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

I thought that some on the list might be interested in the problems
involved in marketing GF oats. -vance

I wrote the following to Ener-G Foods:

Heidi, if you're looking for another product that celiacs crave, and
spend more time talking about on the list than any other, you should
look into finding a source for oats, uncontaminated by wheat. A celiac
gathering must be the only place on earth that you can find people
sitting around wishing for oatmeal they can eat. Since there is no
gluten in oats alone, the problem is that commercially grown oats are
contaminated with wheat at three sources: 1. the fields are rotated
between wheat and oats so when the oats sprout in the spring, so do the
copious wheat grains also; 2. oats and wheat are shipped in the same
railroad cars; 3. they are both stored in the same grain silos. Best
wishes. -vance

Ener-G answered:

Dear Vance:

Thank you for your e-mail. The problem is two fold.

First, the scientific community must accept oats as gluten-free. Such
support must be strong and convincing. This is because any manufacturer
would need overpowering Scientific Evidence on their side in the event of
legal action against them.

Second, the regulators must accept uncontaminated oats as gluten-free. Oats
are not currently accepted as gluten-free by US regulators. A substantial
reason for this is Canada . Canada clearly prohibits oats in "Gluten-Free"
foods. I can send you their regulations if you want me to. This is
important in The USA because The USA is committed under NAFTA to harmonize
its food laws with those of Mexico and Canada . If The USA were to take a
stance that oats are or can be gluten-free The USA and Canada would be in
conflict. Canada has a reputation for basing its food laws on substantial
scientific evidence. The way to get oats accepted for the gluten-free diet
in The USA is to get them so accepted in Canada .

Any company selling "gluten-free" oats would be in substantial danger of
legal action by regulators and by consumers if such consumers felt they had
been injured.

Ener -G Foods sponsored an attorney, Ryan Lankton to give a presentation
which deals in detail with this type of problem at last year's CSA/USA
annual meeting in Minneapolis . CSA will send you a free copy if you ask
them for it. You may want to ask them if you can post it on the Celiac Chat
Line.

Sincerely,
Sam Wylde, III.

Ener -G Foods, Inc.
[log in to unmask]

Another celiac joke:

A "Flatulence" is the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run
over by a steamroller.