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

I have a list of gluten-free Atkins products, but it
is from 2003, so after shopping at Sam’s one day, I
thought I would contact the company and get an updated
list. The first response I got from them was simply:

“The products have trace amounts of gluten and can not
be listed as gluten free.” ( Tue, 16 Aug 2005)

A little confused at this, I emailed back asking if
this meant that all their product were no longer
gluten-free, and if that was the case, what had
changed since 2003. To this I simply got:

“All products may contain a trace and that is why we
can not state gluten free.” ( Thu, 18 Aug 2005)

I didn’t find this very helpful, so I intended to call
and talk to someone live, but before I did that, I did
some searching in the archives and there is a
gluten-free list from Atkins dated Monday, February
21, 2005. So, I copied this posting in a response to
the person I had been “conversing” with, and asked her
to comment on it. (If you look at the original posting
in February, it includes the statement: “These
products although do not contain wheat, they are
manufactured in a facility that uses wheat.” so I also
asked her why this is not reflected on the
packaging--because they do say “This product is
manufactured in a facility that uses peanuts and other
nuts and seeds.”) Her final response is below.

“Yes some formulas have changed and there maybe traces
of gluten in our products so we can no longer state
they are gluten free.

“If products are produced in a plant where wheat is
processed the following would apply:

“Either (1) they have sterilizing clean down
procedures, that remove all traces of the allergen.
(2) do not use wheat in the same places â?? most of
our suppliers. Or (3) have dedicated the whole
facility allergen free. Therefore it is not necessary
to list the information under the allergy information
since it is not an issue.” ( Mon, 22 Aug 2005)

I don’t know about you all, but I am thoroughly
confused. If you want to continue to eat Atkins
products, I suggest you do so with caution.

Angela Taylor
(Tulsa, Oklahoma)



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