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

I find it hard to believe that with snow still on the ground here in NJ, the supermarkets are putting out their Passover food, but that means it's time for an annual warning.  

In the past, Passover has been a bonanza  for people who cannot eat gluten, having nothing to do with religion.  The reason being that  observant Jews cannot eat barley, rye or oats during the week of Passover,  and the wheat must come from Kosher-for-Passover matzah.  Due to religious restrictions, the food prep and labeling are more intense than during the rest of the year. Some companies have dedicated facilities to make Passover products. Others clean the factory better than you or I will ever clean our kitchens. Cross contamination isn't going to happen.

So what does that mean to those of us who cannot eat gluten, whether we observe Passover or not...
1. if a product says Kosher for Passover (NOT JUST KOSHER) and  there is no mention of matzah, matzah meal, cake meal or farhfel...in various spellings....it is Gluten-free by default. Matzah, matzah meal, cake meal and farfel have wheat and are off limits....as is spelt. They have gluten.  The labels must list them if they're present. 

The exception would be gluten-free oat matzah from Israel and the new Yehuda gluten-free matzah-style crackers. They're fine. 

2. It is also gluten-free if it says non-gebrochts.  Gebrochts include wheat, barley, rye, oats, beans and other legumes, anything that swells in water. So non-gebrochts means....they're not in the product. No wheat, barley, rye or oats.

That being said, there a many products coming out now for Passover that are gluten-free  and say so, and some have a logo on the box from the Celiac Disease Foundation... (Way to go, CDF!)

Be wary of stocking up. Years ago, when we didn't have access to a plethora of gluten-free products during the year, Passover was a dream come true.  If you lived in a neighborhood where stores carried Passover foods....the cakes, cookies, noodles, etc. were a delight.  But trust me, some of the Passover versions do NOT taste as good as the products we get from our gluten-free companies.  During Passover, because I observe it for religious reasons, I will use Gefen gf egg noodles, but during the year, Tinkyada has them beat by a mile, just for an example.  So buyer beware. And Passover foods are not exactly cheap. 

As you get closer to the holiday (which doesn't  arrive until April 18th) , there will be "fresh" cakes in the Passover sections.  Those are worth freezing for during the year, for company. But watch the ingredients if you have a cholesterol problem.

The good news is, if Passover products are hitting the shelves, Spring can't be far behind.  Lin




*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List *
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC