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

You may recall a summary I posted about a week ago regarding Jose Cuervo
Margarita Mix.  The summary contained a list of gf beverages from
Smirnoff, one of which was Smirnoff Ice.

I quickly received an e mail from an alert reader who advised me that
Smirnoff Ice is a malt beverage and is not gf. He asked me to post a
correction to the list, and I did so.

In the meantime, I contacted the company by phone, left a message and got
no reply.  I also e mailed Smirnoff and have received a total of five e
mails in return. The first stated that Smirnoff Ice in the US is NOT GF,
but that vodka based Smirnoff Ice sold elsewhere MAY BE GF but they would
have to get back to me on that.  The next e mail I got simply said that
Smirnoff Ice IS GF.

My reply to that one read as follows: Dear Consu
mer Relations, So,if I'm
putting these e mails together correctly, the facts are as follows:
Smirnoff Ice sold in the US is a fermented malt beverage and is NOT gluten
free. But Smirnoff Ice sold outside the US is a vodka based beverage and
IS gluten free, no matter what country you're in. Am I correct?

I am not allowed to reproduce the e mails from Smirnoff, but the next one
said that Smirnoff Ice in the US and Canada are BOTH GLUTEN FREE.  But
they wanted to double check with the scientists.

I wrote back a thanks for your help, can't wait to hear type e mail and
received a hang in there type e mail in return.

Yesterday, after a lull, I nudged with a "any word from the scientists?" e
mail and got back the response that simply said yes, it is gluten free.

So, in summary I have these answers from the company regarding the gluten
free status of Smirnoff Ice, a fermented malt
beverage: 1 no it's not gf,
1 we're waiting to hear from the scientists, and 3 yes it is gf.

Frankly, I'm backing response #1 for the time being. I also don't care
that much about it but I didn't want to let the topic slide.  Perhaps
there is a reader out there who would like to pick up the ball and get a
definitive answer from another tier of consumer relations at Smirnoff. You
can e mail me if you need phone numbers or a place to start.

Patti

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