Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group So I decided enough was enough and went to the GP

i didn't look at this carefully, but on quick glance it looked like it might be helpful:

http://www.glutenfreechecklist.com/o/key...CFUSo4AodR0eLQg

Thanks .

Most of the dark chocolates for sale in the UK say "may cobntain traces of cereal" or something similar, because they're made on the same lines as products containing cereals. The Lindt says only nuts and soy so you would expect it to be ok, but their website says http://www.lindt.com/ca/swf/eng/information/faqs/ (scroll down a bit). I have no idea why they think it is acceptable not to list gluten or barley malt as a possible contaminant on the packaging.

Maize/ corn- I get the same reaction to that as I do to gluten. It was the first intolerance I noticed after stopping gluten. Then oats. Then I went grain free.

Horsewoman,
do you belong to the UK Coeliac society? I do, and get their annual foodlist, which lists definitely safe stuff. Must admit I don't check it very often as I usually rely on package labelling or known foods.

It is possible that if your package didn't say that it contained gluten, that it didn't. I know with some other chocolate manufacturers that produce in different factories, it matters where that particular bar is made. Mars bars are a classic - the different sizes all have different ingredients even though they are the same thing, and some sizes are gluten free and some aren't because of which country they are made in.

As I said, I first go by package labelling, but if I am not sure, then I check with the Coeliac society gluten free food guide.

Re: the Lindt stuff - I'd do a really strong letter to them asking to explain why it says "contains gluten" on the website but not on the packaging.

Not quite sure where UK is at for labelling now of imported products. I find it much safer now than when they were using the Codex standard (which allowed low levels of gluten in labelled gluten free things) as I was sensitive to traces. New labelling where gluten free really is gluten free is much better for me.

Interesting that you are also sensitive to maize. I'm hearing of more and more people with coeliac disease who can't handle maize at all with the same symptoms as gluten. I'm actually worse with maize than gluten now. Rice is usually fine for me (though I don't eat it often), as are potatoes (again infrequently) so I don't think it is starches in general that upsets me. Low starch diet works well.

Since it says on the Lindt website that the dark chocolate bars are made on the same line as bars containing barley malt, and that they cannot be stated to be gluten free, I really think it should have barley malt or gluten listed in the "may contain traces of" section on the labelling. I tried to email them but it asked me for all kinds of product codes etc so I gave up lol. I also found celiac sites where people said they reacted to it before finding out it has possible cross-contamination. It may not have been enough to affect me, who knows, but I am cutting it out now for that reason and because it contains starch, so I'll see what happens.

I do belong to Coeliac UK, but as I am also severely intolerant to corn, and now grain free, it doesn't really apply much to me anyway. I agree with the Glutenology people, that grains are not safe for celiacs. I have found wheat or barley grains in Sainsburys millet, and even some rolled wheat-type grains mixed into a bag of "Allergycare" branded buckwheat flakes. I feel better off grains anyway, and subscribed to the paleo diet even before discovering going low starch helped so much with my joint pain. But weven sweet potatoes trigger joint pain for me.

I am really glad about the new labelling standard. Will make things clearer. Pringles can't get away with saying "gluten free wheat starch" any more, which is good because they glutened my friend. Waitrose labelling I find difficult, as they mark everything that is from wheat, so it'll say "glucose syrup from wheat" for example, but I don't really know whether that should concern me or not. Probably because I just don't want to hear that I can't eat practically every dessert they've ever made lol.

I can, for a week or two at least, live in hope that it has been glutening me and that I will feel better soon.