Is Amy’s pizza really gluten free?
Update on 11/22/11: Amy’s Kitchen has graciously responded to the following post. See the comments section below the post.
This is not going to be an anti-Amy’s post. Honestly, it’s not. This is really more about the FDA than anything else, but I am using Amy’s as an example because they seem like good people who care about their customers a great deal and if we can get them to make a change, perhaps others will follow suit.
Take a look at the above picture and you tell me what seems amiss. (C’mon…I’ve even highlighted it to help you out.)
If you want to call your foods gluten-free, you simply cannot make it in a facility that processes wheat.
I’ve had celiac disease for five years and am as sensitive as they come. I swear if there is a bread-crumb within a half mile of me, I get sick. If there is the slightest risk that I could get glutened, I simply won’t eat the food.
But this was not always the case. Upon my diagnosis, I did what I’m sure most new celiacs do. I headed to the store and raided the gluten-free aisle. Sure the prices were triple what the exact the same item would cost if it had no gluten. But hey…I can have pizza still! Woo-hoo! And this is the way I ate for a bit. Funny thing is, I wasn’t healing. I constantly felt ill. Then I began checking the labels of the so-called gluten free foods and I’d say half of them were made in a facility that processes wheat.
Was this causing me to get sick? Who knows for sure. But the fact is, because of the FDA dragging their heels and standardizing what “gluten-free” really means, any schmoe can boast that their product is gluten free. The following is directly from the FDA website:
Currently, there is no FDA regulation that defines the term “gluten-free.” However, FDA has not objected to the use of the term “gluten-free” in the labeling of foods, provided that when such a claim is made, it is truthful and not misleading.
Ummm…ok…so we just need to trust the companies that they are putting people ahead of profits. Uh-huh. Call me a skeptic, but when has this ever been the case?
Which brings me back to Amy’s. Far be it from me to tell anyone how to run their business. But as I said earlier, you seem like one of the good guys. But I will not eat any of your products because they are made in a facility that processes wheat. And how many others are out there like me? I wonder how much business you’re losing. Perhaps a little. Perhaps a lot.
My question to you is this. Would you consider building a separate facility for all of your foods that you label gluten-free so it removes all risk of cross-contamination? I know it’s a large added cost, but with all due respect, the above pizza was $8.99 in the store yesterday. That must make a tidy profit for you.
So Andy and Rachel…I challenge you to be an industry-leader and set an example for others to follow. Don’t wait for the FDA. Think of all of the celiacs you’ll make happy. And dang it, you’ll just feel good about yourselves.
And of course, I will once again buy your products. They really are delicious!
ShelbysKitchen
200 days ago
This is a huge pet peeve of mine, right after restaurants who say they have gluten-free menus only to find out they have no idea what gluten-free is. I agree with your stance on labeling, it has to be regulated. “Gluten-free” is becoming what “organic” once was. Everyone can slap a label on something and call it gluten-free, but as the consumer, we still have to do the leg work to make sure it is edible for us. #annoying!
The Gluten Dude
200 days ago
Totally.
Was in the store yesterday asking about a chicken to see if it was gluten-free. The employee said it must be gluten free because it’s organic. Ugh.
The Gluten Dude
179 days ago
I received the following email from Amy’s Kitchen. Thought you’d like to read it.
Hi Gluten Dude,
We appreciate your thoughts on our Gluten Free products and felt we owed you a response to your challenge. Way before gluten free became a household name our owners championed this line of products to serve gluten intolerant consumers like you who need good tasting and nutritious GF meals. Some of these GF intolerant consumers happened to be among their own family and friends. Whilst our GF product offerings and demand have grown, we have always done everything possible to assure our gluten free products are just that, free of gluten. In addition to testing all high risk ingredients used in our gluten free meals upon receipt, we also test all finished goods for the presence of gluten. Amy’s follows Good Manufacturing Practices, which include a wide range of activities and cross checks completed, for all of our meals to ensure that there is never an instance of cross contamination.
You do bring up an interesting point about our label statement that these GF products are “manufactured in a facility that processes foods containing wheat.” Although it may sound contradictory to our GF claims, years back we decided to add this statement after talking with some of our most sensitive GF consumers. These consumers told us that they would prefer to know this via a label statement, so that they could personally decide for themselves whether they could safely consume our products given their high sensitivity. Although we do make our GF pizzas, wraps, and cookies in a gluten free only processing room we wouldn’t feel comfortable removing this statement given our consumers feedback, despite our confidence in the gluten free nature of our products.
Thank you for your shared passion for all things gluten free,
Amy’s Kitchen
Christine
127 days ago
I totally agree with you. I never buy anything from this company either and for the same reasons.
The Gluten Dude
127 days ago
It’s a shame Christine, because they really seem like good people and their food is pretty dang good. But I do believe they are missing out on a chunk of their target audience by not having a gluten free facility.
Marleena
97 days ago
With this staement from Amy’s letter to you explain how there is a cross contamination issue for the Gluten Free Pizzas, Wraps and Cookies?
“Although we do make our GF pizzas, wraps, and cookies in a gluten free only processing room”
If they only make gluten free products there on that line than where would the cross come from? I towuld seem to me there would be no chance of cross.
The Gluten Dude
97 days ago
Makes your head spin sometimes, doesn’t it?
Marleena
97 days ago
Yep. Even after 18 years there’s so much to learn and watch out for.