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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Federal authorities seized more than 30,000 loaves of
bread from the French Meadow Bakery and a storehouse on Tuesday, accusing
the company of mislabeling the products as wheat-free.

The products contain the grain spelt, which U.S. Attorney Thomas
Heffelfinger said shares common proteins with wheat and is just as
dangerous to those allergic to wheat.

The bakery said it considers spelt to be an alternative to wheat.

Wheat allergies are among the most common of food allergies and can be
life-threatening, especially to children, according to the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration.

"Mislabeling actually creates a serious health risk in a significant
percentage of the population," Heffelfinger said.

Some of the products contain Kamut, a similar grain.

The FDA warned French Meadow last April to relabel its loaves, but the
company kept its original wheat-free labels anyway, according to papers
filed in federal court.

French Meadow co-owner Steve Shapiro said the company has sold millions of
loaves of spelt bread for 16 years with only one allergic reaction
reported. But he said the company will change the labels once the new
wording is approved.

"Spelt is an ancient grain. People with wheat allergies can tolerate
spelt," Shapiro said.

Under recently revised Food and Drug Administration labeling rules
involving allergens, bread containing spelt and Kamut cannot carry labels
describing them as "wheat-free" or "wheat-alternative."

Bea Krinke, a professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public
Health, was surprised to hear that French Meadow had been labeling its
spelt and Kamut bread that way.

"Spelt is a primitive form of wheat," said Krinke, a registered dietitian.
"I would tell people who were allergic to wheat to avoid spelt as well."

The bread will remain frozen until the case is settled. Heffelfinger said
none of the products already on food store shelves across the country will
be recalled because the bread likely would exhaust its shelf life by the
time a recall could be issued.

The products include: HealthSeed Spelt Bread, Spelt Bread, White Spelt
Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Spelt Bread, Spelt Bread with Wild Rice, 100% Kamut
Bread, Spelt Pizza Crusts, Spelt Bagels and Spelt Garlic Texas Toast.



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