h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This entry states that Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes are suitable for a gluten free diet.

This is not true (and was brought up in peer review). The Kellogs website confirms this. They contain malt which contains gluten.

Can a disclaimer be put onto this page saying that it is NOT health advice and contains information that would make people requiring gluten free diets very sick?

Sorry about that, I'll try to get it amended.

No worries, I've fixed that for you now.

There are some other problems, although they are less obvious:

Stir frys are also dangerous - soy sauce is ubiquitous in commercially made stir fries and it is made with wheat. Traditional wok cooking does not wash the wok between customers and so you always get to eat some of the previous customers' lunches. As they will certainly have eaten soy sauce in their meals, the left over gluten in the wok will contaminate your food regardless of the sauce you choose.

Stir fries at home are great.

Chips are often problematic - frozen chip producers use flour to stop the frozen potato chips sticking together and clumping in the fryer. You always need to check with the kitchen. The comment in the piece about deep fryers being contaminated by fragments batter and flour from previous cooking is well made.

Whoops - I see you have already captured the stir fry comment.

The weekly menu down the bottom still contains the dreaded malted breakfast cereals.

I've fixed the table. Also, I believe Tamari is an accepted alternative to soy sauce in that it's from soy beans only, not from wheat.

Hi, I was just checking with some other online sources, and the acceptability of the Kelloggs cereals depends on whether you are in the UK or the US: the low level of gluten in the malt flavouring falls below the limit in the UK and so they can be classed as gluten free, although that doesn't mean that some people still find that they give problems.

There are specifically labelled gf rice and corn cereals available, so I think the menu planner probably just needs a little tweak to cover that.

Thanks eds for your prompt attention to this

I have always been a bit suprised that soya sauce contained no soya beans. I discovered that it can be made from soy, wheat or rice but it is always called soy sauce.

Maybe it is the same as Balsamic vinegar. The cheap stuff could be made from anything - it is just coloured salty/sweet goo. The good stuff, made with natural yeasts and traditional fermentation techniques, costs as much as you like (and more) and is subtly flavoured and free from most nasties.

The problem is that no standard commercial kitchen would use the good stuff in their woks so gluten free people simply can't eat from them. However, at home you can own the most traditional types of soya sauce if you like but it does mean you actually have to cook if you want to enjoy them!

Traditionally Tamari is gluten fre but still check the labels as there are some cheap imitations on the market.

As a ceoliac I find going into hospital very difficult as most hospital workers to not understand the problem of contamination.
Take your own toaster and make sure the staff understand not to use it for anyone else.

I am curious that the UK products are classified gluten free. Their UK website (which is all I looked at to be honest) says that they are not.

http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/products/

The range of things you can check is on the left. I am aware that truth in advertising laws can cause problems with the term "gluten free" - that is, in Australia if there is any measurable gluten if cannot be labelled as "gluten free". Even if last years' techniques were unable to measure it, if they can measure it now, the label must go even if the measurement is quite safe threashold (under 20ppm or whatever it is).

Chocolate can also be problematic in the UK, presumably because of factory contamination (see the comment on oven chips). I've had mild symptoms after eating some brands of chocolate even if wheat and gluten products are not listed as ingredients. Some Waitrose own brand choc is explicitly listed as gluten-free online, but not on the wrapper. When I emailed about possible contamination after eating some they simply listed the ingredients back to me!

Rule of thumb I use now is that if it doesn't say "gluten free" on the packet, I won't eat it. Also had bad allergy advice at Wagamama's in Oxford (soba noodles apparently gluten-free!) and at Zizzi's in Cambridge (risotto). The general level of ignorance and negligence makes eating out a hazardous enterprise.

Thank you, thank you, kind people. I have been eating Rice Krispy Treats for months now, thinking they were safe, and was just wondering today why I felt sick and incurred the wrath of my pre-op nurse...

NOW what can I eat?

The frozen french-fry tip is great, also. You may have saved my life.

I live in the UK and I have been advised by the Coeliac Society that the Malt levels in practically all cereals is now at a level that is deemed too high for Coeliacs to safely consume. Malt is usually derived from Barley. Kellogs as a result from this finding have removed the suitability wording that they had on their packets. I was gutted when I couldn't eat Frosties anymore without getting sick.

If you see Malt derived from Barley - I'd avoid it. Always double check labels to be sure. Stick to plain breakfast cereal, Kallo's puff rice or their Honey version is ok and so is Dove Farm Organics - Chocolate Stars for those who like some chocolate in the morning and great for kids too. These companies do use Malt but derive it from corn or rice.

I've lived on a gluten free diet and I would not give anyone duff advice.

Another thing I'd forgot to mention, always question what people in restaurants tell you. Only last week I was at a conference in London and lunch was provided. The chef was trying to convince me that Cous Cous was gluten free. I spent a good five minutes explaining that it is impossible as it is made from wheat. He then offered me a cheese sandwich instead - I gave up trying to reason with him and headed for the fruit bowl!

Hi Victoria, if you check out Asda their own brand of Frosties, Honey Nut flakes etc. My partner who is Ceoliac eats them.

This article is at best misleading and in some places just wrong!
Modified starch does NOT always contain gluten. I believe the ingredients of Kellogs cereals have not changed, just the sensitivity and accuracy of the test - if it didn't make you ill before I don't think it will now.
Ready made gluten free bread is no longer revolting! Have you not tried the fresh bread from both Juvela and Glutafin? The Genius loaf supplied by Tescos is also fine.
Chips from the chippy are not suitable for a gluten free diet - the presence of batter in the oil means that it's not just the most sensitive of coeliacs that need to beware.
This article is presented in a knowlegeable and formal manner but is truly only the expression of personal opinion. Unfortunately many readers will accept this as the medical fact. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing - at least put a proviso that it's not written by a gastro-enterologist or specialised dietitian. There is so much mis-information about the coeliac condition, it is a shame to (however well-meaning) to contribute to that.

Unfortunately even this can be problematic, as electrical appliances need to be certified before use - a domestic appliance brought from your home may be refused!

Sorry the last post was in answer to the earlier one about taking your own toaster if you go into hospital.
As for the comments about cooks/chefs not understanding the problem, unfortunately the same appears to be true of at least some hospitals - my 80 year old mother, who is coeliac, dreads the possibility of having to go into hospital, as on ocassions she has been put in the situation of leaving in worse condition than she went in because of the diet or just eat nothing at all because the catering staff have no idea about the condition.

The opening paragraph does have an unfortunate focus on wheat rather than all of the cereals that contain gluten or gluten like chemicals in the case of oats.

A number of people confuse the coeliac disease with a food alergy. Coeliac disease refers occurs when intestines stop working in the presence of the protien known as gluten. If there is any gluten in the intestine, then no nutrients from any other food will be absorbed at all.

Gluten is a desirable protien because it is sticky and stringy and it is heat resistant. It makes food hold together and thicken evenly no matter how hot they get (e.g. bread, cakes and sauces). Because cereals containing gluten are so useful, they are also cheap. Thus anything that needs a cheap filler, will often use gluten based cereals (including prescription medicines).

The fact that malted barley makes things taste nice because it is sweet on tongue (i.e. easily converts into sugar) means that it is used everywhere from the fermentation of beer to, Mars Bars and Corn Flakes.

I have also known food serving staff to mistake gluten for a high-sounding synonym for sugar.



PS: This thread maybe the ultimate collaborative entry on living life as a coeliac!

Hi keglette, welcome to h2g2 and thank you very much indeed for your comments - and indeed, everybody else for theirs. h2g2 is a community-based website and all our content is written by members of the public. Conversations in threads like these can greatly add to the sum of knowledge around a topic and to the given Entry itself. Indeed, conversations threads *are* part of the Entry. So your contributaions are greatly welcome here. And wherever there are glaring factual errors we will certainly fix them.