Until now...
In the past month, I keep coming across information stating products I previously enjoyed are no longer gluten-free. Other manufacturers seem to be taking the cowardly route and they are now stating that they can't guarantee their product is gluten-free because they don't know where the ingredients come from.
I used this product prior to going on a gluten-free diet, and I was incredibly relieved to find out it was gluten-free after my diagnosis. Tablet pain relievers often contain gluten as a binder, so it made sense that a liqui-gel wouldn't have the need for gluten. Until now. I don't even remember how I came across the information, but the other day, someone posted a link about this product. http://www.advil.com/faqs? search=Gluten&field_faq
In case you don't want to click the link, it says:
In case you don't want to click the link, it says:
Advil® Liqui-Gels® and Advil® Migraine and contain a wheat derivative, and are not gluten-free. You should check with your doctor if you have any concerns about taking this product.
I haven't done additional research to see if the generic versions are still gluten-free, but I have to admit I'm bummed that a product I've relied on for at least 10 years pre and post gluten-free is no longer safe for me to use.
Example 2: Kraft
When I first was diagnosed, Kraft was named as one of those brands with exemplary labeling practices, and I knew I could always rely on the ingredient label rather than needing to call the manufacturer. That is no longer the case, which is extremely frustrating considering it is such a large company, and my opinion is that they should somewhat be setting the standard for how things are done and show other companies that it can be done. I heard someone questioned one of their products that I had always relied on as gluten-free, and they were informed that it was not considered by Kraft to be gluten-free.
When I first was diagnosed, Kraft was named as one of those brands with exemplary labeling practices, and I knew I could always rely on the ingredient label rather than needing to call the manufacturer. That is no longer the case, which is extremely frustrating considering it is such a large company, and my opinion is that they should somewhat be setting the standard for how things are done and show other companies that it can be done. I heard someone questioned one of their products that I had always relied on as gluten-free, and they were informed that it was not considered by Kraft to be gluten-free.
I decided to do my own research and call them. The call didn't go well. I've worked in customer service, so I always do my best to be upbeat and polite because I realize they don't make the decisions, but this one was tough. I asked if the product was gluten-free, and the response was that Kraft does not consider it to be gluten-free. I was advised that any product that contains "spices, flavorings, or coloring" is not gluten-free because they don't know how their suppliers produce these ingredients and it is proprietary information.
Often times, I am told that I need to call the manufacturer with the UPC each time I'm going to purchase a product so they can determine which manufacturing facility it was made in and where the ingredients were sourced from. This always ticks me off, and I always inform them that I will simply purchase from another company as I don't have the time to call every time I want to purchase one of their products. On a whim, I asked the Kraft representative if I could call to confirm if I needed to purchase one of their products.
Nope. They flat out don't know. Boo Kraft!
So not only was this one product no longer considered to be gluten-free, but ALL Kraft products are subject to this ridiculous rule of "spices, flavorings or coloring."
So not only was this one product no longer considered to be gluten-free, but ALL Kraft products are subject to this ridiculous rule of "spices, flavorings or coloring."
I do my best to always stay positive about everything gluten-free, so here is my solution: we need to nicely contact these companies to let them know their changes have affected us. The gluten-free community needs to stand together and let companies know that it's not ok to suddenly change their labeling practices. When I voiced my displeasure on Facebook, a few of my friends said that I shouldn't be eating Kraft products anyway because they're full of GMO's, etc, etc, etc. For now, I'd like to focus just on the gluten-free thing though (I will cover my opinion of GMO's in an upcoming blog.) I realize there is a large portion of the population that does not care about GMO's along with a large portion that does.
If you decide to contact Kraft, feel free to call Advil as long as you're on the phone ;)
Contact information for companies:
Kraft: 1-877-535-5666
Advil: 1-800-882-3845
Questions? Comments?.... I'd love to hear from you.
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