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I think it is important to respond to Janice's recent post on dedicated
gluten-free facilities (Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:13:07 -0600). The issue of
cross-contamination if far more complex than is being portrayed in the
recent List posts on this topic. Just because a product is made in a
gluten-free facility does not mean that it is immune from
cross-contamination. I am not aware of any company that has full control of
all ingredients used in their facilities--from growing the grains, to
transporting them, milling them, etc. As far as I know most, if not all,
gluten-free manufacturers buy ingredients from outside sources which are
beyond their control, and any company in this category is still in danger
of making products that have detectable levels of gliadin in them.
Contamination can happen when grains are being transported, milled or
stored, so unless a company controls every aspect of their ingredient
supply chain, they are sill vulnerable to cross-contamination. This is
precisely why the Codex Alementarius (which is currently the only guideline
for gluten-free foods that affects companies in the USA--and many other
countries) has set "safe" levels of contamination in foods for those with
celiac disease (and why the Canadian government has done the same).
So you see, a "dedicated" facility does not necessarily mean zero gluten. A
zero tolerance attitude may sound like a good idea, but it may not be
possible or practical in the real world--or translate into good policy. For
example such strict regulations might actually cause many companies to get
out of the gluten-free food business altogether due to liability
concerns--and this would not necessarily translate into safer food for
us--but would translate into less choices. I personally assign more weight
to whether or not a company regularly Elisa tests their products, than
whether or not they are made in a gluten-free facility, because I believe
that it is the testing of the end products that matters most, as this alone
determines whether there is a problem that could lie outside of the
company's control, perhaps with one of their ingredient vendors.
For more information on the Codex, and on studies that have been done on
the effects of low gluten levels in the diet of those with celiac disease,
please see:
http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid=15
Take care,
Scott
Scott Adams
Celiac.com
The Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Support Page
http://www.celiac.com/
The Gluten-Free Mall™
Your Special Diet Superstore!™
http://www.glutenfreemall.com/
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medical professionals. We advise that you consult with your physician if
you are experiencing ANY symptoms of unknown origin.
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