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

Dannon Yogurt (1-800-321-2174) used to declare all of their yogurt
products gluten free (excluding granola toppings).  Dannon has not
changed their formula in anyway.  However, due to concerns about
ingredients used to extract or stabilize some flavorings (ie distilled
alcohol), Dannon is no longer able to state that any of their products
are gluten free.

I believe it is our own paranoia in the US celiac community that is
causing companies to take important food products such as yogurt off of
their gluten free lists.  I believe it is time to end the witch hunt for
items containing distilled alcohol and distilled vinegar.  Companies such
as Dannon are being forced into making such illogical statements as "we
have not put any gluten containing items in our products and the most
sensitive tests currently available cannot detect any gluten in our
product, but we are unable to guarantee that there is no gluten there."
This is so unfortunate and lamentable.

I strongly urge US celiac organizations such as the GIG of North America,
Celiac Disease Foundation, and CSA/USA to remove distilled alcohol and
vinegar from their questionable and forbidden food lists.  Distilled
alcohol and distilled vinegar does not contain detectable amounts of
gluten.  This unnecessary food restriction is a disservice to celiacs and
their families.

For those interested, the following pages provide some additional
information about distillation.
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?A2=ind9504&Liliac&P=R4551
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?A2=ind9801D&Liliac&P=R1689
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?A2=ind9804A&Liliac&P=R2627
http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/vinegar.html

I mean no disrespect to anyone who for any reason has difficulty
digesting distilled vinegar.

Amber Lee
Utah, USA