Those of us that live in the U.S. know how important it is to carefully read food labels. There is no law requiring companies to list when products contain gluten. There is a law covering the eight major allergens, including wheat, but wheat-free does not always equal gluten-free. Some people seem to think that disclaimers such as “Contains Wheat and Soy” are mandatory on product labels, but in fact, they are not.
Wheat and other allergens do have to be listed in the ingredients, but they do not have to be called out in any type of disclaimer. Calling the FDA can confirm that fact. Many people are getting sick because they don’t know how to properly read labels and some of them specifically look for a disclaimer about wheat even though wheat is not the only form of gluten that a product can contain in the first place. Part of the confusion is caused by misinformation about U.S. labeling laws being posted online.
An instructor at a Whole Foods gluten-free cooking class I attended in 2008 stated that all forms of gluten must be listed on labels in the U.S. The law has not changed since then so no, gluten does not have to legally be listed on U.S. products, period. As careful as I try to be, I’ve gotten home with a marinade or dressing that I had to return because wheat was buried in the tiny ingredient text and there was no disclaimer on the label about wheat. It was my own mistake for being guilty of looking for the disclaimer about wheat which doesn’t cover all forms of gluten anyway.
When shopping at Fresh Market recently, I threw a box of Nueva Cocina Mexican Rice Mix into the cart. There are very few such mixes that are gluten and MSG free and I’ve been enjoying that mix for a couple of years now. Imagine my surprise when I went to put up the groceries and noticed the “wheat free” on the front of the box. The lighting at our Fresh Market is a joke and it’s nearly impossible to read the labels even with reading glasses on. However, I didn’t bother to try and read the label on the box of rice since I’ve bought it so many times before and it’s always been labeled gluten-free.
After checking the Nueva Cocina website and seeing that the rice mix was listed as gluten-free there, I had to call the company to find out if the product had actually changed or if only the packaging had. The ingredients are clear and there do not seem to be any gluten ingredients listed, but the package states that the item is made in a facility that processes wheat and that the product is made with “non-wheat” ingredients. The disclaimer has always been there, but it said “non-gluten ingredients” instead of “non-wheat ingredients” up until recently.
Speaking to a representative from Nueva Cocina made me feel comfortable about eating the Mexican Rice Mix with the text change on the box. The company moved into a different facility and wanted to get everything checked out for safety regarding allergens. The change to the packaging was a temporary measure due to the move. Future packages of items that are gluten-free, including the Mexican Rice Mix, will soon have the gluten-free listing on the box again.
Whew – what a relief! It is almost impossible to find a Mexican rice mix that is free of both gluten and MSG. This mix is not made with animal products, is made with all-natural ingredients, and doesn’t contain any preservatives. The Rice Mix for Chicken is also an exceptional product. I look forward to trying more gluten-free products from this line in the future!
That is god to know about Nueva Cocina, that has always been my favorite rice mix too! Also also good that I now know where to find it in this area. In Chicago I would find it at Whole Foods, but have not seen it at the ones around me yet.
I found the new boxes with the gluten-free on them at Publix, but not all locations carry the same items. My store has a particularly large health/gluten-free section.
Wow! Thanks for the article. I always pay close attention to the packaging when I’m making purchases, but reminders are definitely useful (and my boyfriend could use them too!!)
But, most importantly, I wanted to thank you for letting me know about Nueva Cocina products. They aren’t carried in my local Publix’s gluten-free section and I’d never heard them mentioned before. I miss the convenience of having a “rice mix” on hand to toss together a quick meal, so I was delighted to see your postive comments. I just came back from placing a $50 order for a variety of stuff!
Lisa – You’re very welcome! I hope you like the products you ordered. These days, there are more and more convenience items that are gluten-free, but not all of them are healthy in terms of ingredients. This line does a good job using natural ingredients to make delicious food. Enjoy!