Dots

Junior Mints

In the States, a large number of the candy and chocolate snacks that you find in stores are produced by Tootsie Roll Industries. A lot of the snacks associated with going to the movie theatre like Junior Mints, Dots and Sugar Babies are also made by Tootsie Roll, which always has me wondering which ones are safe for me to eat…

Which Tootsie Roll Industries products are gluten free?

Well… according to their website the answer is all of them!!

The Healthy Living section of their site states this:
Nutrition Labels and Allergen Information:
Tootsie provides the most accurate and updated ingredient statements for each of its products. Consult the Nutrition Chart for each product to determine whether a candy or gum fits into your dietary plan.

All Tootsie products are:

• Gluten-Free
• Peanut-Free
• Nut Product-Free

Tootsie does not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt, or any of their components, either as ingredients or as part of the manufacturing process.

Corn and soy products are used during the manufacturing process.

Razzles

Tootsie Roll calling...

I wanted to ensure that this information is update and covers all Tootsie products so I gave their consumer line a call. I was a little concerned with the statement that all of their products are gluten free when I saw that they make Andes Creme de Menthe cookies! No one was available to speak to me at that time so I left a message on their answer phone explaining my query and asking them to call me back.

30 minutes later I received a call from a cheery lady. She confirmed that all Tootsie Roll products are gluten free. I asked about the cookies and she said that they although they use the Tootsie Roll name, they are produced by a different manufacturer. She explained that if a product is manufactured by Tootsie Roll Industries then it will say this on the label and this product will be gluten free.

Butterfinger

Baby Ruth

I called Nestle North America to find out which of their candy products are gluten free.

This is the list I was given….

• Nestle Baby Ruth
• Nestle Nips
• Nestle O’Henry!
• Nestle Raisinets
• Nestle Sno-caps
• Nestle Bit-o-honey
• Nestle Butterfinger
• Nestle Goobers
• Nestle Milk Chocolate
• Wonka Pixy Stix
• Wonka Laffy Taffy
• Wonka Fundip

I asked if they could also email me a copy of this list, which I received the following day.

http://nestle-consumerservices.casupport.com/eglutenfree.pdf

With this list I also received this email from a Nestle customer representative explaining how they consider the gluten free status of products. I found this very interesting and reassuring to hear that products must also be free of any possible cross contamination before they are considered gluten free.

Dear Ms. Emmerson,

Thank you for contacting Nestlé® Chocolate and Confections.

We consider “gluten free” to mean no gluten ingredients are in the product, whether directly added, or potentially present due to cross-contact. In other words, if a product label has an allergen advisory statement such as “made on equipment” or “facility that also processes wheat etc… “, we do not consider that product to be gluten free.

It is important to always read product labels/packaging for the most accurate information.

Reece's peanut butter cups (by Hershey's)

Last week I called Hershey’s….

I explained to the man who answered my call that I was looking to find out which of their products are gluten free as this is not apparent on their labelling.

He gave me this short list (confirmed as gluten free by Hershey’s corporate Headquarters):

• Original Hershey’s Kisses
• Milk chocolate bar (1.55 size)
• Milk chocolate bar with almonds (1.45 size)
• Coco
• Baking chocolate
• Chocolate chips
• Chocolate syrup

My response of ‘Are these really the only products you have that are gluten free?’ was met with an explanation that Hershey’s do have other products where none of their ingredients contain gluten but as these haven’t yet been checked?!? they cannot be added to the gluten free list.

I was told to check the labelling on any products not on this list as there shouldn’t be any hidden ingredients. If a product contains rye, wheat, oats or barley it will be stated on the label. If there is the possibility of contamination of one of these grains this will also be included on the labelling.

Sooo, basically, if there are no obvious glutenous ingredients and no cross contamination warning then we can assume that the product is gluten free.

I took the man’s advice and looked at the back of a Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup (made by Hershey’s) wrapper…there were no obvious glutenous ingredients and no cross contamination warning. According to Hershey’s customer service that means I could safely eat this but can I really trust them if they are not willing to put it on their ‘gluten free list’ and officially confirm that this product is gluten free?

My question to you Hershey’s…..’Why would these ‘assumed’ gluten free products not be on your gluten free list if they are in fact gluten free?!?!?

Are there any Coeliacs out there who eat any of these ‘assumed gluten free’ Hershey’s products? I would be very interested to find out what your opinions are on this and whether you feel glutenated if you eat them?

Snickers are gluten free!

My email to Mars North America:

I am Coeliac and therefore can only eat gluten free products. I live in Scotland but will be travelling throughout the United States this summer and was wondering whether you could provide me with a list of your products, which are safe for me to eat? Thanks, Laura

Their response was unhelpful to say the least…

Dear Ms. Emmerson,

In response to your email regarding MARS CHOCOLATE NORTH AMERICA.

Thank you for your email.

The ingredient statement on each wrapper is the best source for this information. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network advises consumers to rely on ingredient labels, not lists that can become outdated when products change.

Please feel free to contact us at 1-800-627-7852 if you have any specific product questions.

Have a great day!

Your Friends at Mars Chocolate North America

Oh, of course, my friends, I can just look at the label. Why didn’t I think of that? Erm?!!? I guess I won’t be eating any Mars candy this summer! I do find it strange that Mars in the UK were able to provide me with a list of which products are safe for coeliacs.

UPDATE (07/07/2010): I called Mars North America to ask one of their customer service people if they could provide me with any further information on Mars’ gluten free products since their email suggestion of reading the label isn’t something I feel comfortable relying on.

I was surprised and impressed that I was able to get the information I was looking for without even speaking to a real person, especially after the crapppy email response. A recorded message said to press 3 for information on products that do not contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, gelatin or gluten. The following message then said to press 1 for a list of products that do not contain gluten.

“The following products do not contain gluten…all m&m’s products, all milkyway products with the exception of the milkyway bar, snickers and snickers dark bars, all dove chocolate products, munch bar. As always please read the label for the most accurate information.”

I’m not sure why they couldn’t have provided me with this list in their email but at least now I have the information. I’m guessing that by all m&m’s they mean with the exception of the new pretzel ones…

With gluten free buddies!