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

On January 31, I posted a letter from Joe Hall of California
natural products notifying us that they had removed barley
enzymes from their...

J>...production of our rice syrups, rice syrup solids, or rice
J>oligodextrins (hydroloyzed rice starches with C.D. 5-18 and
J>3% residual rice protein).  These ingredients are sold broadly
J>for use in formulating food products.  This statement also
J>applies to our line of certified organic rice ingredients.

I also promised to post again after verifying the status of
the various Rice Dream products.  Unfortunately, the news is
not all good.  The following was sent to me by Ellen Weiser of
Imagine Foods <[log in to unmask]>

E>The changes that Joe Hall refers to in his message refer
E>only to Rice Dream Frozen Desserts and Imagine Natural Puddings.
E>Rice Dream Beverage is still processed with the barley enzyme.

In a later email exchange with Ellen, she clarified that Rice
Dream Beverage uses a different type of intermediate rice
product from California Natural Products, not the type referred
to in Joe Hall's letter.  Going back to her original email, she
concluded:

E>Also, while the barley protein is no longer in the Rice Dream
E>Frozen Desserts or Imagine Natural Puddings, both products
E>contain natural flavor extracts which are grain alcohol based,
E>potentially causing problems for people with sensitivity to gluten.

E>In Imagine's entire line, CAROB RICE DREAM FROZEN DESSERT is
E>the only 100% gluten-free product. ...

E>Internally we are still discussing making changes to Rice Dream
E>Beverage's label to indicate the presence of gluten in the product.

Ellen is gathering information for us on the amount of grain alcohol
in the natural flavoring in the frozen desserts and puddings.  It is
possible that as with Honey'd Corn Flakes, the amount is so miniscule
as to be acceptable, although some celiacs will always consider
anything above zero to be unacceptable.  I will report back when I have
the details, but it could take Ellen a while as they have 26 different
flavorings to research.

Bill Elkus
Los Angeles