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

Listmates:

1.  Food product gluten-free lists are merely guides and the consumer
still has to read labels on all products.  Many companies are not
doing lists, as Kraft and Hormel.  Instead the company labels
ingredients and tells us to always read the label as ingredients may
change.  If there is an ingredient that does not identify the source,
then it must be checked by the consumer.   Remember that Atkins
Nutritionals specializes in low carb foods, not gluten-free foods.
As yet there are no clear guidelines for what gluten-free means on
food labels.  That comes in the years after the labeling law goes
into effect in 2006.

2.  Malt is one of the ingredients that needs to be checked for its
source.  It is most often made (sprouted, dried, & ground) from
barley, but it can be made from other grains as rice and corn.
Sometimes barley is combined with other grains in preparing malt.
Shelley Case in Gluten-Free Diet:  A Comprehensive Resource Guide
identifies Malt,** Malt Extract,** Malt flavoring,** and Malt Syrup**
with the double asterisk in her list of "Ingredients to be Avoided."
The double asterisk indicates that MALT DERIVED FROM BARLEY is the
ingredient to be avoided (page 9).

3. I am always bothered when we talk about Atkins and gluten-free
products, as there is a wonderful Akins Natural Foods Company --the
names are very close.  I would hate to have the names confused.  I
try to use Atkins Nutritionals when referring to Atkins.  Akins
stocks a lot of gluten-free products and has a gluten-free product
list.  Akins has several stores in Oklahoma and in a few other
states, as well as online. http://www.akins.com/home_nn.htm  When I
visit Tulsa, Akins is a great resource for me.  I have no financial
interest in the company.

Betsy
Austin, Texas

P.S.  I don't read the Atkins Nutritionals' GF list, as I tend to
avoid their products--they contain a lot of soy and I do not tolerate
soy products well.

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