<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Jane Ehrenfeld writes >I would still recommend >reading the label because I am not certain where casein would fall. I >would think that a "pareve" item could not contain any milk at all >including casein which is a milk protein but I don't keep kosher. I do keep kosher, as well as being gluten-free AND totally lactose-intolerant, and I've just joined your group. Hopefully I can clarify this question as my first contribution. Products with casein cannot be labelled "pareve". They should be labelled "dairy" or the O-U symbol with a little "D". However, sometimes a product without any milk derivative will have a little "DE" next to the kosher symbol. This stands for "dairy equipment" used in manufacturing. I would be confident that the product is dairy-free for lactose-intolerant people; it is only a warning for kosher observers who keep separate dishes for "meat" and "dairy" foods. "Kosher for Passover" is a good guide to gluten-free products, *provided* you read the ingredients carefully and make sure there is no matzah meal included. The popular brands of gefilte fish contain matzah meal, even for passover. On the other hand, if no matzah meal (or other matzah product) is mentioned, it must be free of gluten, since there are some Orthodox Jews who will not eat any product containing matzah meal, even Passover matzah meal, during passover. By the way, last passover I ordered special oat matzah for passover from England, in order to observe the requirement that matzah be consumed. Surprisingly, the effect was not bad, even benign, although I have been avoiding oats too, of course. So maybe there is something to the idea (encountered in this list) that oats might not be so bad. There are always new products out for passover, so I will inform the group if any exciting new gluten-free product comes along next spring. J. F. Levin, Lit/Lang, UCR. 909 787 5007