in a facility that also processes wheat, but the company says good manufacturing practices are used to segregate ingredients.

Selina Naturally Celtic Sea Salt Toasted Sesame with Garlic. This simple blend of sesame seeds, garlic and sea salt perks up any plain dish easily. It comes in its own grinder. At Expo it was sprinkled over grape tomatoes, which were delicious. When I brought some home I ground a little over penna pasta mixed with olive oil for a really tasty and easy side dish. Some seasonings contain gluten so it's nice to find a brand that is gluten free. It also comes in toasted sesame and toasted sesame with flax.

Solterra Bake in Bag Pizza caused a buzz at Expo. The concept of baking a gluten-free pizza right in the bag to eliminate cross contamination has a lot of appeal to those who take their own pizza to their local pizza shop and have it heated in the oven there. It also makes things easier if you take your pizza over to a friend's house. After the pizza is baked you tear open the bag and serve. The pizza comes in margherita and vegan cheese flavors.

Pamela's, a leader in the gluten-free market, introduced Whenever bars in four flavors. The Whenever name alludes to the fact that the bars make a good on-the-go snack.  They are made on dedicated gluten-free machinery with nine grams of whole grains, including gluten-free oats. I tried and liked the Oat Blueberry Lemon bar.

Simply Sprouted Way Better Snacks have such interesting ingredients lists I had to try them. The six flavors are made with things like flax, chia, radish and broccoli seeds, quinoa, and black beans. Eleven chips equals one serving of vegetables. They are made on dedicated gluten-free machinery and certified gluten free by GIG.

Namaste Foods featured its easy to make pasta meals. I liked the idea of a convenience pasta that comes with seasoning. The Say Cheese meal comes with pasta and a shake-on cheese pack, while the Pasta Pisavera includes veggie brown rice pasta and an Italian seasoning packet. Taco Pasta has the seasoning blended right into the pasta shells. Namaste products are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Roland Quinoa. I love quinoa as much as I love figs so the five easy-to-make flavors appealed to me. All you have to do is add water and heat them for 15 minutes. Each serving of the toasted sesame ginger, Mediterranean, Black Bean, Garden Vegetable and Roasted Garlic quinoa provides at least 40 grams of whole grains.

Mini Pops Air Popped Sorghum. Sorghum is a tiny grain so it pops up in what looks like miniature popcorn. In fact popped sorghum has no hulls, is corn free and has less saturated fat and calories than popcorn. It also requires 50 percent less water to grow. But what caught my attention was the novelty of this pre-popped snack. You just can resist trying those little tiny pops. Made in a gluten-free facility and certified by GIG, the pops come in eight flavors.

As you can see there was an abundance of gluten-free options at Expo. While reading about them is a nibble of information, the only way to know which ones you'll really like is to give them a try. If you do, let me know what you think.

Amy Ratner

Our Comments to FDA on Gluten-Free Labels

Following is the letter Gluten-Free Living sent to the Food and Drug Administration regarding proposed rules for gluten-free labeling.

The deadline for comments is this coming Monday.You can send your comments to the FDA here. Click on "submit a comment" and type FDA-2005-N-0404 into the search bar. On the next page that comes up,  about halfway down, click "submit a comment" next to the gluten-free labeling notation


 However, if you want to sign onto the 1in133 and American Celiac Disease Alliance letter, you only have until noon Sunday. The groups need some time to get all the signatures into a form they can then submit to the FDA.
 
Meanwhile, we thought you might be interested in what Gluten-Free Living had to say about some key points regarding gluten-free labeling:


As publishers of the first magazine exclusively for those who follow the gluten-free diet, Gluten-Free Living has long been a witness to the confusion gluten-free labeling causes. The lack of any definition for what is gluten free leads to many questions from our readers.

Our experience with the diet and our knowledge of the medical research related to celiac disease, leads us to support 20 parts per million as a valid standard for use of the gluten free-label. The best research to date shows that the vast majority of those who have celiac disease can safely consume products with less than 20 ppm of gluten.(1)

A standard stricter than 20 ppm of gluten has not been proven to be medically necessary for most people with celiac disease. The 20 ppm standard has been accepted internationally after a long review by the World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius. (2)

We are familiar with the point of view that gluten-free should mean “zero” gluten, but we know zero gluten is impossible to achieve or test for in the real world. So setting zero as a standard has little meaning.

A standard set lower than is medically necessary for the vast majority of those who have celiac disease and gluten intolerance could have the effect of decreasing the availability of gluten-free food. This would unnecessarily make it more difficult to comply with the gluten-free diet. In Australia, where the amount of allowable gluten is lowered each time tests get more stringent, this is already happening. (3)

If the standard for gluten free labeling is set at less than 20 ppm consumers can then assume that food labeled gluten free might have trace amounts of gluten (between a theoretical zero and 20 ppm). The addition of statements spelling out that minute levels of gluten might be present in gluten-free food would be redundant and add to consumer confusion without any real benefit.

The use of a two-tier system, with” gluten free” and “ low gluten” labels tied to different levels of allowed gluten, was debated and rejected when the gluten- free definition was first proposed. The idea was originally rejected because it is confusing to gluten-free consumers and that is still the case. We continue to oppose use of a low-gluten label.

The question of whether naturally gluten-free foods should be allowed to use the gluten-free label without saying all food of the same type is also gluten free is a little harder to answer.

For inherently gluten-free one-ingredient foods like milk, eggs, canned fruit and vegetables, the risk of gluten contamination is generally so slight, we can realistically assume all foods of this type would be gluten free. So a statement saying all foods of this type are gluten free would generally be accurate. It would also prevent companies from trying to falsely imply that their naturally gluten-free item has some advantage over other brands. Gluten-free consumers have complained about food makers trying to take advantage of the gluten-free fad by putting the gluten free label on all types of naturally gluten-free products.

Naturally gluten-free grains might be in a slightly different category. Grains have a higher risk of being cross-contaminated because of shared fields, transport vehicles and processing machinery. A recent small study showed that some inherently gluten-free grains were highly cross contaminated by gluten-containing grains. (4)

However, the study was based on a small number of samples and even the authors state that general conclusions about gluten-free grains cannot be drawn from it. So it is not yet clear that there is enough evidence to differentiate between naturally gluten-free grains and other inherently gluten free foods when it comes to gluten-free labeling. A larger study into cross-contamination of gluten-free grains is needed. If such a study showed wide-spread cross-contamination, the FDA should allow food makers who take steps to prevent cross-contamination to label their products gluten free without saying all other grains of the same type are also gluten free.

Overall, a medically justified gluten-free threshold that can consistently be verified through testing is what’s needed most by those who have celiac disease.

This threshold should not unnecessarily decrease the availability of gluten-free products and make it harder to comply with the gluten-free diet. We believe the 20 ppm standard satisfies these requirements and we urge the FDA to quickly approve it. Until then, those who rely on the gluten-free diet as the only way to treat celiac disease are left on their own to figure out what is safe. This is an untenable situation that has existed for far too long.


1.Catassi C, Fabiani E, Iacono G, et al. A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to establish a safe gluten threshold for patients with celiac disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:160–6.

2.http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/more_info.jsp?id_sta=291

3. Price G, Maintiaining Our Food Choices, The Australian Coeliac, 2010, December, 31-33

4. Grace T, Lee A, Thompson T, Gluten Contamination of grains, seeds and flours in the United States, a pilot study, Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2010, June, 814 -976

Latest gluten-free news from Starbucks

Here is the latest from Starbucks on gluten in Light Frappuccinos:

"Starbucks has removed the gluten ingredient from its Light Frappuccino® Blended Beverages.

As you may know, in the summer of 2010 Starbucks began offering customers the opportunity to customize their favorite Frappuccino ... This new offering caused initial changes to the recipes of the Light Frappuccino beverages and resulted in a gluten-containing ingredient being used in the Light base.

Starbucks has heard feedback from many customers who are living a gluten-free lifestyle and has worked diligently to change the recipe to remove the presence of the gluten ingredient.

The Light Frappuccino beverage ingredient list will no longer state "contains gluten." However, due to other restrictions in declaring a product "gluten-free," Starbucks statement regarding all beverages must remain the same, as follows:

We do not claim that any of our beverages are gluten free because we use shared equipment and handle gluten and allergens throughout the store. Customers that have questions should ask to review the ingredient statements with their barista or can call 1-800-23-LATTE for ingredient information."

While I find Starbucks' position on gluten-free drinks baffling, I see this as good news. The Light Frappuccino was a drink that clearly containing gluten in the form of barley in the base mix and had to be avoided. Now that's not the case.

Whether you drink any beverage at Starbucks is a personal decision. Some gluten-free consumers work out arrangements with their local Starbucks baristas to lessen the exposure to cross contamination and feel safe having coffee and other drinks there.  Before Starbucks started saying that it could not claim any of its drinks were gluten free, the company advised consumers to ask that containers used to mix drinks be washed before a gluten-free order was prepared.

Amy Ratner 

How should gluten-free grains be labeled?

The Food and Drug Administration is taking a second look at naturally gluten-free grains as part of its effort to finally pass rules for gluten-free labeling.

When the FDA announced in August that it was re-opening public comment on a proposed gluten-free definition, the agency said it was reconsidering how inherently gluten-free grains should be labeled.

Under the proposal, all naturally gluten-free food can only be labeled gluten free if the label also says any other food of that type is also gluten free. For example, sorghum flour labeled gluten free has to say all other sorghum flour is gluten free.

Now the FDA is considering whether gluten-free grains should be labeled differently than other naturally gluten-free food. That’s because of the risk that grains may be cross-contaminated by wheat, barley or rye.

Cross-contamination of grains can occur in the field or through shared equipment during transport, processing or packaging. A recent small study showed that some gluten-free grains actually contained fairly high levels of cross contamination.

The FDA is considering whether grain and flour companies that take steps to prevent cross-contamination should be allowed to use the gluten-free label without implying that products made by less diligent companies are just as safe.

The bottom line is whether the gluten-free label on naturally gluten-free grains would help gluten-free consumers select products that are safer.

The labeling rule for all naturally gluten-free one-ingredient foods was proposed to prevent food companies from using the gluten-free label to give the false impression that their products are somehow better than identical products. For example, a gluten-free label on naturally gluten-free water is meaningless since all water is gluten free.

Grains are the only naturally gluten-free food the FDA has specifically said it is interested in reviewing in regards to the labeling provision. Other naturally gluten-free, one-ingredient foods like canned fruit and vegetables, milk, butter and eggs have minimal, if any, risk of being cross contaminated. But changes to overall rules for labeling of inherently gluten-free foods could be made based on public comments sent to the agency.

Most important, you only have until Monday to comment on the gluten-free definition. You can  send your  comments to the FDA here. Click on "submit a comment" and type FDA-2005-N-0404 into the search bar. On the next page that comes up, down about halfway down, click "submit a comment" next to the gluten-free labeling notation

And if you want to sign onto the letter available from 1in133, a grass roots group that formed to push for gluten-free rules, you have to do so by noon Sunday. That will give the group time  to get the information into a form that can be sent to the FDA.  The FDA estimates it will take about a year to go through all the steps before gluten-free rules are finalized.

Rules for gluten-free labeling are already long overdue. The FDA was supposed to finish them three years ago as part of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. Under the proposed rules, food labeled gluten free must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. This cut off would include trace amounts for gluten from cross contamination and would be verified through testing.

Amy Ratner

Gluten-free musings on Expo East

Expo East, which was held at the Baltimore Convention Center last weekend, is the food industry's showcase of natural products. But it could easily have been dubbed a fashion show for gluten-free items. They were everywhere you looked.

In a "New Products Showcase," where new items that have caught the eye of Expo organizers were set up, I thought I might find a few that were gluten free. It turns out so many were labeled gluten free my hand was getting tired from writing them down.

When these were whittled down to the winners, three products labeled gluten-free were still standing: Little Duck Organic's Tiny Fruits, best packaging, Brad's Raw Leafy Kale, most innovative, and Nibor Chocolate's Daily Dose, best of press. Luna Pops' Hibiscus Lemon pop, which won the best new food prize, contains only gluten-free ingredients.  It is made on the same machinery used to make flavors that contain wheat, but Dina Mills, a company representative, said the equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between flavors.

One of my personal favorites from the show - "home free" crunchy vanilla cookies came close, making it into the finalist category for best food.

On the main exhibit floor, I spent two days sampling new gluten-free items and talking with gluten-free company representatives. I ran into George and Ceil Chookasian, owners of Foods by George, who have been making gluten-free products as long as Gluten-Free Living has been publishing. We marveled at all the changes in the gluten-free market place -- so many of them positive. (Watch for my upcoming blog on what I thought were the most interesting new products at Expo East.)

But I did run into one remnant of the "old" gluten-free days when a representative of one company insisted to me that vinegar contains gluten. She said she had done her research, and she was sure that vinegar was not gluten free. When asked I for details on the research, she said when she accidentally eats something with vinegar her tongue swells and her head gets foggy for three days.

I told her that at Gluten-Free Living we respect anyone's right to make their own diet decisions based on whatever information they choose. But I do not think a company representative has a right to give incorrect information in a forum where people who represent gluten-free companies should know what they are talking about.

On vinegar the facts are simple and indisputable - the gluten peptide in vinegar is too large to carry over in the distillation process. This is true even when vinegar is made from wheat. And according to the Vinegar Institute, vinegar is usually made from naturally gluten-free apples, grapes, corn and rice. Malt vinegar, which is fermented and not distilled, is usually made from barley and is not gluten free.

 Although Gluten-Free Living did the ground-breaking work on vinegar and distillation, most reputable celiac disease support groups and medical centers now agree distilled vinegar is gluten-free.

This includes the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, the Celiac Center at Beth Deaconess Medical Center, the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, the Celiac Disease Foundation, the Gluten Intolerance Group, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, the Canadian Celiac Society, the American Dietetic Association, the Vinegar Institute, the Children's Digestive Health and Nutrition Center, the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

Any research on the topic from reputable sources would quickly reveal these facts.

So while I applaud and appreciate all the new gluten-free products being made by a wide variety of companies, I do expect all of them to make sure they know what they are talking about. Knowledgeable company representatives can make good decisions about the steps they have to take to make sure their products are truly gluten free. And they know to dismiss misinformation that needlessly limits options and causes gluten-free consumers to worry about ingredients that are known to be safe.

I am glad most of those I talked to at Expo were in that category.

Amy Ratner