ALLERGEN CODING - PLEASE READ!

 

Our goal at Allergy Grocer is to make your life easier so you can spend more time enjoying meals and snack times.  Your health is our #1 priority and we take your food concerns seriously!  Since each person’s sensitivity and reaction to foods is unique, we feel it safer to remove any interpretation and just state the facts so YOU can decide if a food is safe for you. Please note: While we complete the coding online, some products may still use our old “free of’” coding and not show up in the new search features.  Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 

 

Allergen Coding Defined:

Specific plant conditions for ALL Allergy Grocer products are noted using the following categories:

 

INGREDIENTS: Product ingredients including sources, derivatives, extractives, or processing aids are listed here.  A question mark (?) is used if an ingredient source is not known as yet. “May contain” allergen statements are also listed here & further explained in the “Allergen Notes” section below.

 

(DATE):  The date we last checked with the company.

 

DEDICATED PLANT:  If an allergen is listed here, the company has provided a statement that the noted allergen, including sources/derivatives, is not used in their plant, as this product. 

 

DEDICATED ROOM:  If an allergen is listed here, the company has provided a statement that the noted allergen, including sources/derivatives/extractives, is not used in the same room, as this product. 

 

DEDICATED LINE:  If an allergen is listed here, the company has provided a statement that the noted allergen, including sources/derivatives/extractives, is not used on the same equipment as  this product.  This does not mean others equipment in the same room is not potentially making foods with this allergen at the same time.

 

POTENTIAL SHARED LINES: If an allergen is listed here, other products using the noted allergen, including sources/derivatives/extractives, are made on the same equipment as this product OR they cannot guarantee dedicated equipment is used.  Equipment may or may not be cleaned between runs.

 

ALLERGEN NOTES: Specific testing procedures used will be noted here.

 

Allergens Noted:

q       Wheat: Includes wheat, wheat starch, spelt, triticale, & kamut, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Gluten: Includes all wheat (see above), barley, rye, oats (exception-see below), & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Oats:  Includes all forms, & derivatives/extractives.  Certified Gluten-Free oats will be identified specifically; these will be considered “Gluten-Free” for plant conditions.

q       Rye: Includes all rye, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Barley:  Includes all barley, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Dairy: Includes all dairy, casein, whey, & lactose, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Casein: Includes all casein, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Lactose: Includes all lactose, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Whey: Includes all whey, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Peanut: Includes all forms of peanut, & & derivatives/extractives of. Allergen Note: Also includes Lupine, which has been found to trigger reactivity in many peanut-sensitive individuals, & therefore not considered peanut-safe.

q       Tree Nuts: Includes all forms of ANY tree nuts, & & derivatives/extractives of.  Allergen Note:  Coconut is now considered a tree nut by FDA standards when discussing allergens. 

q       Egg: Includes both egg yolks & egg whites, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Soy: Includes soy protein, soy lecithin, & soy oil, and derivatives/extractives of.

q       Soy Protein: Includes soy protein, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Soy Lecithin: Includes soy lecithin, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Soy Oil: Includes soy oil, & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Fish: Includes all fish & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Shellfish: Includes all crustaceans & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Sesame: Includes sesame, ground sesame, sesame seeds, & Tahini, & derivatives/extractives of. Allergen Note: Sesame seeds are considered a category 2-type nut allergy & MAY affect some nut intolerant people.

q       Corn: Includes cornstarch, corn syrup, corn derived dextrose, corn derived alcohol, & corn protein, & derivatives of. Allergen Notes: Xanthan, which is always processed from some carbohydrate source (wheat, soy, corn, or dairy) whether declared or not, is typically from corn syrup & if so is considered a derivative of corn.  

q       Rice: Includes brown & white rice, & derivatives of. Sweet Rice is botanically different from white & brown rice & is not listed here.

q       (White) Potato: Includes ONLY white potatoes, which are part of the nightshade family. Sweet potatoes & yams are NOT included here.

q       Sugar: Includes naturally found cane or beet sugars; evaporated cane sugar, cane syrup, corn syrup, molasses, & fruit or fructose, & derivatives/extractives of. Does NOT include simple or complex starches that may metabolize to become sugars or sugar alcohols. Allergen Note: At this time Miss Roben's mixes use both cane & beet sugars.

q       Yeast: Includes Brewer’s & Baker’s yeast, & derivatives/extractives of.  Does not include potential “yeast feeders” like sugar, vinegars, or starches.

q       Sulfates/Sulfites: Includes ingredients that have been processed using Sulfites & Sulfates are included here.

q       Onions:  Includes onions of any type & & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Garlic: Includes garlic & derivatives/extractives of.

q       Feingold^®1 or 2: means this is an acceptable Stage One or Two Feingold^® program food.

q       Best Seller :  Identifies our best selling products & ingredients.

q       Kid Friendly :  Identifies product we have found to be very popular & especially kid-friendly in taste, texture, & appearance.

q       New Item :  Identifies this is a new item for Allergy Grocer.

q       Kosher: Products that can provide documentation they are certified Kosher will be identified Parve or Dairy & with the agency that certifies them.

q       Gluten-Free: Products that can provide documentation they are certified as Gluten-Free will be identified with the agency that certifies them.  This does not mean products not identified as such are any less or more “clean”, only that they have not been certified.

q       Organic: Products that can provide documentation they are certified Organic will be identified.  Many companies use organic products when able but require certification to be deemed organic.

q       Vegan: Products that can provide documentation they are certified Vegan will be identified.  This does not mean products not identified as not acceptable for a Vegan diet, only that they have not been certified.

q       Gmo-Free:  Products that can provide documentation they use ingredients that are not genetically modified are noted as such.

 

We make every effort to provide the most accurate information, & keep it updated, even scrutinizing food labels each time products are delivered.  However we are human, limited in how frequently we can re-check manufacturers, & can make mistakes.  Ingredients & practices can change overnight & without warning, making our information quickly out-of-date.   Manufacturing procedures & ingredients can change at any time.  For these reasons & your safety, please re-read all food labels & call the actual manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns BEFORE consumption.  Each manufacturer’s contact information is posted on our website at http://www.allergygrocer.com/id1262.html.  We are happy to refund or credit you for any unusable product you find unsuitable after purchase. If you find any discrepancies in information, please notify us as soon as possible so we can make the corrections.  Please contact us if you notice any errors in our information. For medical or dietary advice, please consult your personal physician &/or nutrition specialist. Miss Roben's cannot assume liability for any adverse reactions encountered when consuming these products. 

 

 

Processing Details For ALL Miss Roben’s Mixes

All Miss Roben’s mixes are made & packaged in our own DEDICATED PLANT with NO Wheat, Gluten, Barley, Rye, Oats (unless certified as Gluten-Free) Dairy, Casein, Whey, Lactose, Peanut (including Lupine), Tree Nuts, Egg, Fish, Seafood, Sesame, or Soy* (except soy lecithin present in one pre-made chocolate chip that is hand bagged in another room to prevent cross contamination).  Our ingredient suppliers are carefully selected for the same allergen purity, GMO-free status, & sulfite-free status whenever possible.  Staff has extensive allergen education & utilizes strict allergen protocols for manufacturing & cleaning to minimize risk of cross contact with any ingredients we use.  Currently we only test for the presence of wheat and gluten allergens but plans are underway to provide testing of other allergens in the near future. 

 

Risk of cross contact with any other ingredients used in our plant is minimized by only allowing one mix/ingredient to be prepared or packaged at a time.  All equipment & rooms are extensively cleaned each & every time there is any change in ingredients.  Any yeast found in our mixes are prepackaged & always optional (they can be safely omitted from any of our mixes without further modifications with excellent results).  Our yeast is derived using one of 3 potential sources, currently beet or cane molasses, but in future may be corn too, & may contain ascorbic acid (potentially from corn).  Xanthan when used is potentially processed using corn syrup. Items from other manufacturers we sell remain PREPACKAGED & kept in our separate warehouse away from our mixes & ingredients. The salt used in any of our mixes is free of iodine & corn. At this time negligible amounts of sulfites are used in processing our potato and tapioca starches.  We are working to find sulfite-free suppliers for these ingredients.

 

 

 

Click Here for More Information on Food Processing Industry Terms

 

More Information on Food Processing Industry Terms

Food processing is a convoluted industry.  Manufacturers use a variety of methods, raw ingredient suppliers, & processing conditions to create their end product.  Standards & ingredients change from country to country.  The final product may go through many hands & processes before the product is completed for sale; be processed in one facility but packaged in another; go through several different plants before completion; or made or packaged in different plants during different times of the year.

 

Raw ingredient suppliers may grow &/or process multiple ingredients in the same facility on the same machines, introducing the potential for cross contact.  Manufacturers select ingredients based on their primary goal (e.g. price, quality, availability, or purity) & often obtain raw ingredients from multiple sources.  Whether the raw ingredients is selected for allergen purity or based on allergen testing is the manufacturer’s independent decision.

 

Every company uses current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP or GMP), established by the Food & Drug Administration.  GMP, the minimum sanitary & processing requirements established prior to actual production, ensures the safety & integrity of food, reducing the potential for allergens accidentally getting into foods during production (e.g. by cross contact using shared lines or equipment).   Companies can implement Hazards & Critical Analysis Control Points (HACCP).  HAACP is a voluntary program a company devises to identify & prevent potential hazards of food safety during the actual manufacturing process, & implement procedures should a hazard occur.  GMP is the minimal standard for food safety; an effective HACCP program is the gold standard in the industry. Not all manufacturers have a HACCP program in place.

 

“Dedicated plants” attempt to minimize the risk of cross contact with potential allergens by not permitting open sources of that raw ingredient or derivative in the plant.  The decision to select raw ingredients on the basis of purity or test for the presence of food allergens in the final product is up to the individual.  The term “dedicated lines” only means that specific production line is limited to certain products & ingredients.  There is no industry rule about others lines potentially running simultaneously with same allergens, which could raise the risk level for potential cross contact. This again is an individual company decision.

 

While Allergy Grocer attempts to locate companies using dedicated plants & lines, “shared lines” are more common in the food industry. Large companies stay profitable by producing huge volumes of multiple different products at one time.  Typically multiple products are made, one after another, on the same production line (known as “shared lines”) or on multiple, different lines simultaneously in the same portion of the plant.  To minimize potential cross contact risks, an “ascending line of production” can be used.  Ascending lines of production starts by making food with the least allergenic ingredients first & progressing to the food with the most allergenic ingredients last, with a thorough, extensive washing of all equipment before beginning production again.  Once again, companies independently make the decisions to use ascending lines of production.

 

Companies may or may not or have allergen policies & HACCP procedures in place; large companies typically do.  In fact a large company using shared lines, HACCP & allergen procedures may in fact be a SMALLER risk than a small company using dedicated lines.  Even with GMP & excellent HACCP food recalls still occur. 

 

“May contain” statements can be confusing.  How & when these allergen advisory food labeling statements are used are currently at the manufacturer’s discretion; currently there are no established requirements or guidelines for the use of on packages.   They are designed to alert customers of potential cross contact from allergens used in the same plant.  Since there is no regulation how & when to use them, it can increase customer confusion & their avoidance of a potentially safe product. 

 

Even with the best cGMP, HACCP, dedicated plant, carefully sourced ingredients, & routine allergen testing, no manufacturer can completely guarantee “NO risk” or 100% “Free of” status.  It is neither practical nor good policy.  Given the complexity of the food industry, companies cannot control every portion of the food chain (from plant to packaging), even with careful sourcing of ingredients.  And even if every ingredient & finished product was tested for allergens, there are still limitations to the sensitivity & accuracy of allergen testing.