<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> New Soup: Imagine Foods (the makers of Rice Dream) have a gluten-free (GF) garden vegetable soup. Because of their experience with Rice Dream, they are quite aware of what is meant by "GF". They have nine varieties (creamy tomato, zesty gazpacho, creamy sweet corn, no-chicken broth, garden vegetable broth, creamy broccoli, creamy mushroom, creamy butternut squash, and creamy potato leek soup), packaged ready-to-eat in vacuum boxes. They are available at Meijer's. -=-=- -=-=- Talking to Manufacturers ------------------------ Debbie Gift offers some suggestions when contacting manufacturers: * Have the product in your hand and use the UPC. The product may be made in different locations or at different times. The UPC is the most accurate way of identifying a product. * Be specific about the ingredients you are questioning. * Ask for a food technologist. He/she will know about all those ingredients whose names you cannot pronounce. * Write detailed questions beforehand. It is a good idea to keep these in a notebook with the answers for future reference. You should also write down the phone number and name of the person you spoke with, with the answers. * Keep labels of products you have used successfully. Check them against the ingredients the next time you buy the product and see if anything has changed. * A good reference book for those hidden ingredients is Dictionary Of Food Ingredients, by Robert S. Igoe and Y. H. Hui, ISBN 0412 07291-2, by Chapman and Hall. * The American Dietetic Association has a web site at <http://www.eatright.org>. They also have a consumer hotline where you can speak to a registered dietitian with specific questions. There is a charge of $1.25 for the first minute and $0.95 for each additional minute. The phone number is 900-225-5267. * You can join the Food Allergy Network; 10400 Eaton Place, Suite 107, Fairfax, VA 22030-2208; 703-691-2712 (phone or fax); [log in to unmask] * In some cases you may have better luck if your letter appears on the letterhead of your doctor or a dietitian. * Always end your call/contact with a polite "Thank you." Even if they couldn't help, you can say, "I didn't get the information I needed, but I am grateful for the effort." Remember, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. * Don't be afraid to call. The more people that call, the more companies will realize the problems celiacs and those with food allergies face. * Use the restaurant card at restaurants. This makes more people aware of the problem; you are helping celiacs everywhere by educating one person at a time. Restaurants buy from the same manufacturers that we buy from. Making them more aware helps make manufacturers more aware.