Archive for December, 2008
Happy New Year!
As we approach the end of the year, I want to extend gratitude to the wonderful Apple's Bakery staff and customers for making 2008 so rewarding. This year, with the help of those ever-devoted employees and patrons, Apple's branched out to include gluten-free baked goods as well as additional dairy- and nut-free items to our menu. We've formed new partnerships with grocery stores to sell our delicious products. Our staff has grown along with our kitchen. We've added new photographs and features to our website.
Yet, as Apple's Bakery continues to grow, we still remain true to our mission. Apple's Bakery will always be a warm, welcoming home away from home where smiles are made from scratch.
Happy New Year and the best to you and yours! Look for new posts in 2009.
Negligence in Gluten-Free Food Labeling
Back in August, I posted on gluten-free product labeling and how the FDA has taken strides to achieve higher food labeling standards. I recently read an article in The Chicago Tribune, however, that has changed my thinking.
In "Children at risk in food roulette," Tribune reporter Sam Roe describes how mislabeling food products is just as negligent as leaving the label blank. According to the Tribune's investigation, many "manufacturers mislabel their products and regulators fail to police store shelves." These products include candy, cookies, and ice creams- foods targeted at children. When individuals with food allergies-including a large number of children-ingest many of these seemingly harmless foods, they can suffer life-threatening symptoms.
The investigation followed the case of a Kentucky woman who bought Wellshire chicken nuggets-labeled as gluten-free-for her three-year old son, who has a severe wheat allergy. When the boy ate the nuggets, "he started coughing, his eyes swelled and he had trouble breathing." His mom contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the food manufacturer, and Wellshire Farms, all to no avail. The companies took down her information but did not recall the product.
The Tribune sent the Wellshire chicken nuggets to a leading food-allergy testing lab in Nebraska and found the product contained high amounts of gluten.
The reasons for mislabeling are the result of "weak and murky federal rules," the article said. Gluten-free labeling is still relatively new to the U.S. so manufacturers don't have to follow the same labeling regulations when it comes to gluten as they do with meat and dairy products.
For more information, read the full article, watch the video on food testing, and check out the Tribune's database of recalled food here.
Cookies on Display
As I’ve previously posted, Apple’s Bakery’s fresh gluten-free products are now available at all Chicagoland Treasure Island Foods stores. Here’s a picture of our scrumptious cookie display at one of the Treasure Island stores:
