Gluten Free Experts

Who gives you advice about living strictly gluten-free? Some random gluten free expert on Instagram with tons of followers, a blogger with gluten sensitivity, a yogi mom with a few auto-immune children living a strict paleo diet, a fellow Celiac with a ton of Twitter followers, but why? 

I ask myself the same question over and over and do not understand why any of them have authority over another. If their pretty food posts, creative recipes and stories of restaurant socializing are inspiring you then it's important to find out who is not living symptom free, and if you're finding yourself often ill when you're supposed to be committed to healthier and smarter gluten free choices. 

Gluten Free Menus And Their Risky Disclaimers

Living with a gluten related auto-immune disease, wheat allergy, or gluten intolerance can be extremely difficult. None of these are the same though yet that have a lot in common. From Celiac Disease to a wheat allergy we all decide on different lifestyle choices. Some illnesses can be life threatening and others are not because you can treat yourself and remove risks. A very common everyday risk remains though, when you dine in at a restaurant and order from a gluten-free menu or from a server explaining their GF options, there is little to no chance you're receiving a 100% gluten-free meal. In turn, you have accepted the responsibility for potential G.I. intestinal trauma, diarrhea, exhaustion, or another delayed auto immune reaction. A restaurant may provide you with a degree of 1-on-1 attention to make you feel safe, warm and fuzzy, but the risk is real, every time, you're taking a conscious risk of cross contamination in the kitchen. These decisions are very risky!

Example of a gluten-free menu & disclaimer... a complete contradiction of gluten-free definition.

Gluten Free Bakery Items Will Make You Sick

CAN YOU SPOT THE GLUTEN FREE FAIL?

Introducing

 Mountain Oven 

Crested Butte, Colorado 

The Ongoing Risk Of Dining Out Gluten-Free

Gluten Free Apps That Just Are Not Gluten Free!

I had just recently gone out to eat in Hoboken, NJ at a restaurant that was available via FindMeGlutenFree mobile application... (hint, don't use it)  It had good reviews and I had been there before, awhile ago, so I knew it was a frequently visited location with a lot of gluten-free food service experience so who are these gluten-free customers...

Dear Chef, Is This Gluten-Free?

To Whom It May Concern,

I don't know why for over 17 years I still have to ask this question, "Is this gluten-free?" The truth is, we all do, because contamination exists everywhere despite the trending growth of gluten-free food products, restaurants and bakeries adapting the concept, but not the kitchen safety pre-cautions. Further, I've seen many menus and website on the front page claiming that you are "gluten-free" but you make products in a contaminated facility with a wheat partner... so how is this a valid gluten-free claim?

Let's end the question, "Is this gluten-free" and all get on the same page on what it is to be gluten-free and not kinda gluten-free.

It's important as a respectable culinary leader that you have a reputable establishment that understands food process, ingredients and good service to make a living. In order to have a gluten-free establishment and make gluten-free claims all staff and consumers should trust that (A) all ingredients must be sourced gluten-free (B) no contamination exists in the prep and baking process or delivery of said gluten-free product to the end consumer ... or you are losing credibility in this world as an expert and a business establishment.  The public trusts very easily, regardless of the level of intolerance, if you can't support the simplicity of this  claim then you're unable to produce a safe product and the phrase can't exist on your menu, online or on your label respectively.

Do you test each batch for <5ppm gluten (CSA) or <20 ppm (FDA) to ensure it's gluten-free? If so, please share these results and be more transparent with your consumers and your promises with third party or home ELISA testing procedures to build a trustworthy company.

If not, you should know better that you're simply not gluten-free and that you can't claim, promise, tease or mention "gluten-free" anywhere in your company mission statement or advertising... as your'e product is not gluten-free and Celiacs and other gluten sensitive consumers indeed will get sick. Regardless if someone is on a bandwagon gluten-free diet, which doesn't make any real sense (simply because contaminated gluten at any ppm level is still gluten in the body) resulting in obvious symptoms or internal atrophy and auto-immune issues despite the gluten source and/or diagnosis.

Protect yourself and consumers and please be much more socially responsible for the growth of the gluten-free movement and from a potential lawsuit. Immediately remove all mentions or implications that you're offering a safe, gluten-free product. This applies to any restaurant, bakery, food or beverage. Know the facts and contribute to the world in a positive manner.

Thank you,
-GlutenFreeG
+Craig F

Do Gluten-Free Disclaimers Hurt Or Help?

Speak To Your Local Cafe & Restaurant About GF

It's all about trust. Once it's gone, it's hard to get back. There are many great cafes that try to offer the growing gluten-free consumer food options. That's great! We all appreciate it, but it's time to stop offering contaminated gluten-free food as this is not acceptable and damaging the consumer and your reputation.

Interviewed by Extend Nutrition on GF Snacks

Gluten-free snacks gain momentum during Allergy Awareness Month

Extend Nutrition confirms gluten-free status of bars, crisps, drizzles and shakes

“We recognize the need for healthy, gluten-free snacks and foods, and have developed a line that is both gluten-free and healthy.” - Jonathan Lindberg, Extend Nutrition outreach manager.

ST. LOUIS, MO - Craig Franzblau takes gluten-free labels seriously and if he dines outs he makes sure the restaurant guarantees that the food it says is gluten-free actually is.

“I read every ingredient and always have a few gently asked questions to ask a human being before I purchase or put anything into my body,” he said.

Craig has celiac disease, an autoimmune digestive condition that causes damage to the small intestines and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. The disease is triggered by the consumption of gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye.

Classic Bad Serving

Now this is just classic bad serving... Yesterday I went out to dinner with some cousins to a new seafood restaurant and they had a GF menu. The restaurant was not too busy at all so I was feeling good about what was about to happen. I ordered the salmon salad which was probably the easiest item to make on the menu without screwing it up GF. It was similar to the regular order but without noodles and capers. Waitress was confident to bring it with ease for me. I trusted her. It comes out salmon blackened, with noodles and capers. They completely screwed it up and the chef didn't make the GF version. Wow! Wow! The waitress didn't check and it came to my table as POISION on a plate, basically, hahaha. Luckily, I did the usual fork lift and shuffle and inspected the food before putting it in my mouth, but damn, classic mess up and a near gigantic accident. If you are not sure if this is the right meal on your own, definitely wait, be patient, and have the server inspect it for you to be sure they see it because they should know the menu best! But seriously you can't trust anyone when you go out to eat but yourself. You have to question people (kindly) and even sometimes your own parent, friend or family member because they don't necessarily know what is best. Because the only person that gets screwed when you don't is you! It's you who gets sick and when that is my case, I won't let that happen if I can hep it. Sigh. Another upsetting Gluten Free meal out to eat.

GF On The Go

On the road again... I have been traveling a bit and it is always a jourrney to grocery shop and eat out in many difference cities. For the regular traveler it is paradise... eating local cuisine and trying new menu items. But for the GF consumer, unfortunately the GF education in most restaurants have only evolved slightly. It is still anything, but a day in the park. You still need to have the same conversation you would have with your local server/chef each time you eat out like, "Hello, I can't have any food that has gluten." They typically say unless it's a prestigious restaurant, "What is gluten" and you tell them, "Wheat flour, rye, barley, malts in the food itself or in contamination with it, can you help me find something?" and the trusting begins. Sometimes you can feel good about putting your health in these people's hands and other times you should not, so be sure you trust the server or chef and if you do not then do not eat the food, go somewhere else. Remember there is no cheating with a gluten free diet and you can always find something to eat elsewhere so call the restaurant ahead and help educate your servers and teach them. All in all I have seen some progress... often establishments have a GF menu, but still can't guarantee it is allergen free. Also, why are waiters not educating themselves or employers not teaching them more about allergens. When your job is to work with food, serve food, handle people who eat food, take the time to learn about some of the more common allergens: gluten, nuts, fish/shell fish, milk, soy, eggs ... and all of our dining experiences will be more social and more pleasurable. Think about it, if the world knew what was in the food we ate, we would all be healthier individuals and smarter servers. That'll earn you a big tip, people.