<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Thank you so much - Bev, Richard, Robin, Joe, Theresa, DK and others. These are the posts that I was searching for. One person wrote asking why I would be so interested, why take a chance? To begin with, when I worked in an office I always used a sponge (whatever) to seal many envelopes! But to seal one letter to a friend I really feel that we have enough to contend with. Why add this to the long list of no-nos that a newly diagnosed Celiac must learn. I, for one, will begin licking an envelope or two a week. Thanks again to all - I will print out these responses and hopefully remember where I filed them. Marian
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the original post...
"* * *According to the Envelope Manufacturers Association, located in Alexandria,
VA., there are only a few glue manufacturers. The lady that I spoke with there
said she happened to have a medical background and knew about celiac. She
said the ingredients in the glue used on envelopes was made with modified corn,
potato or tapioca starch.
She told me to call the National Starch & Chemical headquarters in N.J. and
they could verify what she said.
I called them and they switched me to the Adhesive Division, Technical
Support who told me that they only use corn and tapioca in the adhesives. She then
offerred to send me the letter which I posted earlier today on this list.
I happen to own a printing company and buy skids of envelopes to print and
thought I could find out if the glue had gluten in it. There are only a few
paper manufacturers in the US. Mainly International Paper, Georgia Pacific,
Alco. They buy their adhesives from National Starch & Chemical. The paper is
sold to distributors who sell it under different labels, but it all comes from
about 3-4 manufacturers.
I am celiac, also, and very sensitive to gluten, therefore, would not want to
ingest even the slightest bit. I feel certain with the information that I
was given today, that the glue is gluten free."
I was looking for something on the web one day & ran across a commercial site for a tapioca process. They make lots of glue products, including one for plywood... Most interesting. They can turn raw tubers into tapioca flour in a half hour or so...Even though it's done in a 3rd world country, the technology is definitiely first class...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I contacted the National Starch & Chemical Company's headquarters in N.J.
this morning to find out what is in the glue on envelopes since there has
been so
much mixed information about it having gluten in it.
I spoke with several people who all said they use corn starch and tapioca.
They offered to email me this letter.
Juanita
Food Products Division
10 Finderne Avenue
P.O. Box 6500
Bridgewater, New Jersey 08807-0500
908-685-5000
June 15, 2004
WACSSG
Attn: Juanita Ohanian
Re: Allergens
Following is information regarding gluten in food and pharmaceutical starches
which we supply and the subject of Celiac disease.
The food and pharmaceutical starch products we supply are refined from dent
corn, waxy corn or tapioca. Celiac disease is an allergic reaction to certain
amino acids found in the protein of wheat and rye flours (wheat gluten).
Wheat and rye flours have a protein content ranging from 5% to 14%. The food
starches that we supply typically have a protein content of less than
0.5%. Most
of the protein content of corn and tapioca is removed in the refining process
and is sold as a by-product.
In addition to the low amount of protein present in corn and tapioca starch,
the types of amino acids are not identical with those found in wheat or rye
flours. Therefore, they are not associated with Celiac disease.
If you need any further information, please feel free to contact us.
Very truly yours,
John Mitolo
Technical Service Manager
Food Ingredients Group
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was at the Celiac Conference in Columbus, OH last year and we were told it is just a myth.
*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List *
|
