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

Thank you to everyone who replied!  I received over 30 responses, all very
helpful.  My sister and I will NOT be eating any Amy’s products in the
future.  This was an eye-opener for us both!

MY ORIGINAL POST:
My sister is also a celiac.  She is much more sensitive than I; she is in
the middle of a severe gluten reaction.  She has lost 4 lbs in the last
week!  She has been reviewing her diet carefully and wrote me to question
Amy's frozen dinners.  I never have a reaction to them, but as I said, I'm
not terribly sensitive in terms of observable symptoms. Have any of you had
a reaction to Amy's frozen foods?

SUMMARY:
About half reported a *gluten* reaction to one of Amy’s ‘gluten-free’ foods
(see exact numbers below).
--Several people suggested that my sister may have inadvertently selected
entrees that were not marked as ‘gluten free’.  Not true – all three of the
entrees she tried in the last two weeks were marked as gluten-free.
--Several people suggested that this was not a gluten reaction but some
other food allergy.  No, my sister has a number of food allergies in
addition to celiac disease.  She can easily distinguish the two.
--Many people pointed out that Amy’s has a known problem with
cross-contamination (which they acknowledge on their new packaging).  I find
it infuriating that they can claim ‘GLUTEN-FREE’ in huge letters on the
front of the box and say that there is a possibility of cross contamination
from wheat in small letters on the back of the box.  I consider that to be a
clear case of false advertising.

14 No *gluten* reaction to Amy's ‘gluten-free’ frozen foods (a small number
of these folks reacted to something other than gluten in their foods)

13 Gluten reaction to at least one of  Amy's ‘gluten-free’ frozen foods
(wide range of their foods were mentioned)

SAMPLE REPLIES
*****************************
FROM Amy’s
Thank you for your letter.  It’s important for us to hear from our
customers.
We manufacture all of our products in one plant. To avoid
cross-contamination, we generally manufacture full shift runs of single
products with a clean up between shifts.  Pieces of equipment that come in
contact with the food are cleaned prior to the manufacture of the next
product.  We are very careful about this!  We do have shared equipment
that is not fully cleaned between products because it generally does not
come in direct contact with the food (ovens, freezers, packaging
equipment).  We strive to reduce the chances of any cross contamination but
the presence of certain allergens in the plant (wheat/gluten, milk, soy,
seeds, tree nuts) means that we cannot guarantee absolute freedom from cross
contamination.  I hope you understand.
Also, I was just speaking with our Technical Director who informed me that
we do routine screening of our gluten-free products at the most well
respected allergen lab in the US...University of Nebraska Food Allergy
Research and Resource Program.  They have never detected gluten in our
gluten-free products.

**********************************************

Yes - I react to Amy's enchiladas every time I eat them.

I believe that a select few celiacs will get ill from "less than 0.002%
gluten content" (the amount labeled on "rice dream" milk containers...that
stuff sent me into a spiral of headaches, painful gas, dizziness and I
didn't recover for days. Then after reacting to it I saw the gluten warning
at the bottom of the container).

Perhaps 0.002% gluten content is in many products ....like "GF Amy's meals"
(which do the same thing to me as the rice dream did).

I've had to learn the hard way that I am one of those few who will get ill
from miniscule amts of gluten. Better safe than sorry, I avoid Amy's.

********************************
Never had a gluten reaction to Amy's frozen foods. Been GF for 5 years; not
affiliated with Amy's, except as a customer.
During a gluten reaction episode, she may also become temporarily lactose
sensitive [intolerant], as the microvilli of the small intestine are
compromised. Hence, more GI disorder, diarrhea, etc. Losing 4lbs is not
atypical of such a series of events.
Like myself, she may want to stay away from dairy products while having a
gluten reaction. If this be the case ....

***************************

Most of Amy's products have dairy in them. Oftentimes, lactose
intolerance runs hand-in-hand with gluten intolerance/celiac disease.
So she *may* be also reacting to the dairy products. I'm not a doctor,
but that would be my guess.

***********************
I had a reaction once that I think was because of Amy's Tamale pie. On the
Delphiforum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/celiac/start) someone else had
also had a reaction and contacted Amy's and they said that they make things
with wheat and would change their labeling. Some of the packages now say:

Individuals with Food Allergies:  This product is manufactured in a facility
that processes food containing wheat, milk, soy, tree nuts and seeds.  Amy's
Kitchen does not use any peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs.

Not all the packaging has been updated.

**************************

I'm extremely sensitive to gluten and began having reactions to Amy's foods
about a year ago, but previously I never had problems with her products.

*************************

I have had slight to medium reactions from Amy's entrees and some of the
soups. They produce wheat products in the same facility and also use
tons of soy which can bother me.

************************
I have not consumed any of Amy's products based on information provided by
the company (which I have noticed is now on their packages) - They do not
have dedicated lines for GF foods and there is a possibility of cross
contamination.  For myself, I am going more and more to facilities that have
no possibility of cross contamination. (I am VERY sensitive to the presence
of gluten.)

************************

Many people have had reactions to Amy's, many don't.
BUT really, I have heard a lot of complaints about
their food in regards to cross contamination

************************

I am very sensitive to gluten.  The smallest amount will make me react.
I have never had a reaction to Amy's dinners.
I hope your sister is feeling better soon!!!

**********************

Yes -- I tried Amy's Rice Crust Pizza 2x and had a
mild cross contamination type reaction both times.  I
also tried Amy's Organic tomato soup 1x and had a
reaction to IT!  I'm extremely sensitive.  I really
can't eat most processed food that's marked GF. A
recent study revealed that 20% of "GF" food actually
contained gluten.  And that's with a not very
sensitive test.  My GI tract is much more sensitive.
Hope your sister feels better soon.
****************
I used to get Amy's dinners but have had reactions to them as well.  Not a
gluten reaction but more of a food allergy reaction.  There are many
different spices, corn, beans, soy, etc. in her products.  You sister could
easily be allergic to one or more of those ingredients.

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