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

Please see the answer I received below. I noticed on the ingredients list
Grain Vinegar. Worried that it might be malt vinegar, I wrote them. Seems
they won't say why but it is not gluten free...

December 15, 2011

Dear Terri,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the presence of gluten in one of our *R.W.
Knudsen Family®* products. For over 110 years, providing our customers and
consumers with the highest quality products has been of paramount
importance to The J.M. Smucker Company. Quality products begin with quality
ingredients and we employ comprehensive procurement procedures to ensure
our products contain only the finest ingredients from reputable suppliers.

The product for which you have requested information, *R.W. Knudsen Family®
Very Veggie®* Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Juice Blend, does not contain
ingredients derived from gluten. However,* it does not meet our established
criteria for a "gluten-free" claim for one or more reasons.*

It is important to note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
has not yet defined the term “gluten-free” or established rules for making
a “gluten-free” claim on a food product. However, “gluten-free” claims are
permitted and each manufacturer is responsible for determining whether or
not its products are “gluten-free”.

The J.M. Smucker Company has established the following stringent criteria
based on the FDA’s proposed rules for making “gluten-free” claims.

   - Ingredient Screening - The ingredient cannot contain gluten sources
   such as wheat, rye, barley or their derivatives or hybrids. We also review
   for the presence of oats.
   - Testing - While there is currently not a commercially available test
   to detect the presence of oats, the product must be tested to verify that
   it contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
   - Manufacturing Procedures - In addition, facilities that manufacture
   verified “gluten-free” products must have a comprehensive gluten management
   program. All equipment used in the manufacture of products containing any
   gluten or oat source must be thoroughly cleaned prior to producing a
   product that is “gluten-free”. These procedures must be validated and
   inspected after each clean-up.

We would like to thank you for your inquiry regarding this product. If you
have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at 888-569-6993.

Sincerely,

Carla
Consumer Relations Representative

Ref # 9620187

* Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *
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