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

This is an excerpt from the original question: "I would like to hear
from any of you who do eat the Quaker Oats Quick Grits and/or Yellow
Corn Meal...Those of you who do eat them, what led you to arrive at your
decision to use these products?  Aside from the cross- contamination
issue, the ingredients by nature are GF. Any feedback on this topic
would be appreciated.?

I received 38 responses to the question.  Most of the responses were from
people who do eat the Ouaker Oats brand of cornmeal and grits and feel that
cross-contamination isn't a problem for them with these products.  Several
admitted that that they are not highly-sensitive to small amounts of hidden
gluten, but many stated that they are sensitive and have had no problems
with these products.   One person responded with a very strong message
regarding oatmeal (listed below). There were also 5-6 people who stated
they have had reactions, and now choose to use alternative brands of grits
and cornmeal. I have included some of the responses but could not include
all.  I also called Quaker Oats and they couldn't guarantee the GF status
due to the cross-contamination possibility. Thanks to all who responded -
you are great!

Some of the responses received: "I have decided there is too much
contamination in Quaker Oats products so I avoid everything they make.
My friend told me when she called that they would not recommend their
products for celiacs because of all the flour flying around."

"I eat the grits with no problems. I haven't seen anything in them that
would make me think there was any serious cross contamination. I am usually
quite sensitive to any gluten that might be hidden."

"I will usually try a product that looks to be gf, and if I don't
personally have a reaction, then I continue to use it.  I have been GF for
almost a year and no problems or suspected problems with either of these
products."

"I don't use Quaker Oats grits or corn meal because by the time they get
through with them, they are so devitalized, degerminated, preserved, etc,
that there is very little food value left in them. Hodgson Mills has an
excellent stone ground whole grain yellow corn meal and yellow grits that
are out of this world! If you can't find them there, the address is:Hodgson
Mill, Inc, 1203 Niccum ave., Effingham, IL 62401.. Customer Service 800-525-
0177, x231 website is www.hodgsonmill.com"

"My husband, the celiac, eats the Quaker Oats quick grits (and old-
ashioned) all the time and has no reactions."

"I have a packet of the quick grits (the plain, not the misc-flavored
package) every morning with no problems...In my experience, contamination has
not been an issue."

"I use both all the time. I also use Albers cornmeal...Unless it is an
obvious contamination, I don't worry about it...No two celiacs are alike. Use
your own judgement."

"I was eating a lot of these and I thought I found a problem so I stopped
and substituted rice. My stomach got better. Rice is a little more binding
than corn. So I have continued to cut back on corn products. They are safe
but go through a little faster than I need."

"My husband, who is the celiac, would really have a reaction if they were
contaminated. My daughter also. We have used them in our house for 40
years."

"I'll tell you i and my sons nearly died from oatmeal it is a gluten"

"I decided to use Quaker Quick Grits (very, very rarely) after Quaker told
me it was GF. Then after I heard about possible contamination, I decided to
continue using it after reading messages from several sensitive people who
said it was the only grits they had found that they had not reacted to. I
am not a reactor so I try to gauge what others say."

"I've never had a problem eating Quaker Oats Instant Grits or their rice
cakes either.   I don't know what the cross-contamination issues really are...=

Oats should be GF, according to grain experts, but cross-contamination is
the big issue...is too dangerous to justify eating oats in the USA. In
Europe, a sure-fire gluten-free oat product seems to be available....I still
eat instant Quaker Oats corn grits--no problem so far.  I have better
feelings about Quaker brand than any other rice cakes and have never had a
negative reaction from Quaker brand rice cakes (I'm pretty sensitive too).
Lundberg rice cakes are OK, but they are expanding into non-gf areas too,
so I don't trust them as much as I used to do."

"We are pretty sure that I am showing a sensitivity to corn, not surprising
considering how much I use that grain in my diet. Make sure that you rotate
foods... rotating the grains especially may help so that she doesn't develop
an allergy later from 'over-exposure'."

I tried Quaker Oats instant grits and was sick. I have since been using
Kinnikinnicks guaranteed gf corn meal for grits and other corn meal-based
foods. Check and see if your supermarket has INDIAN HEAD white or yellow
cornmeal...fairly coarse so you could use it for grits and polenta.