<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> .............................................................. : : : Excerpts from the Washington Area CS Support Group : : -------------------------------------------------- : : newsletter: Winter 2000 Joany Janicki, editor : : 5410 Connecticut Ave., NW #408 : : Washington, DC 20015 : :............................................................: Product Information: * Celestial Seasonings (Warner-Lampert, 800-524-2854) makes herbal throat drops that soothe and calm sore throats and coughs. They come in a variety of flavors such as Harvest Cherry and Honey- Lemon Chamomile and all are gluten-free. * Edy's (888-837-4438, <http://www.edys.com>) has information on the gluten status of their ice creams on their web site! Just click on "Freezer Case" and choose a flavor. The gluten status appears at the end of the nutritional information. As a general rule, any gluten in any of their ice cream, frozen yogurt, or novelty products is present only in added bakery products such as cookies or shortcake. The ice cream itself contains no gluten. The modified food starch that you may find listed in the ingredients is derived from corn and is therefore gluten-free. In addition, their entire Whole Fruit Sorbet line and all of their Fruit Bars are gluten-free. The Dreamery flavors that are gluten-free include Banana Boogie, Black Raspberry Avalanche, Caramel Toffee Bar Heaven, Cashew Praline Parfait, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk, Crme Caramel, Cuppa Joe, Galactic Chocolate Swirl, Harvest Peach, and Vanilla. * Sargento (800-243-3737, <http://www.sargento.com>) is another company that lists their gluten-free products on their web site! The company uses microcrystalline cellulose as an anti-caking agent on most of their shredded cheeses. This ingredient is a white odorless, tasteless, totally natural powder made from cellulose, a naturally occurring component of most plants. It is not derived from wheat, oats, barley or rye. -=-=- -=-=- Taste Test Results ------------------ The results are in! At our last meeting, we received several gluten-free products from Glutino (<http://www.glutino.com>, 800-363- 3438) and the Gluten Free Cookie Jar (888-GLUTEN-0, <http://www.glutenfreecookiejar.com>). The following are member's comments on the food sampled: Glutino: -- Dr. Schaer Pizzirilli Crackers--good texture, crisp and tasty, overall very good. They taste like a cracker with "pizza spice"--my son adores these and we have already ordered more. -- Dr. Schaer Grissini Sticks--crispy, the kind you find on the table while you wait for your dinner. Yuck, they are dry and flat tasting. -- Glutino Corn Pizza Shells (attending members got to take one home)--my son loved it--we added spaghetti sauce, cheese, olives, and Hormel pepperoni (says gluten-free on the label!), and toasted it in the toaster oven. It was like his own personal pan pizza. -- Glutino Vegetarian Pizza (attending members got to take one home)--very tasty, and easy to prepare--just pop it in the toaster oven, very crisp crust. Gluten Free Cookie Jar: -- Orange Chiffon Bundt Cake--good, nice flavor. -- Pumpkin Cookies--very good, but too sweet. Very good, delicious, really good. -- Peanut Butter Cookies--very good, great, good peanut flavor, excellent. While not part of the taste test, a member brought in a cranberry orange bread made from a Gluten Free Pantry mix, that received rave reviews. ............................................................ : : : Excerpts from the Houston Celiac-Sprue Support Group : : ---------------------------------------------------- : : newsletter: Jan./Feb. 2000 Janet Y. Rinehart, editor : : 13722 Ashley Run : : Houston, TX 77077 : :..........................................................: Modified Food Starch in Ham: The Food Safety and Inspection of the US Dept. of Agriculture has amended federal regulations to permit the use of binders in "ham with natural juices" products and other cured pork products. Therefore, "modified food starch", in an amount not exceeding 2% of the product formulation, is allowed. [Remember: "modified food starch" could come from a safe source such as corn, potato, or tapioca; or it could come from a gluten source such as wheat.--ed.] Anything labeled "Ham Water Added" must now be suspected of containing soy protein concentrate, modified food starch, and/or carrageenan. For more information, see the applicable pages of the Federal Register. These can be found on the internet at <http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/fr/98-064.htm>. -=-=- -=-=- Highlights from the 1999 CSA/USA Conference ------------------------------------------- summarized by Janet Rinehart Update on Current Diagnostic Dilemmas: Celiac Disease ------------------------------------------------------ Matthew S.A. Bachinski, M.D., Gastroenterologist, Dept. of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA Who to Screen. The following should always be screened for celiac disease (CD): First degree relatives, including parents, children and siblings Those with autoimmune disorders Those with IgA deficiency Those with IDDM (type I diabetes) Those with CTD's (connective tissue disease) Those with Down's Syndrome (4-7% are likely to have CD) The following may also be screened: Those of short stature (8-10% will have CD) Those with infertility problems Those with intractable (uncontrollable) seizures Those with abnormal liver tests Those with osteoporosis Those with alopecia (hair loss) Those with lymphoma CD and Diabetes: * The association of IDDM (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) with CD has been known for at least 40 years. * Both are "autoimmune" disorders. * Many diabetics have chronic diarrhea, often labeled a "diabetic diarrhea". * If diabetics with chronic diarrhea are screened for CD and found to have CD, a combined gluten-free and diabetic diet will help manage the whole patient and decrease the risk of cancer. Genetically Engineered Foods: Unanswered Health Questions ---------------------------------------------------------- Michael Hansen, Ph.D., Research Associate, Consumer Policy and Consumers Union A genetically modified food is a plant or animal that contains a gene inserted from a different species, or it expresses more copies of one of its own genes, or does not express a specific gene. The expression of the altered gene is important because this codes for production in the nucleus of making proteins not normally synthesized by the cell. Many genetically-modified (GM) foods have great potential to reduce hunger and nutritional deficiencies around the world. And the risk for potential human sensitivity is equally great. One key is complete label identification not only that the product is genetically modified, but the sources [of the modified gene(s)]. One can always find someone who is allergic to anything. Incomplete disclosure on labels is an old and continuing problem for celiacs. Experiments in gene modification in plants are continuing for herbicide tolerance in crops, longer shelf life, more durability in transportation, etc. Human health issues associated with genetically engineered foods are the development of unanticipated toxins, transfer of allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance, and change in nutrient levels. Right now it is up to the companies to determine whether products are safe. They are on the "honor system". However, when finances are affected, we can't be sure. Citizens, companies and researchers have a responsibility to see there is no harm to wildlife, soil, human health, and people with allergies. Because genetic engineering research is so expensive it is largely controlled by for-profit corporations whose primary goal is return on investment, not necessarily public good. These corporations are rapidly buying up seed companies and gaining control of entire food production systems and educational-research facilities. Farmers who use this patented technology, meanwhile, are prohibited from the time-honored tradition of saving seed to use the following season. They are forced into a costly cycle of corporate dependency. The U.S. is almost alone in the world in not labeling GM foods. We don't know if those GM foods on the market now are safe; no studies have been done. The absence of evidence is not proof of safety. We are concerned about chronic long-term affects. Complete disclosure labeling must be a requirement.