I know there was a thread like this awhile back, but it's been so long and information changes rapidly, so I thought I'd ask again.
A Trader Joe's opened near my office, and another one is opening even closer next year. I was in there today getting cat treats (aka Kitty Crack) and saw some awesome stuff - Israeli Couscous, Tricolor Quinoa, Pita Crackers and Bistro Biscuits. The labels read fine, but I have little experience with them so don't know how confident I can be in their labeling. Is it consistent?
They were sampling a garlic hummus that just about made me swoon. If it weren't for that pesky sesame... >:(
ETA: Also got General Tsao's Stir Fry Sauce - looks delish!
Unfortunately, you have to call if you need to know about shared lines.
Their labeling policies used to divulge that information as a matter of policy, but no more. Just because the label doesn't say anything about cross-contamination, do NOT assume that this means there isn't any.
:-/
Bugger. I'll call tomorrow.
Hate that. >:(
Agree with CM --- the USED TO put EVERYTHING on the label. It was niiiiiiiiiiiiice :)
A few years ago they changed it, so yes - you have to call. If you can shop while the C/S call center is open it's easier --- just walk the aisles with your phone and call as you need.
Adrienne
So, here's the scoop I got from customer service today. They are aware of the inconsistency in their labeling (yeah, thanks a lot) and are in the midst of revising all their labels. There will be no more "may contain" or "made on shared equipment" warnings. If there is any X-contam conern, they will be labeled as "contains traces of"
Hey, at least it will be consistent. And the good news is that of the 5 things I purchased, 4 are safe (including the Bistro Biscuits, which are wickedly good :thumbsup:).
Quote from: GoingNuts on April 24, 2012, 06:36:23 PM
So, here's the scoop I got from customer service today. They are aware of the inconsistency in their labeling (yeah, thanks a lot) and are in the midst of revising all their labels. There will be no more "may contain" or "made on shared equipment" warnings. If there is any X-contam conern, they will be labeled as "contains traces of"
Hey, at least it will be consistent. And the good news is that of the 5 things I purchased, 4 are safe (including the Bistro Biscuits, which are wickedly good :thumbsup:).
So are they going back to their old labeling of labeling everything, whether or not there is "good manufacturing practices" or are they considering if they determine "good manufacturing practices" enough and NOT put a warning or "contains traces"?
There's a difference...we all know that one.
For instance --- someone here reacted to shrimp in their Fontina Rice Ball things, which, on the label (I looked at my store) has "Good manufacturing practices are in place to prevent cross-contamination. Made in the same facility as shellfish." And she reacted. To shellfish. Now I'm SFA and have eaten them, and now I won't.
Did you get a feel for "any kind of possible cross-x and we'll put it as contains traces" or "if it's in our judgement it can occur..."
?
Adrienne
Judgment was the impression I got. :tongue:
Right. They'll still tell you-- if you call.
Wouldn't it just be easier (and take up less of the CSR's time) if they just labeled for all shared lines and let the consumer use their judgment to determine if they want to take the risk to eat the product.
Yes, well, that is what they did at one time.
But then they got the idea that "a lot" of allergic people were ignoring "real" risk in some products which were seriously cross-contaminated... because they were basing their decision-making on the notion that it was all "CYA" labeling, or that it was all referring to trace contamination (like from a shared line that is cleaned well).
While this is a problem, I'm not convinced that it poses the same sort of risk to that group that a lack of good labeling does to the highly sensitive population, who are more likely to mount more severe reactions to exposure to begin with.
KWIM?
Quote from: maeve on April 24, 2012, 10:58:40 PM
Wouldn't it just be easier (and take up less of the CSR's time) if they just labeled for all shared lines and let the consumer use their judgment to determine if they want to take the risk to eat the product.
Stop making sense. Immediately. ;D
Quote from: GoingNuts on April 25, 2012, 06:18:02 AM
Quote from: maeve on April 24, 2012, 10:58:40 PM
Wouldn't it just be easier (and take up less of the CSR's time) if they just labeled for all shared lines and let the consumer use their judgment to determine if they want to take the risk to eat the product.
Stop making sense. Immediately. ;D
That's how they used to do it Maeve --- every line every facility on the label. It was NICE. But then people complained or they thought it was too much info and they started this "good manufacturing practices" line on their labels. That wasn't enough to appease "whoever" so they started judging the risk. When I've called on a few things (that looked too good to be true) the CSR says they have a whole procedure/formula and the TJ's label products get reviewed and factories visited, etc. Apparently a very extensive process for allergen labeling. She also noted all the increased phone calls over the years since they changed the procedure.
It's annoying.
Adrienne
So they basically label like Krapt now only they will give you a direct, honest answer if you contact them. Ugh.
Right. (Which, to be fair, puts them AHEAD of Krapt, since at least they don't treat the information as "proprietary" when asked.)
So, GN, here, the Isreali cous cous is labelled as unsafe(on same equipment, if I recall correctly). Did you hear it was safe? Dd would love it.
I use the tricolor quinoa all the time. dd has hd it, but not much, or anymore. Decided she does not really like it as much as she initially thought. But, I love it. No bitterness at all(after a good rinse).
Nobody in my house likes the quinoa except for me - so I guess I don't have to share.
The Israeli couscous read safe, and customer service confirmed it. I wonder if they have different facilities based on geography? Or maybe they have switched suppliers? Or maybe they are incompetent and it really isn't safe? Now I'm afraid to use it. :disappointed:
I will check it again. I may be over there this week.
I was at Trader Joe's today, and saw the salmon patties they'd listed in their mailing this week. There were no eggs listed in the ingredients, but no information about cross-contamination at all, so I asked the store manager if he knew what the x-contamination warnings might be, and he looked them up. He said, in the same breath, "They should be safe, though they are produced on equipment shared with eggs". He then said, "I think this is a USDA-inspected facility", I pointed out that the box said they were produced in Thailand, and he said, "No, it's not, but because of the way they're processed, we don't think cross-contamination is an issue." That was about all I got in terms of an explanation. It was a bummer, because DD loves salmon, and these looked like a quick fix on a busy night, but we're not risking it.
I wish they'd just label shared lines, too.
Eggallergymom, that's the kind of nonsense that makes me see 10 shades of red. >:(
I've had good luck with TJs. I have to say though...DH brought home lamb vindaloo for my son to try. That makes me really, really nervous. All those lovely chick peas floating around in other dishes on the same line, I'm sure.
He did find milk-free cinnamon rolls there that we tried this weekend without incident. They weren't all that great, but it's nice to have an option.
Does anyone know where we are in regards to Trader Joe's labeling? Has anyone called recently to get the scoop?
I caved and bought a couple items that I told DS that I would need to call on before he tried them. The pretzels he's had before say "made in a facility that processes milk and peanuts", they have always said this (I will not call on this item).
Next item is a Dark Chocolate Honey Mint: "May contain traces of milk"
3rd item is Charmingly Chew Chocolate Chip Cookies: "Contains wheat, soy, egg"
At this point, I'll buy things there that label for shared lines or possible xcontamination *with foods I'm not allergic to.* Iffy about trusting anything else.
eggallergymom, if it makes you feel any better, the salmon patties are AWFUL. One of the only things I've ever bought at TJ's and thrown away after trying.
TJ's Quinoa I emailed a few months ago--no x-contamin with PN/TN/SFA.
I have similar shopping practice as Ra3chel--will buy if not shared or "may contains" with DS's allergens.
Seems like 1/3 of products have "may contain" statements, 1/3 have CYA with safe manufacturing practices to minimize statements, and 1/3 have nothing (and then with emailing is xcontaminated or safe).
We have a few new foods when the TJ's opened up last year, but the emailing on multiple products certainly dampens our shopping experience. Have found a naan, organic bread, and a few other items.
A few items I thought were scarily not labeled--a jerky that would have been good for camping (avoiding the whole GORP/trail food items) but there was a salmon jerky that made me leery. Yup, same lines.
We use a few staples that we've been using for a LONG time-- sunbutter, Mediterranean flatbread, Morello cherries, Lavash... and a couple of candies (jelly penguins, and something I'm not remembering at the moment);
but we're not dealing with sesame, and DD's egg tolerance is much higher than it used to be.
We did get burned with shelf-stable soup a couple of years back which was on shared lines with treenuts (cashew in particular), and DD started having problems with the chocolate soy milk, too-- though they swore that it wasn't on shared lines.
I used to be able to get a manager to call a dietician and get the details on pumpkin seeds. I asked one last time I was in there and she refused! Said, "if it were on shared lines it would be on the package." They used to be solicitous about the calling, I had not asked, they offered! This woman had no inteerest in helping me.