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>My personal view on this is that we American celiacs have ourselves to
> blame for this phenomena.  We support 5 major celiac support groups and
> they include some radically different views on vinegar, alcohol, quinoa,
> tef, amaranth ,etc.  We cannot expect the food companies to be sensitive
> to the details of a GF diet if our own organizations cannot agree.

Bill, and listmembers at large,

I 100% agree with you and it frustrates me no end.  I think the
 organizations that represent us are doing us a disservice by taking not
 just radically different, but by the standards of the celiac organizations
 in other countries, radically conservative positions on the details of a GF
 diet.  It results in food companies running scared, and in our already
 limited food options becoming even more narrow than they need to be.

When our organizations are so much at odds with those of other countries I
 have to question the validity of U.S. interpretations.  Are celiacs in
 other countries keeling over at a more rapid rate because a contaminated GF
 diet is endangering their health?  I doubt it!  In fact, the GF diet seems
 to be much more widely accommodated in many other countries.  Yet, I have
 not felt comfortable stating my position so explicitly on this list because
 I've seen posters savaged who dare to express anything other than the most
 radically conservative views about the GF diet.

Thank you to those listmembers who sent supportive responses re. my original
 post on vinegar.  Now I know there are other people out there who share my
 point of view.  (At least on vinegar!)  Your responses provided the impetus
 for me to follow up with this posting.

I hope at some point that we can reach some respectful resolution to these
 differences of opinion.

Carol Fonken
Austin, Texas