I have allergies to wheat, oat, and apple. They make me insanely ill…even the teensiest bit of cross-contact and I’m sick: swollen throat, painful ears, upset stomach, wheezing, and general fatigue. I have actual medical test results in my files showing I have these allergies. And yet I still have some friends and family who think this is just a diet.

Not many people understand celiac disease, wheat allergies, or even wheat/gluten intolerance. They all have one major thing in common: zero tolerance for wheat. It’s not a fad diet, it’s the way we wheat/gluten-free people have to live.

Gluten-free eaters around the world must scrutinize every food label carefully – gluten can be found in everything from hot dogs, ice cream, salad dressings, canned soups, dried soup mixes, non-dairy creamers, processed cheeses, cream sauces, and hundreds of other common foods.

The increasing availability of information, and gluten free products is a welcome change. Even 6 years ago when I was first diagnosed, I could hardly find information let alone gluten-free products. I’m excited to see more and more companies springing up in the gluten-free market: Kinnikinnick, Ener-G Foods, GlutenFree.com, and so many others that I haven’t had the chance to explore yet.

For many of us, failing to follow a gluten-free diet could cause other health problems later in life, including osteoporosis , infertility and possibly other autoimmune diseases. My sister has Crohn’s Disease (her symptoms started in her early 40′s), and I’m trying my absolute best to avoid the same diagnoses. Taking care of my body, and avoiding gluten could help me stave off the incurable, painful disease.

My point is…the majority of people eating gluten free don’t do it because we want to. We do it because we need to in order to preserve our health. And I think it’s our job to spread the word of gluten free – share our resources, recipes, and personal stories. Comment, share your links and stories…tell us how living gluten-free (or living with someone who is) has affected your life.

{Brought to you by Erin}

The Matriarch and my sister heard some startling news while they were in Calgary.  Once I started looking into it I found several articles on this topic including  ” This is a rumor that just won’t die!”.

“I had heard that wheat was used in charcoal as a filler, but I didn’t really know much about it, so I researched it. According to the Texas Wheat Producers Board And Association, and The Kansas Wheat Commission, wheat starch is used as a binder in most commercial charcoal briquettes. On another site, I found the Kingsford charcoal ingredients listed as follows: Wood Charcoal, Lignite Charcoal, Anthracite Coal, Limestone, Starch, Borax, Sawdust and Sodium Nitrate. This list does not specify where the starch comes from, but at an allergy site, more information about Kingsford Briquets was provided: “Both corn and wheat starches are used in this product, but they predominantly use cornstarch. They do not make any food products that do not contain gluten. This was confirmed by the company.” There is a positive note to all this. While reading about charcoal in general, I learned that if you allow your coals to burn to a complete ashy surface before you start cooking, any glues and additives will burn off before you start cooking. Hope this helps. ”

~CONNIE SARROS - Clan Thompson’s Celiac Site

Glutenfree.com‘s Forums post:  “Kingston, though, has  changed the 80 year old recipe in the fall of 2006 and  looks to be GF now ( Posted fall 2007). “

Reference Number: 4811332
Dear Mr. AZcarnivore

Thank you for contacting us about Kingsford Regular Charcoal Sure Fire Grooves. We always appreciate hearing from our consumers.

Our new formula does not contain gluten or wheat. If you notice any other packaging changes, feel free to check back with us on this information.

Again, thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Hal Frankford
Consumer Response Representative
Consumer Services

and again in 2010;

Dear Mr. AKLAP,

Thank you for contacting us about Kingsford Regular Charcoal. We always appreciate hearing from our consumers.

All of charcoal is gluten free. We use a corn starch binder in producing our briquets.

Again, thank you for contacting us.

SO, still wanting to be on the safe side? Options?

Natural, mesquite & other real wood charcoal!  These are easily found in hardware stores and department stores like Home Depot, Walmart and Canadian Tire.

The June updates, as mentioned last week,  are posted on the Health Canada website regarding the proposed updates to the Food and Drug Act on labeling of allergen ingredients.  Sadly, we didn’t gain as much ground as we had hoped on one issue.   Oats.

It was asked that HC review, clarify and take into consideration the difference between common oats and oats from a dedicated source.  We have discussed that issue for our own purposes here at WF Family and have mixed opinions and health needs.  I can only imagine trying to make these decisions for a whole country!  Their decision ” for now”?

Health Canada will maintain the list of cereal grains identified in the definition of gluten as proposed in the CG Part I. Thus, “oats” will be required to be shown, in accordance with the new amendments when oat gluten is present in the product. This will alert all individuals with celiac disease, of the presence of oat gluten. This will assist those individuals with celiac disease who cannot tolerate oats to avoid those products that may cause an adverse reaction.

Health Canada will consider potential options to update the gluten-free definition prescribed in B.24.018 of the Food and Drug Regulations to better reflect the current scientific knowledge related to the safety of pure and uncontaminated oats for the majority of celiac individuals.

Sad but not hopeless.  Let’s hope we win on some of the other areas.

This issue has been ongoing and hard fought for years. The battle is not finished yet but there is ground being gained!

On  July 26, 2008 Health Canada released for public comment it’s  proposed amendments to the Food And Drug requirements for public comment.   June 2010 has brought some new postings on the topic that are of interest to the Gluten side of the concern.

June 2010

• Health Canada Reviews and Answers Comments Received on Regulatory Project 1220 – Enhanced Labelling for Food Allergens, Gluten Sources and Added Sulphites
• Health Canada’s Modifications to Regulatory Project 1220 – Enhanced Labelling for Food Allergens, Gluten Sources and Added Sulphites
• Health Canada Considers Comments for Possible Exemptions from the Enhanced Labelling Requirements for Foods or Ingredients Derived from Food Allergen or Gluten Sources

1) Definition of “food allergen” and “gluten”

In the proposed amendments, food allergen and gluten are defined as:

• Food allergen: any protein or modified protein, including any protein fraction, derived from any of the following foods: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, wheat, kamut, spelt, triticale, eggs, milk, soybeans, crustaceans, shellfish or fish.

Gluten: any gluten protein or modified protein, including any protein fraction derived from the grains of the following cereals: barley, oats, rye, triticale, wheat, kamut or spelt. The definition would also apply to the grains of hybridized strains of the cereals listed above

2) Declaration of the food allergen or gluten source

The proposed amendments would require the declaration of food allergens or gluten sources on the label of a prepackaged product, either in the list of ingredients or in a statement beginning with the words “Allergy and Intolerance Information – Contains:”. In the case of gluten sources, it would be required that the name of the cereal grain (e.g. wheat, rye, barley, oats, triticale) be declared.

Change – HC will be removing kamut and spelt as distinct terms in the definition of “food allergen” and “gluten” and as the prescribed name of the food allergen source and gluten source. HC will be interpreting the term “wheat” to include all cereal grains from the species Triticum. This interpretation will include kamut and spelt.

Change – Health Canada will shorten the wording of the prescribed prefix to: “Contains:”.

Health Canada recognizes that wording “Contains:” statement would be more practical for industry and consumers and would harmonize with international trade practice.

…

I do encourage you to read all three articles and keep up on these proposals.  It is a far cry from the original media influx that made it sound as if these were PASSED amendments in September of 2009.  Other issues have moved in our favor including the removal of exceptions to capsule casings and other items as well as, the reduction of the Grace Period for Transition/Implementation from the requested 2 years to 18 months.  Downside?  That period would START when these proposed amendments are passed.  As yet?  not a done deal.

Until then?  Keep reading your labels and using your Gut Feeling!