WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! I hate the thought of paying money to make me feel sick, no really!?!? One of my health issues is gluten intolerance, I do not have COELIAC DISEASE. I have been reading labels for years because of other intolerances, but to buy a food product that says on the front of the packet that it is GLUTEN FREE and take it home and eat some of it and wonder why I am feeling a bit off, had me scratching my head ( an not because it was itchy). Product, DAMORA seaweed rice crackers, on the front of the packet it says it is GLUTEN FREE, not likely. On the back in the ingredient list says it has wheat in it, plus at the end of that little list there was another list which says, contains WHEAT, etc etc. Else where on the back of the packet it says, “Specially made for ALDI Stores to our stringent quality specifications.” Goes to show just how important it is to read every word on are packaging. Specially with our children. Take care.
Gluten free means “no detectable gluten” and the coeliac organisation has a decent page about that. In addition this US-centric page might help noting the US FDA standard is “as long as the final food product contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.” While this is a blog about how Australia is different, it appears to be well researched although not with government regulatory citations. Also have a look at the food standards web site.
If you wish to proceed you might start by contacting Aldi and Coeliac Australia with your questions, observations and concerns. Formal complaints go to your state body.
Our so-called regulatory bodies appear to make standards but then absolve themselves of monitoring by stating the buyer needs to pay attention, so it must be OK in our libertarian minded governments’ eyes to keep red tape out of business profits and minise government expenditure. Historically “we” appear to have voted in libertarian/conservative pro-business governments that arguably were similarly minded roughly 68% of the time.
I think part of this issue is that so many claim to be gluten free but are not and in fact still eat foods with gluten in it. They have simply jumped on the latest diet fad because they think it is ‘healthier’. This means that some manufacturers and restaurants are not as careful as they should be. I too have a medically diagnosed problem with gluten and I have the coeliac gene too. Like you I scrutinise every product and label including the ingredients list too and we should accept this responsibility. However I do agree that adding ‘gluten free’ to the front of the pack when the product is not gluten free is downright scamming the customer and potentially dangerous.
So agree! And, have to keep doing it, as they change things without notice!
Carrol, Did you contact Aldi about this product? MaryT
Agree wholeheartedly. This is also my issue. Labelling is pathetic. So much for new labelling laws. I am also lactose intolerant.
Wheat must be listed as an ingredient as it can be an allergen, however that does not mean that the product contains gluten. Glucose syrup is an example of a wheat derived product that is so highly refined that no gluten can be detected. The use of the term ‘gluten-free’ is a guarantee that there is no detectable gluten in the final product regardless of the ingredient listing.
I don’t have a packet of these particular crackers but if they say they are gluten-free, then they are. Australia has very stringent ingredient listing laws and it’s highly unlikely that there is any gluten in this product.
HI, yes I have and just waiting for a reply.
Hi, yes that is another problem of mine, it can get a bit much after a while. good luck with your health too.
Hi, thank you for the info, I will be sure to read it.
I agree , I am gluten sensitive and have a family full of coeliacs including children and grandchildren who throw up for hours after accidentally having gluten . I always make a stand for the coeliacs when I see something advertised incorrectly - for example a local cafe had a label on their cakes - " almost Gluten free" !!! I found this most annoying . I recently had a wrap at a well known chain which was designated Gluten free - on enquiring where they sourced their wraps ( it was nice ) I was told the wrap was not gluten free but the filling was !!! needless to say this was another opportunity for some gentle education .
Robyn
Hi, “almost gluten free” how shameful that is and company’s want to put the weight (and goodness knows what else) of the items they make on the back or else where on the packets so we will not know how much we are getting ripped off by. It seems to me a number of company’s are all ready putting important info on the back of items they sell, along with out right lies on the front. YES, I bet it was nice, because we can’t taste gluten so we don’t know if it is in the item we are eating, so we TRUST what is written??? It would be great if we could have everyone stick together for a good cause and at the same time with synchronized time with each state, that EVERYONE does not go in to just one shop example, the same supper market (one that is known not to do the right thing) in each state for one day to really show company’s out there that without there customers they are nothing, so start been truthful and do the right thing by us the people. One day without NO sales would surely be a good warning to change there stinking attitudes. If the press were called to tell them what was happening, do you think that would start the ball rolling, it MAY even put the wind up our polly’s. WHAT DO YOU THE PEOPLE THINK.
On another item, “Peckish Rice Crackers”, one of their types states “NO SALT” in large letters on the front, but sodium is listed in the ingredients table on the back. Over the last 12 months I have brought this to the attention of the Woolworths store manager twice. I’ve also rung the distributors of the product twice, both times being told it should read “no added salt” & they are having the packaging changed. It’s been 12 months since I was first told this, so obvious nothing is being done!
