<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

<< This is a private e-mail I received tonight from a supposed listmember
 regarding my post to the list about calling Hershey's ...

 Bev Wahl
 [log in to unmask] >>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bev, that poster was rude and flaming!  Please know that we don't all feel
that way.

As a matter of fact, my feeling about calling food companies is quite the
opposite from his.  When I was first told about our CD I was told to call the
companies about everything we questioned because:  1) It would inform them
that there is a growing and significant population of people out there who
need better and more extensive labeling and  2) there are people who would
benefit from less/no gluten containing additives.

I have found many companies to be supportive.  However, I have also found them
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone.   It wasn't until I began asking for
gluten-content in the form of a return letter, that I received the standard,
"We can't guarantee that our products are gluten-free as we can't verify our
supplier's ingredients."

But at least in calling, we draw more attention to the disease and knowledge
(on everyones's part) is power.  The more people that are informed about the
disease, the more are diagnosed correctly and hopefully the more study goes on
to find a cure/cause.

Keep calling Bev!  Keep up the good work.  Don't trust those labels.  Anything
can be included in their phrases "Natural flavor" or "starch" etc....

In rice we trust,

Lorraine Dowdle