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Dear Friends,

Thank you for all of your responses. They were all very helpful to me.                                                                                                                      

Two people suggested that the chips themselves might have had gluten in them, for some brands do...This small store didn't have the ingredients listed on the jar. Silly me! But things have been going well, and I do eat some chocolate, so I simply forgot!  I  will investigate, and I will buy choc. chips in a bag from the grocery from now on (so I can read the ingredients, and know they are "clean". 

 One person wrote:
"The chocolate chips probably contained gluten. Hershey's and Baker's Chocolate Chips are gluten free." 

Another person wrote: "It's not uncommon that many chocolates are exposed to [trace amounts of]
flour during the manufacturing process. Sadly, I've found this out too, a
long time ago. "

My first guess is that the chips themselves were the culprit...I will investigate. Luckily the people at the store are my friends, and won't mind if I nose around a bit, as long as it is not a busy time..

Other people suggested that I may have been other ingredients in the Pamela's mix, but I have used her basic mix for other things, and with no bad result. (Of course, I do realize that people are sensitive to more than just gluten, and I must be careful with 

Many people responded and said that they are sensitive to trace amounts, and they have learned to be careful.  A large number said that they never buy from bulk bins because of the danger of contamination. This seems like good, practical advice for me.

A few people responded who said they had reactions from even smaller amounts of trace gluten, such as simply from flour dust when baking for others, but not eating the products. On the other hand, I have read that some celiacs have even been bakers by profession, and they are fine with the  dust as long as they don't eat the gluten goods. So, again, t seems that there is a range of sensitivity and people need to find what works for them. Our home is now gluten free - so I don't have to bake with gluten for others, luckily!

Thanks again,

Mary
California

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *