<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
========================= Hidden Gluten
Whenever a product or ingredient is identified as a possible source of gluten-
contamination it will be highlighted in this section. Some products contain a
minute amount of gluten and may not have a noticeable physical affect, but may
cause internal damage. NO GLUTEN is the ActionLine's goal. Medical research
has established one standard for damage to the gut, but it is still unknown
how much gluten or if repeated exposure to small amounts of gluten will
increase a celiacs' chance of certain cancers or cause subtle changes, such as
lassitude and depression.
Nebulous terms must be researched until a satisfactory answer is obtained that
the item is free of any toxic protein. When those terms are found on a label,
we must routinely verify that it has not changed. If adequate information is
obtained and fellow celiacs do not report any adverse reactions, those
products should not be left out of your diet. Some celiacs limit labels with
nebulous terms to only a few products, in order to reduce the amount of time
spent on routine verification. When in doubt leave it out, is the best course
of action.
Gluten can be added to a product as an ingredient, through cross
contamination, or as a result of the manufacturing process. When all gluten
is kept out of a celiac's diet, the best quality of life is enjoyed. Each
person must determine their preferred life style and how careful they will be
in avoiding hidden toxic proteins.
1. Rice Dream uses a barley enzyme in the production of its rice milk. David
Nickerson, Consumer Affairs Manager, Rice Dream, phone (415) 327-1441,
believes but can not prove that the enzyme is removed.
2. Haagen-Dazs in August reported that these items contain gluten: Ice Cream
(Cookies & Cream, Triple Brownie Overload, Caramel Cone Explosion, Cookie
Dough Dynamo, Peanut Butter Burst, Strawberry Cheesecake Craze) Novelties
(Cookie Dough Dynamo ice Cream bars, Triple Brownie Overload bar, Caramel Cone
Explosion Bar) and Frozen Yogurt (Strawberry Cheesecake Craze, Brownie Nut
Blast).
3. Crescent Soup Base now contains wheat as an ingredient. This label change
was detected in October by Bette Hagman. This was the commercial soup base
used in her cookbooks.
4. Rice Noodles or Oriental Noodles were traditionally made from rice. They
can contain other ingredients. Because of environmental concerns, corn starch
is becoming an ingredient of the noodles. Read the ingredient statement to
determine if the noodle is from rice or some other grain.
5. Wyler's Bouillon is not GF. The ingredient statement lists HVP from wheat
bran.
6. Gluten Content of Medication: Gluten can be a stated or hidden ingredient
in drugs (prescription or over the counter). Many physicians discount the
adverse impact of toxic proteins in drugs. Those who suffer the adverse
effects of contamination from toxic drugs, do not consider it a minor problem
in relationship to the disease that is being treated.
The article ``Identification of Gliadin Presence in Pharmaceutical Product''
in J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nut, Vol. 19, (No. 1) has created considerable
discussion in the celiac community. This review of 59 drugs showed that 75
percent contained gluten. The resulting discussion has been heated. There
are several questions that must be answered about the study. These questions
have left a shadow and the results can not be utilized. Experts in this area
question the preparation of the antibody, the possibility of cross reaction of
drug ingredients, and the seeming lack of controls that were documented in the
study. Also, an item reported to be GF is labeled as being chelated with
barley.
It is routine for new and different results to be questioned by the experts.
The ActionLine supports the concept of drug testing. Now that the first major
study has been published, future studies can overcome any errors that can be
built into the testing process. Those studies can improve celiacs lifestyles
through identification of toxic proteins in drugs.
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