Food Allergy Support

Discussion Boards => Mfrs. & Packaged Food => Topic started by: Amanda Johnson on May 03, 2015, 10:43:21 PM

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Title: new please help
Post by: Amanda Johnson on May 03, 2015, 10:43:21 PM
New to all this and didn't even know about cross contamination.
So what is your experience with Hostess, frito lay, kelloggs, chef boyardee, Ragu, Nabisco, Pepperidge farm bread, and what about cheeses?

I can't find information and I am just avoiding tree nuts/peanuts.

Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Macabre on May 04, 2015, 06:18:15 AM
What I have found:

Frito Lay labels for shared lines of your allergens. So does
Pepperidge Farm
Keebler
Betty Crocker
Hershey's

We don't use Duncan Hines because ten to fifteen  years ago people were having issues with their not labeling for shares lines (by issues I mean reactions). Out of habit I don't buy them now.

We have trusted Kellogg's labeling.  We've bought Ragu for pizza making and other sauces for pasta and have never had a problem with DS' allergies (he outgrew TNA six or so years ago). I had a problem one time, but you'll see below that I have a different set of allergens.

I would say the biggest limitations with store bought food have been getting things made in the US and Canada only unless specifically known (exceptions: coconut milk and water chestnuts for us), no bakery items, and cereals and granola bars.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Princess Cheese on May 04, 2015, 06:45:37 PM
I use all Frito Lay chips, and use the nacho cheese dips and salsa.  Never use Pepperidge Farm.. not sure why, but have never bought it.  Keebler I trust, haven't bought it in a while.  Betty Crocker is a big fat yes!  Hershey's yes, read the labels though.  Chef Boyardee, I use as well.   No Nabisco.  Cheese I use Sargento or Kraft.

Mine is peanut/tree nut/fish/shellfish
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: becca on May 04, 2015, 09:51:24 PM
Pepperidge Farm labelled for cross contamination last I checked and is our primary bread brand ever since we lost Arnold. 
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: VLDmom on May 04, 2015, 10:22:34 PM
Why not nabisco do they just not label?

Good to hear about kelloggs I love them. Kraft I had heard conflicting so that's good to hear.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: GoingNuts on May 05, 2015, 06:04:06 AM
Quote from: becca on May 04, 2015, 09:51:24 PM
Pepperidge Farm labelled for cross contamination last I checked and is our primary bread brand ever since we lost Arnold.

This.    It's really our only bread source.

I've never had trouble with Nabisco, though I know other's don't trust them.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Macabre on May 05, 2015, 06:13:38 AM
We have a lot of nabisco in our pantry. We don't have any problems.

Pepperodge Farm = :heart: because they do label so well. Yeah, about once a year we succumb to the Milanos temptation. Works for us.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: becca on May 05, 2015, 06:28:21 AM
we also have used Nabisco products for 15 years of PA/TNA, and egg allergy, and have never had any problems or reactions to their products.  We do check labels.  I do think, in recent years, their manufacturers have changed, so you may want to call yourself. 

we use Oreos all the time.  Also use Cheeze-its, Nilla Wafers, graham crackers, Ritz, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, all regularly. 
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Princess Cheese on May 05, 2015, 01:50:00 PM
I guess just the thought of peanut butter oreos scare me away from Nabisco.. lol!  As if I need to eat anymore sweets lol.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: GoingNuts on May 05, 2015, 08:07:56 PM
The PB Oreos were always made in a different facility.

Haven't Oreos and some other items been spun off tonMondelez?

Goya is another company that I trust to label well.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Princess Cheese on May 19, 2015, 07:52:29 PM
So people use the Nabisco graham crackers then?
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: GoingNuts on May 19, 2015, 08:07:47 PM
Quote from: Princess Cheese on May 19, 2015, 07:52:29 PM
So people use the Nabisco graham crackers then?
I've never had a problem with them, and frankly prefer the taste to Keebler.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Princess Cheese on May 19, 2015, 08:11:12 PM
Wow!  Are you pn/tna?
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: GoingNuts on May 19, 2015, 08:12:41 PM
DS is allergic to PN, TN, sesame and chick peas.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Jessica on May 22, 2015, 04:30:45 AM
I must be talking to the wrong people. Pepperidge Farm told me they clean well between products and will label if they feel there is cross contamination despite thorough cleaning but that they do not have any dedicated lines or facilities. In fact I was told this by all Campbell's brands, all of which we avoid. We also avoid Ragu (which is Unilever?) because of the same thing and I think Chef Boyardee is Con Agra which we mostly avoid (same issue). Pepperidge Farm has also told people (including me) that if the concern is peanuts or tree nuts, none of their products contain peanut (not true-the refrigerated biscuits contain peanut flour) and that nearly everything else BUT graham goldfish are safe. Only thing is, graham goldfish have no warning and PF themselves are telling people they aren't safe. So the only way to know is to call? No thanks. Here's what they sent me in the past:

Pepperidge Farm follows all government regulations regarding the labeling of our products. In the case of the top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, wheat, soy and shellfish) we list those ingredients in the product ingredient statement, no matter how small the amount might be. We do not include any of those items under the broader listings of "spices" or "natural flavors". We recommend that consumers always check the ingredient statement and evaluate the product based on the statement.
If your concern is with Peanuts and Tree Nuts, I can tell you that at this point in time, none of our Goldfish Crackers(excluding Goldfish Grahams), Bread, Hamburger and Hot Dog Rolls, Croutons, Stuffing, Turnovers, Garlic Breads and Puff Pastry products currently use this ingredient. A few of our Cookie and Layer Cake products do contain Tree Nuts, but no Peanuts.
Our company policy is to clean and sanitize production equipment to minimize the risk of cross contact with any top allergens. In the case of just a handful of products, where we feel that despite the application of good manufacturing practices there may be some risk of cross contact, we will use a "may contain" statement on the label. Our decision to use a "May Contain" statement is made on a product-by-product basis with consumer safety being the ultimate goal.
So as a summary, if the ingredient statement does not list the allergen, and there is no "may contain" statement in the ingredient statement, you can be assured that we have done our best to eliminate cross contact and are not aware of any top allergen in the product.


For cheese we use sargento. They told me their natural cheeses are made in a peanut and tree nut free facility.

Last time I checked with Mondelez (Nabisco) they told me they do not have any dedicated lines but usually plain and double stuff oreos are on their own lines. No dedicated facilities whatsoever. The time before they told me something totally different. We do use any oreos without a warning though, with caution. I believe there's a recent write-up about oreos at snacksafely.com. We avoid all other Nabisco/Mondelez other than the occasional splurge on fig newtons and I will get their graham crackers if I can't find Keebler ones.

We trust any Hostess EXCEPT for anything made in plant 23000, which has walnuts in it.

Kellogg's/Keebler's will label for shared lines for peanut and tree nut only. They do not label for shared facilities.

We trust Frito Lay's labeling for peanut/tree nut.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Linden on May 22, 2015, 12:04:15 PM
Jessica that is exactly what we heard from Campbell's/Pepperidge Farm as well - that they only put May Contain if they feel there is still a risk after they have washed the line.

Title: Re: new please help
Post by: CMdeux on May 22, 2015, 02:48:27 PM
Our thinking is similar to Jessica's-- I do not trust Nabisco or Pepperidge Farms to label for low-level XC with pn/tn simply because they share lines without disclosing that on labels.  Kraft (and subsidiaries)-- a special circle of hell all its own shall be reserved just for them, since they won't even reveal the information when you call to ask.

I've begun to suspect that General Mills doesn't either, so we've become rather wary of them wrt breakfast items like cereal, though I definitely still use Gold Medal flour.



On the other hand, they do label VERY well for intentionally included ingredients, and their allergen handling must be very good indeed, since so few people have problems with them, and so many people DO use them (Nabisco, PF, GM, Kraft).   Some of them also treat sesame as a priority allergen-- which is HUGE if you must avoid sesame.

It's really individual.  DD's reaction threshold for some nuts is crazy, very crazy low-- and she HAS consistently reacted to Kraft products that 99% of people with her allergies use regularly without any trouble at all.  But we don't trust 'em.  Reactions trump any rationalizing I can do there-- they may not have ever TOLD me why it is that my kid can't eat marshmallows, in other words, but that doesn't mean that I don't know that they are quite regularly contaminated with one of her allergens.





Title: Re: new please help
Post by: Jessica on May 24, 2015, 03:33:26 AM
I agree about General Mills. They've gone from full disclosure to being very vague in emails. I switched to King Arthur flour-they told me that all of their "signature" flours (bread, white, whole wheat) are made in pn and tn free facilities. I also use Hodgson Mills who has a nice statement right on their website. I still do use GM and even some Kraft and Mondelez (as noted above) but if there's a readily available version from a more allergy-friendly company, I'll get that instead.
Title: Re: new please help
Post by: CMdeux on February 01, 2016, 08:17:13 PM
BUMP for someone looking for info on Ragu

Title: Re: new please help
Post by: CMdeux on February 01, 2016, 08:19:13 PM
Quote from: Jessica on May 22, 2015, 04:30:45 AM
I must be talking to the wrong people. Pepperidge Farm told me they clean well between products and will label if they feel there is cross contamination despite thorough cleaning but that they do not have any dedicated lines or facilities. In fact I was told this by all Campbell's brands, all of which we avoid. We also avoid Ragu (which is Unilever?) because of the same thing and I think Chef Boyardee is Con Agra which we mostly avoid (same issue). Pepperidge Farm has also told people (including me) that if the concern is peanuts or tree nuts, none of their products contain peanut (not true-the refrigerated biscuits contain peanut flour) and that nearly everything else BUT graham goldfish are safe. Only thing is, graham goldfish have no warning and PF themselves are telling people they aren't safe. So the only way to know is to call? No thanks. Here's what they sent me in the past:



Snipped and repeated.

PROBABLY,  Ragu is fine if the label reads okay, at least for nuts.