Kellogg Changes - Petition

[SilverLining]

I had been wondering if this really was NOT an ingredient change such as an actual ADDITION of peanut flour, but rather a manufacturing change to a facility where now the items are a "may contain" due to unintended Xcontam and peanut flour in other crackers made in same facility?

And now I've seen some postings as to Kelloggs that perhaps this is the case?  (But have not seen anything posted by Kelloggs directly . . . )

Aacording to the FARE media release, peanut flour is an added ingredient.

http://www.foodallergy.org/alerts/ingredient-notices-feed

starting in April, 2016; Austin will be changing the allergen statement on four flavors of sandwich crackers under the Austin® label. The flavors, Austin® Cheddar Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, Austin® Grilled Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, Austin® Pepper Jack Cracker Sandwiches and the Austin® Variety Pack Cracker Sandwiches will contain Wheat, Milk, Soy, and Peanut ingredients. The products will contain a new ingredient, peanut flour.

[IowaMom]

My DD used to eat these routinely- both the Austin cheese crackers by Kellogs, and the Club cheese crackers by Keebler.  They have never had a PN warning of any kind on them.  And while I'm always frustrated when something she has enjoyed is no longer an option for her, I am more concerned about how schools will handle this situation.  I realize that the way snack time is handled at everyone's school is different.  However, in our school the older grades get to bring in their own snack (3rd-5th grades).  We only require that the teacher monitor the snacks for blatant PN (something w/ PN or something PN butter flavored, etc) and not allow those items in the classroom.  I'm fine with may contains/manufactured in a facility being in the classroom since DD will be eating her own snack from home and CC risk is low.  Having an item like this that is not an "expected" source of PN, I can see a teacher not thinking twice about allowing it into the classroom and contaminating children's desks/hands within the classroom that is supposed to be "peanut free".   That is my main issue with it.  And the fact that I would guess it is consumed mostly by children, not adults- in an age where PN allergy is at an all-time high.  I would also be concerned about that PN allergic teen who sees this item in a vending machine and knows it's always been a safe snack, wasn't informed of the change and goes ahead and consumes it without reading the label first.  I realize, labels should be read every time.  But, I'm guessing that teens don't always abide by that rule.  I just think it's a step backwards for two major companies.  I can't even think of any other snacks offhand that actually contain PN flour.  The only item I can think of marketed towards kids that has PN flour is Count Chocula cereal.  It's just not something that's common these days, to my knowledge anyway.

[momtoAidenDeclan]

From what I have been reading it is being added to the ingredients of many products (nutrigrain bars may be next) because it is cheaper to do this than the headache of a facility change with the new laws FDA is enforcing as of this month??  They're adding peanut so they don't have to take all of the effort and precaution (and associated cost) to make sure there are no peanut traces from other products.....
http://snacksafely.com/2016/05/kelloggs-now-adding-traces-of-peanut-flour-across-product-lines/
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/

[Stinky10]

I am going to go insane about this.

Seriously - getting ready to unleash the food allergy ninja mama that has been suppressed for years....

[Stinky10]

just read the thread....

sorry you guys didn't like the language.....but I think this change is BS and it's all to circumvent the law and it will lead to reactions and potentially deaths.

there are lots and lots of very bad words in my head right now.....

[Me]

File FDA consumer complaints. Report deliberate addition of trace allergens timed perfectly with the effective date for large manufacturer compliance, and that industry-wide practice will not only gut the purpose of the rule to increase consumer safety by circumventing on a technicality, it will conversely and intentionionally reduce transparency putting an extremely at risk population at unreasonable life-threatening risk.

At the very least they need to put food manufacturers on notice non-compliance through disingenuous trace additions of the most potent allergens responsible for consumer deaths attributed to lack of transparency will be called as BS, backed by enforcement.

fda .gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/

You're experienced advocates. Show them how it's done.

[Macabre]

I am a tired advocate who doesn't have time for this crap Kellogg's is pulling.

But--General Mills is just up the road. Hmmmm. 

[Stinky10]

I'm tired too, been told by doctor to step away, but I'm on this one for sure.   We don't use a lot of their products so it's not super personal, in my head, at the moment.  So far only time for Twitter....but I will do more

[hezzier]

Snack Safely posted this on FB: "Our apologies; It is NEVER our intent to mislead our readers, but we clearly got the facts wrong on this one. Please read this retraction."

Their site is bogged down so I have't been able to get to the article.

[momtoAidenDeclan]

OK, I got on it.....site had crashed

http://snacksafely.com/2016/05/retraction-of-our-kelloggs-nutri-grain-article/

"Yesterday, we posted an article entitled "Kellogg's Now Adding Traces of Peanut Flour Across Product Lines" that asserted that Kellogg's had recently begun adding trace quantities of peanut flour to Nutri-Grain Apple Cobbler Fruit Crunch Bars, much like their recent addition of peanut flour to the company's Keebler and Austin cracker varieties.

Despite our best efforts to verify the timing of this addition, we were wrong. Though the product information is listed on the company's website, the product itself has been discontinued. We apologize to you, or readers, and to the Kellogg Company for this error.

That said, this does not alter our belief that the company is adding minute quantities of peanut flour – as they have done with the Keebler and Austin crackers – to avoid the complications and cost of complying with new, stricter FSMA directives regarding the handling of allergens that take effect this September. We reiterate our call to the company to explain why they are adding this allergen to products and end the speculation."

[Stinky10]

We'll know when they put peanut flour in Corn Flakes!

[SilverLining]

http://www.snopes.com/kelloggs-peanut-flour-allergies/

The "Fruit Crunch" Nutri-Grain bars mentioned in the Snack Safely blog post have been discontinued and are no longer on the market. Additionally, they always had peanut flour listed as an ingredient since they were introduced in 2012, and there is currently no new product or ingredient change.

[ajasfolks2]

I think Dave at Snack Safely has lost a lot of credibility, not just personally, but for Snack Safely as a brand . . .

just my humble opinion.

[Stinky10]

It was a mistake.....but I'm happy they are looking at this and for what they do

[SilverLining]

I think Dave at Snack Safely has lost a lot of credibility, not just personally, but for Snack Safely as a brand . . .

just my humble opinion.

I have to admit I never actually thought much of them before this. But seeing a post today where they used the term Big Food while talking about Kellogg's....well I'm not going to post what thought popped into my head, but suffice to say, any chance of me ever giving them the benefit of the doubt on anything just flew out the window.