Food Alerts

From time to time the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reports finding undeclared gluten in products. We will post any alerts that have been reported during the last several months.

WHEAT - ONE OF THE 9 MOST COMMON FOOD ALLERGENS

April 6, 2009 - EXPANDED ALLERGY ALERT - Certain GLUTEN-FREE or WHEAT-FREE RICE BREADS made by HARVEST BAKERY contain undeclared wheat

April 4, 2009 - ALLERGY ALERT - CERTAIN GLUTEN-FREE OR WHEAT- FREE RICE BREADS MADE BY HARVEST BAKERY CONTAIN UNDECLARED WHEAT

January 31, 2009 - VARIOUS FOODS CONTAINING PEANUT PRODUCTS RECALLED BY PCA MAY CONTAIN SALMONELLA BACTERIA

COMPLETE LIST OF RECALLED PEANUT PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN CANADA - not all these products are gluten-free

More information may be obtained at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency web site.

What to do if you have concerns about food or therapeutic products

If you have complaints or concerns about ingredients, labelling, misrepresentation and/or gluten contamination of food, vitamins, drugs or supplements, you are encouraged to contact your local CCA Chapter, the National Office of the CCA, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). As the CCA works with the Federal Government on new legislation for food labelling and gluten-free certification, members can play an important role in letting the following agencies know what is going on in the marketplace today.

Food

If you are not satisfied with the reassurances you receive from manufacturers (on the product label, via email or over the phone) regarding the gluten-free status of a food item or an ingredient(s) thereof,

or

If the information you receive to your inquiries regarding the claim that a food item or an ingredient(s) thereof, does not conform to your understanding of the gluten-free guidelines set out by the CCA

or

If you have experienced what you think is gluten contamination from a food item, or ingredient thereof, purporting to be gluten-free, or have concerns regarding the mislabelling or misrepresentation of a food item labelled as gluten-free

Call CFIA's toll-free line at 1-800-442-2342 to find the CFIA office serving your area.

The CFIA may also be contacted using the CFIA website's "Web Comments and Feedback Form".

Therapeutic Products (Drugs and Natural Health Products)

These include prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbal remedies and supplements.

If you are not satisfied with the reassurances you receive from manufacturers (one the product label, via email or over the phone), regarding the gluten-free status of a therapeutic product or an ingredient(s) thereof,

or

If the answers you receive to your inquiries regarding the claim that the therapeutic product, or an ingredient(s) thereof, is gluten-free does not conform to your understanding of the guidelines set out by the CCA

or

If you have experienced what you think is gluten contamination from a therapeutic product purporting to be gluten-free

Call Health Canada, Drug Compliance Verification and Investigation Unit at (613) 952-9906 or sent an email.

For guidance and additional contact information please refer to "How to Submit a Consumer Complaint".

Thanks to Ellen Bayens, Victoria Chapter, for this contribution.
Printed in Celiac News, Volume 22, Issue 2, June 2008