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From:
Bobbie Proctor <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 6 Sep 2000 18:18:29 -0400
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi, here*s a summary of the 21 responses to my post about the oats
controversy. Judging from some of the responses, the dust isn*t going to
settle on this dispute any time soon! Since some posts fell in more than
one category, the total number in all the categories is higher than 21.

I*m compiling a document with all the responses in it (minus identifying
information), which will be emailed privately to those interested, since
it*s too long to post to the List. Some posts containing information of
general interest will be posted to the List as part 2 of the summary.

6 people were firmly against eating oats.
- 3 of these reported having reactions.
- 2 of these cited contamination as the reason.
- 1 of these cited a website and several national organizations as
considering the oat prolamin (avenin) toxic. See
http://www.coeliac.co.uk/medical/guidelines/index.html

4 people were happily eating oats (or the celiac family member was) and
reported no reactions.

4 people would like to eat oats if they could be declared safe and/or
uncontaminated.

1 person bought 5 lbs of oats at a farm market. He found only about 30
percent oats, but about 60 percent barley, wheat and other grains. After
cleaning out the other grains, he had 2 lbs of pure oats, which he ground
and consumed without any reaction from any food containing those oats. He
said, *There is no way to buy clean oats.* and said it was not easy,
cleaning them yourself.

9 people (including some of the above) discussed the issue of contaminated
oats. This does indeed seem to be a major issue of oat consumption by
celiacs.
- 1 of these reminded me that she had asked a grain expert at the
Symposium if he knew where we could get uncontaminated oats, and he said,
*No.*
- 2 of these asked if there was a reliable source for uncontaminated oats.

2 people mentioned uncontaminated oats available that were Kosher for
Passover, but only at that time of year.

3 people posted from countries where oats are considered gf.
- 1 came from Australia, but oats there are considered too contaminated
for celiacs.
- 2 came from Sweden, where oats are approved for adults who have
consulted their doctors.

A new brand of gf oats is available in Sweden, they both reported; 1
respondent is eating these oats (including in the happy oat-eaters). The
other hasn*t tried the oats yet, and mentioned that the approved gf oats
are very expensive.

1 person was just curious and wanted me to post the responses.

2 people warned me that I might get *some flack.* Happily, all the
responses were polite, although a few were quite vehement.

Here are 4 posts that I thought were particularly interesting. Two
regard oats as inherently dangerous; two are contacts with manufacturers,
and describe contamination issues.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
I checked the websites of the CDF and GIG (the other two national
organizations in the US), the non-affiliated GSSF in Georgia, and the
national organizations in Australia, Ireland and the UK. All of them forbid
oats outright except the Coeliac Society in the UK. Everyone interested in
this question should visit
http://www.coeliac.co.uk/medical/guidelines/index.html and read carefully
what they have to say. Despite saying that adults may be able to tolerate a
limited amount of oats, they still say that the oat prolamin (avenin) is
toxic, just less toxic than the prolamins in wheat, barley and rye.

To me, that's like saying, yeah, it's rat poison all right, but it's less
potent than other rat poisons. No thanks! But each individual needs to make
his or her own decisions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the forward for The Gluten-Free Kitchen (2000), Dr. Peter Green states
that "there are similar proteins which have identical toxic effects found in
barley and rye.  Oats lack these proteins, however, they are contaminated at
all stages of production, storage, and milling with grains containing
gluten."

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The best info I got on oats was from customer service at Quaker.  What she
explained is that oats are almostly always grown with gluten containing
grains in a crop rotation on a farm.  The fact that the soil used for the
oats was previously used for a gluten grain is not an issue.  The fact that
their is a gluten grain in the next field is not an issue.  The problem is
in harvesting and sorting.  The farmer goes through with a large combine
harvester and harvests all fields (meaning all grains) at the same time.
The grains are then dumped into a sorting machine.  She gave it a name
which I do not remember, but it works like a coin sorter.  The grains are
sorted by size.  So, just like the dimes don't get mixed with the quarters
in the coin sorter, the grains should all be sorted by type.  BUT, coins do
not break and grains do.  Broken grains are not the same size as whole
grains and are sorted as the wrong type.

So, this sorting method is far from perfect and the oats are contaminated.
If the oats were harvested alone or if the farm only grew oats it would be
fine.  But, quaker did not know of a source like that and therefore will
not state that any of their oat products are GF.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
I had an interesting contact with Odlum's of Ireland who have dedicated
mills and seemed to be a likely source of uncontaminated oats.  They
replied to me that the manager had a niece who is celiac and that they
would not recommend their oats even though they come from a farm that grows
no wheat.  They said they cannot be sure that they remain safe in transit
to the mill ie rail cars etc. I was so sure I had hit on something when I
read their packaging and then the website.

They mentioned the farm and mill and it sounded good. But with personal
knowledge they were skeptical of the safety.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Good luck and good health!

Bobbi in Baltimore

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