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Hi Listmates,

       I am fascinated by the Finnish study that was just posted about Oats
being considered a 'safe' food for Celiacs.   The study, as it is shown,
didn't answer enough of my questions personally to cover all the details of
how the study was performed.  But, nonetheless it is an amazing study.

       I have been under the impression the reason oats are on the 'unsafe'
list is because the oat crops in the world are often times rotated out with
gluten grain crops and the oats become contaminated this way at the rate of
about 10 percent of the worlds oats. The oat does not actually contain the
gluten we must avoid...it is only through contamination it is a problem.

       Whether that is true or not, I would still like to be able to use oats
and it seems to me that I should be able to test individual batches of rolled
oats.

       Here is my thought.

       1.  How can I get the individual test strips for testing for gluten
contamination?  I am under the impression they are not inexpensive.

       2.  How do they work?  (the process by which you use them to
test...does the food need to be liquid?  will they work on dry foods?  Can
they test pharmaceuticals? etc.)

       3. How precise are these strips?  After reading the posts listed by
Atkins and the PPM (parts per million) that are considered acceptable levels
by FDA standards for testing, I would like to know how many parts per million
these strips are able to detect.

       I would like to be able to ensure some of the more questionable items
that surround me in my 'gluten free life' are indeed gluten free.
       For example:

       - test an individual container of rolled oats that I could bake with
confidently in my own home.

       - test a medication that has been prescribed after hours or on a
weekend when it is impossible to contact the pharmaceutical company.

       - test a questionable item on my dinner plate when I eat out at a
restaurant

I will summarize your thoughts.  Thanks in advance.

Sincerely
A Baker