<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
========================= Product Information
1. Vanilla Cream Wafers from Ener-G Foods are wonderful and taste just like
a wheat wafer. They are item number 7077 and can be ordered by calling
Ener-G Foods at (800) 331-5222.
2. Commercial Product Lists: Determining which products are GF is a
challenge. It would be wonderful to have a handy shopping list that can
be taken along on your shopping trip. In other countries, approved
products lists are available from the National Associations based upon a
legal criteria. In the US, this standard is not available, so everyone
must rely upon information furnished by the companies. Without a hard
standard for ingredients and the identification of processing
contamination, there is room for numerous errors. This is without the
consideration that products routinely change and that any information
more than a few months old must be checked. Any information developed
from labels before August 8, 1994 should be highly suspect because of
the major changes in the labeling laws.
The following two commercial products lists are available. Each one has
accurate and inaccurate information for various reasons. The ActionLine
does not recommend any US product lists but is informing its readers of
the availability of two reasonably priced documents ($5.00) that can be
used as a starting point for your own research.
Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group CSA/USA
34638 Beechwood St PO Box 31700
Farmington Hills, MI 48335 Omaha, NE 68131
3. Goodie's Cookie of Los Angeles has temporary suspended business due
to an illness in the family. They expect to be open in 30 to 60 days at
a new location. The new address for their wonderful products will be
posted in the October issue.
4. Dietary Specialties is now offering an Orange Flavor Wel Plan Cream
Filled Wafer. They may be ordered by calling Dietary Specialties at
(800) 544-0099. Drei Pauley spaghetti was discontinued by Dietary
Specialties in January. The wonderful spirals are still available.
5. Just Devine GF Cakes & Sweets is a new bakery for GF products in the
Washington DC Metro area. Some of their products are: Peanut Brittle,
Carrot Cake, Chocolate Zucchini Cake, Pumpkin Bread, Cranberry bread,
Pineapple Bread, and Tarts. They may be contacted at: Just Devine, 4829
Tabard PL, Annandale, VA 22003, (703) 425-7899.
6. Sesmark Crackers is consolidating its production plant and will now
longer have a rice flour only environment. This means that the
potential exists, as is the case with most products, for cross
contamination from airborne wheat flour dust. The label will be changed
to remove the Wheat Free and will now show No wheat added. The
ActionLine salutes the company's effort to reflect the truth about
ingredients. The contamination risk exists but the danger is no worse
that what is found in other products produced in a combined environment.
7. The Gluten-Free Pantry is now offering vitamin supplements. They
are gluten / lactose free and certified Kosher. They are: B-Complex,
B12 Sublingual, Buffered Vitamin C, Super Cal/Mag, Multi-Vitamins,
Vitalets Multi-Vitamins for children, Fruit C, Yelets Multi-Vitamins for
teenagers. They also have added several cookies. The Dreams come in
vanilla, chocolate, chocolate raspberry, and chocolate peanut butter.
The Rocky Road comes in vanilla, chocolate, amaretto, and chocolate
raspberry. The French bread is exceptional.
8. Red Star Yeast has added their bread making knowledge to a new bread
machine. This wonderful machine has the standard mix only cycle and
unique bake only cycle. This combination of cycles gives celiacs the
desired single rising without any oven kick.
9. Busha Browne's is an excellent Jamician steak sauce that contains
vinegar from sugar cane. It comes in two flavors: Spicy Tomato, Love-
Apple and Original Planters, Spicy Piquant Sauce. It is produced by
Scotts Preserves LTD, Twickenham Park, Jamaica, WI.
10. Brown Rice Snaps from Edward & Sons new labeling shows that they
are GF. The ingredients are: Brown Rice, Tamari (Water, Soybean, Salt)
Sesame Seeds. These crackers are a Japanese product distributed by
Edward & Sons, PO Box 1326, Carpinteria, CA 93014.
11. Health Valley Rice Bran Crackers which were removed from the market
and the new Fat-Free Health Crisp Rice Bar are now available at local
stores. The Crisp Rice Bar is a granola type of snack available in
Orange Date, Raisin Apple, and Topical Fruit flavors.
12. Vans Wheat Free and Gluten Free Toaster Waffles are now available
in Cinnamon Apple and the Original Wheat Free. Van's International,
Phone 310 320-8611.
13. Miss Roben's has several new products coming out this summer and
fall. They are: Bread mixes for 1 2/3 pound machines, Cinnamon Raisin
Biscuit Mix, Pie Crust, Cracker Mix, Garlic & Herb Bread, and Chocolate
Angle Food Cake. Additional information on availability may be
obtained by calling Miss Roben's at (800) 891-0083.
14. Authentic Foods is offering several new items this summer/fall.
They are a White Cake and a Hazelnut Cake. In September, there will be
a bread mix. The bean burger mix can now be used as a breading or as a
pizza crust. A future addition to their bean products may be banana
flour. This flour is reported to make a wonderful muffin and pancake.
It is especially helpful in controlling diarrhea. Authentic Foods, PO
Box 48813, Los Angeles, CA 90048, Phone (213) 934-0424.
15. Dairy Ease no longer reports its status as being GF. Because of
recent questioning, they have gone to their suppliers and asked for
assurances. Unable to obtain them, they have decided not to list the
product as GF because of possible contamination from outside sources.
They do not ADD any gluten to their product. They are very cooperative
and trying very hard to satisfy our needs and are trying to work with
their chemist and outside suppliers to possibly change this situation
(800 331-4536).
16. Mocha Mix Original Non-Dairy Creamer and Mocha Mix Frozen Dessert,
besides being truly non-dairy, are still affirmed to be gluten-free.
Cathy Ozrelic of Presto Food Products (800)-662-4269 states, the
glycerides are from soybean and cottonseed sources. The artificial
flavoring, according to quality assurance manager Melissa De Hart, is
completely synthetic.
Currently, Presto Foods serve the West Coast, some Kosher distributors
on the (North) East Coast and Florida. She said the non-dairy creamer
goes as far afield as Canada, but is more likely available to Canadians
in US border states.
17. Taxonomic Groups are the initial indication of possible gluten
toxicity. These groupings do not take into consideration toxicity from
contamination or a genetic structure able to induce a toxic relation.
The complete genetic structure has not been defined in known toxic
grains. The Grass Family, Gramineae structure is:
Pooidae Panicoideae Bambusoideae Choloridoideae
wheat corn rice finger millet (vi)
rye sorghum wild rice
triticale sugar cane
barley bulrush
oats pearl millet
18. Pasta Machines are a new frontier for celiacs. The ActionLine has
obtained a recipe from Toni Richardson designed for use with the Pasta
Express. If you have the machine and desire a copy, drop a note to The
ActionLine. When recipes are found for other machines, information will
be released in future newsletters.
19. Yeast may be grown in sugar slurries containing starches (including
wheat) and malts (including barley). Most yeast is dried through a
process that uses potato starch as the drying agent, but potato starch
is not the only possible agent.
Red Star Yeast is reported by Universal Foods to be GF. The drying
agent is potato starch. RED STAR yeast is available at local stores
or by mail order. Their phone number is (800) 445-4676. RED STAR
is a sponsor of the Celiac Bread Machine Information Line, (800) 4-
CELIAC. Red Star is the only American-made/American owned yeast
company.
Fleischmann's Yeast Active Dry and Rapid Dry, is reported by
Specialty Brands to be GF. Potato starch is the filtering and
processing aid. Their phone number is (800) 777-4959.
Saf-instant is reported by SAF Products Corp. to be GF. Potato
starch is the filtering and processing aid. When using commercial
grade yeast, reduce the recipe amount by 25%. Their phone number is
(800) 641-4615.
Yeast should be used within one year of the date of manufacture and
stored in a cool, dry location. If bought in bulk, separate it into two
containers and store the larger amount in the freezer. The smaller
container is used for routine baking and is refilled from the freezer
supply. This process reduces the exposure of the yeast. To test yeast,
add yeast to water, if a dash of sugar causes bubbles to form, the yeast
is OK. If the yeast develops a sour smell, moisture has entered the
yeast and it should be discarded.
20. Buckwheat is often avoided by celiacs. Genetically, it is so
distantly related to wheat that the probability of its containing a
close replica of a toxic protein seems low. For every celiacs that
report symptoms to buckwheat, there is one who has known problems. Some
of those with no symptoms, are extremely sensitive to the know toxic
proteins. A possible answer may be that cross contamination is the
cause of the problems or wheat is added to the finished product.
Celiacs should continue to consider buckwheat a nebulous ingredient due
to the inability to control the purity of the ingredient when listed on
a food label.
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