Maya's Happy Place

Many of you might have heard the news. An internationally publicized buyout that will hit those of us in the food allergy and Celiac communities hard and not knowing what the future has in store is hitting many of us bloggers, food allergy moms and severely sensitive ones with agita.For years, we’ve looked at Enjoy Life Foods as the leader in the food allergy community. My trust was even more solidified when I had the pleasure of hearing Joel Warady speak at FABlogCon 2014 about Enjoy Life’s strict manufacturing practices.

We’re more than a bit leary about a allergy-friendly company being bought out by an international powerhouse company like Mondolez International.

Many of us try a new product which is labeled ‘soy free’ or ‘gluten free’ only to be burned by a reaction soon after because the gluten parts per million also known as PPM is too high for the extremely sensitive among us. Or maybe there is a soy derivative like tocopherol acetate or guar gum which contains up to 10% soy protein yet labeling for soy is considered ‘unnecessary’.

If we know we can die or get sick, we’re skeptical. Can you blame us?

The acquisition of Enjoy Life Foods by Mondolez International is actually a turning point for the food allergy and gluten-free community.

Why? Because this is a marriage. Although I’ve never been legally wed, we all know within a marriage, each partner shares secrets.Well, if it’s a good one, anyway. Obviously, if Mondolez Int. wants to keep and acquire more loyal customers in the food allergy community and beyond, they will adhere to Enjoy Life’s strict policies and guidelines and maybe even integrate some of those policies into their classic brands.

When I looked at the list of foods that Mondolez International produces, a thousand thoughts flooded my head. The Mondolez Brand family includes some of America’s favorite snacks, including Chips Ahoy, Kraft Philadelphia, Ritz, Toblerone chocolate, Cadbury, Dentyne gum, Halls, Trident gum, Premium saltines, Nabisco and several others. But the one that really jumped out at me was Oreo. I’ve tried finding a gluten-free soy-free Oreo to no avail, because the one kind that exists out there still contains guar gum which I get allergic reactions to.

This is when I decided this needs to be on their radar. I believe in putting things into the universe. I mean, why the heck not?

 Special Request to Enjoy Life Foods and Mondolez International for Future Allergy-Friendly and Gluten-Free Foods

Before you create any new products, can you please make sure your future products are free of the following:

guar gum – (since many of us with soy allergy are allergic and those allergic to pea and legume family are, too).

pea protein (legume family, which many with peanut allergy and soy allergy are allergic to)

lentils (legume family)

olive oil (since many are faked)

vegetable oil

GMOs (many are soy derivatives or cross react for those with Brazil nut allergy)

tocopherol acetate (soy derivative)

xanthan gum (if you use this, please make sure it is not soy-derived)

…and any of the soy derivatives on this list!  

As you all can see, as long as we make sure companies we know and love are aware, there is unlimited potential for this marriage. For this reason, I propose a virtual top 8 free and gluten-free champagne toast!

Here’s to many happy, insightful and lucrative years together!