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Dear Listmates:

I decided to respond to the list re Mitchel's statement yesterday:
"It seems there are a lot of people out there with too much time on their
hands and soap boxes ten feet tall.  I don't mean to offend anyone, but
celiacs griping to celiacs is kind of like the tree falling in the forest
(does anyone hear it fall?)."

Out of last week's "gripings" are coming some answers, some bonding. I like
Mitchel's suggestion that product labeling could include an allergy bar.

Thanks to more of us being assertive and having phone, fax and e-mail
numbers of manufacturers available because of this list, we are able to
gripe not just to each other , but to the sources of our problems. What
does this mean?

Some of us are going beyond griping and are into brainstorming solutions.
If this continues, I believe that we, celiacs, lactose intolerant, etc etc
will find a way to work with manufacturers and distributors world-wide in
finding a way to improve the information printed on product labels.

Keep in mind, the kosher designation means the same world-wide: it says
this product contains nothing that those who keep kosher should not be
ingesting. This symbol is understood in every single country that sells
packaged products.  I think that's a pretty powerful example of a group of
people with dietary needs managing to find a way to be notified what is
okay to eat and what isn't.

Let's keep working on this problem: it needs a solution!

Helen, Vancouver, BC