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

Many thanks to everyone who responded to my question! I may not respond
to each of you individually, but truly appreciate your replies.

I will start my summary with the response that one consumer had received
from General Mills and was kind enough to forward:

Thank you for contacting us about gluten in Chex gluten free oatmeal.
Our gluten free oatmeal begins our suppliers who aggregate oats from
farmers and further protect the quality of our whole grain oats. These
whole grain oat products must pass the R5-ELISA gluten test to verify
that they meet FDA regulated gluten-free standards. Oats that do not
pass the test are not delivered to General Mills.
Whenever we manufacture gluten free products like both Chex Cereal and
Oatmeal, we take specific steps to avoid opportunities for gluten or
gluten-containing ingredients to get into our products, processes and
equipment. General Mills has stringent programs and precautions in place
to assure the product meets FDA gluten free requirements. Additionally,
General Mills performs testing at the ingredient and finished product
level to test for the presence of gluten. Our gluten free products are
also routinely analyzed to assure ongoing compliance with the FDA
proposed regulation for “gluten free,” which require that gluten levels
must test below 20 parts per million. All General Mills products labeled
as “gluten free” meet or exceed this standard.
General Mills offers several products that are labeled gluten-free.
Please check the package label for the gluten-free statement on the
front/side/back of the package. Only products that can be verified to be
gluten free will be declared as gluten free on the label. It is
important to check the product label each time you purchase a product
because it has the most accurate information about the product in the
package. 
Because we constantly strive to improve our products′ quality and
nutritional value, the most up-to-date product information is on the
package the product is purchased in. For that reason, we do not
distribute product information lists as they could quickly become
outdated. It is important to check the package label before purchasing
for the gluten-free statement on the front/side/back of the package to
verify that the package you choose is gluten free.
For products not labeled gluten free, we will always declare gluten
containing ingredients if they are added to the product. If the
ingredient declaration lists wheat, barley, rye, or derivatives of these
grains, then the product contains gluten. Examples of derivative
ingredients include: malt, barley malt, semolina, Durham, triticale and
spelt. We do not include gluten in other ingredients; for example it
would not be part of ‘Natural Flavors’, or ‘Spices.’ If there are gluten
ingredients in our products, those ingredients are always clearly
listed. 
If there are no gluten-containing ingredients listed in the product
ingredient label, but the product does not make a gluten free claim, it
is because we cannot fully assure that this product is gluten free.
While we have not added gluten-containing ingredients, factors such as
sourcing, conditions of manufacture, etc. do not allow us to provide the
full level of assurance that a gluten free claim requires.
Visit the Live Better America website www.LiveBetterAmerica.com for a
list of General Mills Gluten Free Foods (Type in: ‘Gluten Free Product
List’ in the Search Box), Gluten Free recipes, and other resources.
Gluten Free recipes are also available on www.BettyCrocker.com.

- Beth Hillson provides this info: Since the FDA gf label rule came out
in August, oats can be labeled gluten free (meaning they test to below
20 ppm). They should not say gluten free oats per the FDA rule. Having
the gluten free label is all that is required. Whether they can comply
with the rule or not is between them and the FDA and us and our tummies!
They do not need an additional certification but they must be able to
test to below 20 ppm using one of the ELISA tests. Hope that helps. 
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