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

There seems to be some confusion about the manufacturing process for
regular breakfast cereals and for "puffed" cereals.

There are two methods of manufacturing breakfast cereals:

The extruder method ----- a batch of batter is made up and extruded
through a shaped hole, much like the device one might use to squeeze
icing through a tube, in different shapes, to decorate a birthday cake;
but on a much larger scale. As the batter is extruded, in the shape of a
corn pop or a cheerio, it is super-heated or baked; then a
sweetener/flavour is sprayed onto the cereal in a fine mist as it is
tossed about. Most cereals are made this way.

As noted in my original post, the gluten-free cereal at nature's path is
made this way,  on a CLEAN gluten-free line.

Here is a copy of natures path "most recent test results" for their
gluten-free cereals. It's dated october 13/03.
http://www.naturespath.com/images/EK-GlutenLetter_Oct13-03.jpg

The puffing process ----- grains or kernels are super-heated in a
rotating barrel with a great amount of pressure until they pop or puff.

Nature's path makes a line of puffed cereals which they DO NOT claim to
be gluten-free. When I called to inquire about these cereals I was told
that their line of puffed cereals includes puffed wheat and puffed
kamut. All the puffed cereals are made in the same room, on the same
machines, and while the puffed rice is puffing, another machine may be
puffing wheat kernels. Hence the reason they don't claim it to be GF.
The rep also added that the puffing process creates "an awful lot of
dust". My note: I forgot to ask if this puffing room is in the same
building as the extruded cereals.

Mirielle has noted that on the Canadian version of the puffed product
packaging, the French text says the rice puffs ARE gluten-free. Although
she notified them of this error over two years ago, they have not
changed their packaging.

Personally, I have seen the puffs promoted at celiac trade fairs as GF,
by unknowing health food store vendors. If they are really concerned
about our safety they should mark on the package NOT GF. I ate the puffs
for quite some time before I realized that was what was making me sick.

Janice.

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