News

The Colorado Rockies have opened a dedicated gluten-free* concession stand at Coors Field, the stadium where the Rockies play. This may be the first dedicated gluten-free concession stand in Major League Baseball.

The menu features hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, chips, cookies, brownies, soda, water and gluten-free Redbridge beer.

The gluten-free stand is located behind Section 147 on the left field concourse.

This specific location was created in response to increasing requests for gluten-free options from fans with Celiac Disease. Read More »

THIS SPECIAL IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a great offer I found on a gluten-free list-serve yesterday.

General Mills jumped into the gluten-free market with their gluten-free Rice Chex. They quickly followed with Chocolate and Strawberry Chex and has launched a growing line of gluten-free baking mixes. Reaction in the gluten-free community has been strongly positive. Now we have another reason to like General Mills.

For a limited time, you can contact General Mills to receive a coupon for a free Gluten Free Betty Crocker baking mix. At $4.49 per box, that’s a pretty good freebie!

The list-serve included a message from General Mills:

“Folks can let us know if they want ongoing info/offers about General Mills’ growing line of GF products… If they call our Consumer Services number: 1(800)446-1898 (same as is on the boxes), they can sign up. The real perk of this re: the new products is that we have coupons that we’ll be sending to each household that signs up this summer so they can try a box of the new Betty Crocker® Gluten Free Dessert Mixes completely on us.”

I called for my coupons today. Here is how it works.

Call General Mills Consumer Services number: 1(800) 446-1898. At the main menu, hit #4 or say “four.”

This will take you to a customer representative. I waited about 5 minutes for a representative, a friendly woman named Bridget.

I told Bridget that I was interested in the free gluten-free baking coupons.

She said sure and asked me a few questions. She asked for my zip code, whether my household did not limit gluten ingestion, limited gluten or was gluten-free. She then asked how many people live in the house and where we normally shop for gluten-free food – the name and street address of the store. After that, she requested a phone number and e-mail. (She assured me General Mills does not share private information.)

It was that easy. My coupons are coming the second week of August.

Call today. Nothing beats a freebie – especially when it is gluten-free!

Dr. Joseph Murray of the Mayo Clinic explains his landmark study that tested blood samples from 50 years ago and compared them to people of the same ages today. The results: 1. Celiac disease is 5 times more prevalent than it was 50 years ago, 2. People with untreated celiac disease are 4 times more likely to die prematurely than the general population. This breaking information shows us that the rate of celiac disease is rising and people must be identified and diagnosed to insure good health. – John Libonati, Editor. Glutenfreeworks.com

By Nancy Lapid, About.com Guide to Celiac Disease

Celiac disease has been a topic on not one but two TV shows in the past few days. I hardly watch television, so I’m fortunate to have learned about these episodes from a fellow blogger, the Gluten-Free Optimist.
First, the cable network BBC America’s reality show Last Restaurant Standing had an episode (#13) in which competing restauranteurs were required to come up with food for celiac guests (and other “tricky customers”) without advance warning. This episode will be replayed; the schedule is posted on the BBC America site. Read More »

General Mills Announcement
3/31/09

“Thank you for contacting General Mills regarding gluten in Corn Chex cereal. General Mills is reformulating the following Big G Cereals to gluten free status:

· Corn Chex
· Honey Nut Chex
· Strawberry Chex
· Chocolate Chex
· Cinnamon Chex

As was the case with Gluten Free Rice Chex, the barley malt ingredient was removed and replaced with another ingredient. Production has begun, so you may start seeing the gluten free formulas on store shelves now. All 5 products should be widely available across the U.S. by June 1, 2009. As with all reformulated products, both products may be on store shelves at the same time so please read labels/packaging carefully, examining the product packaging to ensure that the cereal inside the box is in fact the new, gluten free product. Look for “NOW GLUTEN FREE” or “GLUTEN FREE” on the front/side/back panels.

In addition, the following Betty Crocker Gluten Free mixes will be available at approximately the same time:

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devils Food Cake Mix
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix

It is our goal to help our consumers determine whether or not they can include our products in their diet when they are not labeled Gluten Free. To accurately accomplish this, we believe it is best to refer to the specific ingredients listed on each product package; and for this reason, we do not offer a gluten-free product list.

However, we do understand that ingredients can be confusing. We want you to be assured that if the ingredient label does not list wheat, barley, rye, oats or gluten containing ingredients sourced from these grains, then the product would be gluten-free. Sources of gluten are listed on the label even if the source of gluten is part of another ingredient (such as flavoring or spice). Because ingredients may vary from one package to another due to product reformulation, you should use the products ingredient label to provide you with current and accurate information.”

Amy Peters, Consumer Services

This article describes safety standards for internationally shipped baby food and includes benchmarks for producing gluten-free foods set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

Tue Jul 1, 2008 1:59pm BST  Email | Print | Share| Single Page| Recommend (0) [-] Text [+]  
1 of 1Full SizeBy Laura MacInnis

GENEVA (Reuters) – Diplomats in Geneva have agreed new limits for bacteria in baby formula and natural toxins in nuts, setting safety standards to apply for internationally shipped food, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.

At a meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint body of the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), officials also set benchmarks for producing gluten-free foods.

Peter Ben Embarek, a scientist in the WHO’s food safety division, said the adoption of the “landmark” code of hygienic practices for powdered formula could reduce contamination from two bacteria that can cause severe illness and death in babies.

People with wheat allergies would also be protected by the standards for gluten-free food that countries pledged to work into their national legislation, and to meet in food exports under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

“They have to use these standards as the baseline standards to be able to trade at the international level,” Embarek told a news briefing on the second day of the week-long Codex meeting.

The new benchmark dictates that food labeled gluten-free may not contain wheat, rye, barley or oats, and its gluten level may not exceed 20 milligrams per kilogram. Gluten intolerance can cause symptoms ranging from abdominal pain to osteoporosis.

The 124 countries participating in this week’s Codex meeting also agreed maximum levels for aflatoxins — natural toxins that are known carcinogens in laboratory animals — in almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios.

FOOD CODE

The Codex Alimentarius, or food code, is a global reference for consumers, food producers, food processors, national food control agencies and international food traders.

Its standards — meant to avert contamination, spoiling and ill-health — are the benchmarks against which the WTO reviews countries’ adherence to international trade agreements on food safety and sanitation.

Other topics to be considered this week include flavorings, frozen foods, natural mineral water, tomatoes, bitter cassava, and bivalve mollusks such as mussels, oysters and clams.

The Commission, whose full membership includes 176 countries plus the European Union, is also due to discuss the food safety impacts of veterinary drugs, animal feeds, and pesticides.

Groups including the International Chewing Gum Association, the International Peanut Forum, the International Association of Fish Inspectors, the International Baby Food Action Network, the World Sugar Research Organisation and the World Self-Medication Industry have observer status at the meeting, which ends Friday.

(Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay)

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL0166682420080701?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10216&sp=true

Food For Life Baking Company of Corona, California is voluntarily recalling 2,241 cases of Spelt Bread (UPC# 07347200168) because they contain spelt grain which is known to be a hybrid of wheat. People who have allergies to wheat or those with Celiac Disease may run the risk of a serious or life threatening allergic reaction if they consume spelt products.
The recalled products were sold nationwide through health food distributors and natural food retailers.

Food For Life Spelt Bread is sold frozen in a 24 oz. (680g) light blue package and bears either of the two following descriptions

Food For LIfe, Wheat Alternative Spelt Bread
Food For Life, Fruit Juice Sweetened Spelt Bread
Affected lot numbers are: H1847, H2042, H2136, H2435, H2872, H2974, H3224, H3460, I0485.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall was initiated as a precautionary measure following an FDA investigation concluding that the product contained undeclared wheat.

This recall is being made with the knowledge and in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration.

Consumers who have purchased any of these products are urged to return them unopened to the place of purchase for a refund.

Consumers with questions may contact us toll free at: (800) 797-5090.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/foodforlife03_08.html