Hey Everyone,

I've read some old posts about chocolate candy, but am not sure about the Almond Joy candy bars (mini size).

I ate 2 of these today and my stomach did bother me a little, but Milk products are bothering my stomach right now since I just started gluten free as of this past Wednesday.

Does anyone know the scoop on these now?

Also, do I need to call the company every time I buy a product with one of those questionable items such as 'natural flavorings'.

My Almond Joy package says:

Corn syrup; sugar; coconut; vegetable oil (palm, shea, sunflower and/or safflower oil); almonds; chocolate; whey (milk); contains 2% or less of: nonfat milk; partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean and palm oil); milk fat; salt; cocoa; soy lecithin; natural and artificial flavor; hydrolyzed milk protein; sodium metabisulfite and fulfur dioxide, to maintain freashness, caramel color.

Wouldn't it have to state wheat according to the new labeling laws if wheat or gluten was in any of the questionable ingredients such as artificial and natural flavoring, caramel coloring????? I'm really confused about this!

Please help me sort this out!

Thanks,

Joni

Hi Joni, I've read a lot of the Hershey labels (I love chocolate ), and I still am not sure on some of them! I've resorted to emailing them about which candy was gluten free. I got a reply a few days ago. The answer didn't really tell me anything!!!!! All they said was that the label would state wheat if the product contained any. Well what about barley, malt, etc....! Hershey is not a friendly company toward people with Celiac. I read the labels and debate wheter I should try the product or not. Most of the time, I put it back on the shelf and feel sorry for myself .

Thank you. I went to their website and felt let down too. They don't clarify anything. I think I'll have to stay away from it myself. I'm not going to deal with a company that isn't clear on the subject because it makes me think they have something to hide from the consumer. I'll have to find an alternative!

I think I've read other posts where other brand name chocolates are safe. I'll do a search, but I don't recognize any of the names or know where to find them. I'll just have to check around.

It's sad because I've grown up with Hershey's chocolate and if it wasn't for their weak information I'm sure I would have stuck with them as my only chocolate company forever! I just will not risk it.

Thank you stargazer, you have helped me make an important decision.

Unfortunately we do have to call about anything with 'natural' flavors. I usually phrase it this way, "Can you tell me if this item contains wheat, rye, barley or oats or ANY of their chemical derivitives?" Barley Malt does not have to be disclosed and as far as natural flavors and colors this is IMHO our biggest risk. If a company is not forthcoming I pass. It is the safest way. I have also found that the more we call the higher a likelihood that companies are eventually going to be more specific in labeling, in part because we state we will pass on the item (they record a lot of these calls and higher ups do listen) and also because it costs the company money to recieve an 800 call. Good incentive for them to be more specific. So keep those phone calls going even if you suspect highly that the item will not be safe. I sometimes jot down UPC codes in the store about questionable stuff, often reps will ask for them, that saves buying a product that I will just end up donating to the food pantry.

Thank you, I do understand better now. I just don't understand why the labeling laws are so screwed up. It's nice they tell us about the wheat, but if barley causes the same reaction how can they eliminate that as an allergen and not disclose it?

Something I ate yesterday messed me up. Today, I feel lousy after the best day I've had in a long time yesterday. Only questionable items were the Almond Joy and the Blue Diamond Nut Thins which could have CC.

Perhaps I'll have to stay away from any of the questionable stuff.

Unfortunately with celiac you don't drop dead on the spot, that seems to be the requirement for an allergan label. It isn't surprising that labeling requirements let us down in a country that makes billions off us prediagnosis. If doctors are so reluctant to diagnose us or even to test, in many cases, and would rather label us with disorders requiring loads of OTC and script meds it is not surprising that manufacturors would be lax in this also. Until they recognize how many of us there really are out there, and start to diagnose us before we are almost ready for an autopsy we really have to be as cautious as we can.
I have seen many folks talk about being CC by the Nut Thins, enough so that I would not even try one. The best way to heal at first is also the hardest for many, stay away from as much processed food as you can. Eat fresh or frozen plain veggies and fruits, meats, nuts (check these), beans, rice, potatoes etc. It really does make it easier and will speed your healing.

Thank you ravenwoodglass. You know with all the uncertainty and screwy labeling issues, I agree totally with what your saying. Especially since I'm not sure what kind of reaction I'll get and if I keep accidently getting gluten in my system, I may never figure this out.

I went to the grocery store today and only bought things that I felt certain about with the labeling. If there are any questionable ingredients, I look at other brands or will make my own food.

I wanted a cream of mushroom soup for broccoli casserole and I checked out Progresso because I've read on this forum that it's supposed to be gluten free. But when I checked the ingredients it had artificial flavoring or some other unknown ingredient and I bought sliced mushrooms to make my own creamy sauce. At least I'll be able to eat knowing I'm not doing damage to my intestines.

How did your creamy mushroom sauce turn out? If you could post the recipe, please. I miss bean casserole at Thanksgiving time.

I made creamy mushroom soup today that was really good. I bought a big can of bits and peices of mushrooms. Chopped them up with the juice in my food processor. Heated it up with a cube of Knoor chicken bullion. Thickened it up with some cornstarch. Added a cup of whipping cream and let that heat up and thicken up. It was great.
Yellow Rose

Hi blueeyedamanda, I haven't made it yet but found the recipe on these forums. If you search 'creamy mushroom soup' and do a "most relevent" search you will come up with a few recipes. Also, if you have a Whole Foods store near you they carry a canned brand that is gluten free.

Thanks, our Whole Foods is down towards Baltimore which is over an hour away. I don't get there much. Hope you enjoy it when you do make it. I have to say it is so hot outside it is hard to be talking about soups. LOl

Your Welcome! I agree, too hot for soups anyway. Honestly I haven't felt like doing all that cooking in this heat for a broccoli casserole. I can always just eat them both raw (which I did in a salad today).

My Whole Food is also about an hour away. I want to go there to get some things because my choices locally are very limited. I just want to be able to buy things that say 'gluten free' and stop trying to disect the labels and make tons of calls on the normal grocery store food. On a good note, I found GV au gratin potatoes at Walmart today!

Did anyone ever get info on Almond Joy minis? I haven't been feeling well, and the only thing I ate that was suspect was 3 Almond Joy minis, so I won't be eating those again!

I always get sick after eating Hershey's minis of any kind. I don't have the same problem with the full size. Not sure why.

The new labeling laws require the top eight allergens to be disclosed, with wheat being one of them. Since celiac is not an allergy, it is not covered under this allergen labeling law. It's a nice coincidence that wheat happens to be an allergen as well as a celiac no-no. Unfortunately, barely and rye are not common allergens. There are new labeling laws coming out regarding gluten, though (not sure on the exact date). Do a little searching - you'll find that a majority of us aren't happy about them.

I think they are manufactured on different equipment and may even have slight recipe differences. The equipment the minis are made on I believe also makes products with gluten so it's a CC issue.

There seems to have been a lot of conflicting information about the mini sizes. Personally I can't understand what difference the size the piece of chocolate is cut into makes as far as what ingredients it might have, but with at least some manufacturers I guess it might.

Anyway, here is a list that might clear some things up: http://glutenfreeinsd.com/candy.html

Maybe if the miniatures are packaged in a mixed bag that includes miniature Krackles, there could be a cc issue, but otherwise . . . . . . ?

I read that the mini's are produced on a line that that uses flour to help separate small things, or else that line uses smaller ingredients (like nuts, perhaps?) that have been separated somewhere else with flour.

Unfortunately, I can't remember where I read that.

I thought I had read that, too, and I can't remember where, either!

Anyway, info on this site that I referenced above appears to refute that.