Silk soy milk again! Has anyone found a soy milk not on shared lines

[Linden]

I called about Nature's Promise original soy milk about two weeks ago.  In New England, it is distibuted by the Stop and Shop chain. The distributer is "Food Hold USA".   Their friendly rep had me read the bar code to her and informed me that (at least for the carton I was holding), it is on a shared line with almond and dairy.  There's no warning on the package.  The rep told me that Food Hold is moving towards labeling everything on shared lines across all their products, but they aren't there yet. 

Earlier this spring I also called Supervalu corporation (the parent company of Star/Shaws, a local supermarket chain) about Wild Harvest soy milk.  They put me in touch with the local dairy that produces it.  It's a big, well known dairy Massachusetts.  Their rep said the Wild Harvest soy milk was not produced on the same lines as anything with nuts but was on the shared line with dairy. I then got the spiel about how they run it on a separate day and clean the lines.  I've used it for DS with no problems, but I don't know how sensitive he is to cross-contamination, so I don't know how helpful that is.

[CMdeux]

Thank you.  When I called them, they were very evasive.  They said whether or not it is shared lines with any of the other top 8 is "proprietary".  That is a new one.

Sheeeeeeesh.


That sounds like Kraft's favorite line.   

[YouKnowWho]

Thank you.  When I called them, they were very evasive.  They said whether or not it is shared lines with any of the other top 8 is "proprietary".  That is a new one.

Sheeeeeeesh.


That sounds like Kraft's favorite line.   

Or Heinz

[YouKnowWho]

Well, I was never able to find Nature`s Promise, and Trader Joe`s refused to give me any manufacturing information, so dd went back on Silk about a month ago.  Then yesterday she had 2 1/2 cups of their new Mint Chocolate Soy Milk.  This was over the course of 6 - 8 hours.  I had contacted Silk and been told that it is on shared lines with cow`s milk, but not on shared lines with almonds.  Last night a few minutes after she drank the end of the 2 1/2 cups, she developed a swollen lip.  This is very discouraging.  I don`t see how a child who can eat a slice of pizza with normal amount of cheese (baked) is unable to drink 2 - 3 cups a day of a milk cross contaminated item.  I guess I need to try and contact Trader Joe`s again.  I don`t seem to be able to find Nature`s Promise anywhere around here (southern California), and could not find a phone number for them anyhow.

So confused as to why dd is having so much trouble with Silk, when she does so well on baked milk and baked cheese....

We are big fans of the Pumpkin and Soy Nog but all of them say on shared lines with coconut and almond milk - thinking that woudl be the same for the Chocolate Mint as well.  DS keeps telling me eww, so I haven't picked up the container to check.  And frankly Silk has never given me a straight answer from day to day that makes me feel comfortable if I was avoiding dairy, tree nuts or coconut.  He only drinks the holiday flavors (not dairy allergic) because of the egg allergies.

[my3guys]

Thanks Linden for the info on the milk brands I mentioned...I'm at a loss here why I was sure they were ok.  Lesson to be learned: always verify what you read, because some well intentioned someone (like me) may post something inaccurate.

Carefulmom: I don't know what to say. All I can say is my older DS in Mt. Sinai trial still starts to react after very small sips of uncooked milk, but can eat 4-5 pieces of pizzza, and a whole portion of well cooked mac and cheese.  But if Silk produces almond milk too, then how do you really know where her problem is? And what's the solution?  I dunno, but based on her getting a swollen lip with Silk, I wouldn't trust them.  I personally like the taste of the Whole Foods 365 soy milk, but that is probably shared lines too.  I'm the only one that drinks that, while youngest ds drinks Nature's Promise without incident (but I don't like the taste).

[Linden]

My3guys, don't even worry about it.  This whole soy milk issue is crazy.  Plus, the rep only answered me for the bar code I gave her.  It's possible it is safe where you live and not where I live or some such similar thing.

This issue is quite the headache.  I used to give my DS WestSoy.  I thought I read online that it's only on shared lines with milk, but now I find out through this thread that it's not true anymore! (Or maybe it never was, since it is so hard to ever get a straight answer from Hain.) 

Sigh.  Sometimes I think it would be safer just to make my own soy (or even rice) milk and just add vitamins to it.     

[Carefulmom]

Thanks Linden for the info on the milk brands I mentioned...I'm at a loss here why I was sure they were ok.  Lesson to be learned: always verify what you read, because some well intentioned someone (like me) may post something inaccurate.

Carefulmom: I don't know what to say. All I can say is my older DS in Mt. Sinai trial still starts to react after very small sips of uncooked milk, but can eat 4-5 pieces of pizzza, and a whole portion of well cooked mac and cheese.  But if Silk produces almond milk too, then how do you really know where her problem is? And what's the solution?  I dunno, but based on her getting a swollen lip with Silk, I wouldn't trust them.  I personally like the taste of the Whole Foods 365 soy milk, but that is probably shared lines too.  I'm the only one that drinks that, while youngest ds drinks Nature's Promise without incident (but I don't like the taste).

My3guys, I have had phone and email contact with the Operations Manager at Silk for at least a year.  That is how I always find out which lots are on shared equipment with almonds and which are not.  A long time ago on the old board, I posted the lot numbers.  Anyhow, I emailed the Operations Manager and asked him if the new Mint Chocolate Soy Milk in 1 quart was on shared equipment with almonds.  He said no, the plant is almond free.  He said that can change any time (and it does with their vanilla soy milk, one day a certain code means no almonds in the plant and six months later I call and the almond free plant is a different code).  Anyhow, they label all of their containers for almond, but in fact many of their plants do not produce almond products.  So periodically I email him and ask him which codes now mean made in a plant with almonds (which usually means shared lines with almonds).  So since the Operations Manager is sure that all Mint Chocolate soy milk was in an almond free plant, I have to assume that it was milk cross contamination that gave her the swollen lip.  I don`t think I would be so concerned if it was a tiny sip of real cow`s milk that gave her the swollen lip, but the fact that a milk cross contaminated item can do this to her really concerns me.  She can eat fries made in the same frier as a milk item and not have symptoms (although maybe the high heat of the oil breaks down the milk protein).  She can eat Toffuti products with no symptoms and I think they are mostly on shared lines with milk.  She only seems to have an issue with milk cross contamination on Silk, nothing else.   I am just worried about what soy milk I can give her.  I don`t think she should be getting a swollen lip from a milk cross contaminated item.  When I started this thread in October, she had gotten a hive from drinking Silk, again specific lots that the Operations Manager says are in a plant without almonds.

Congratulations on the fact that your ds can eat 4 - 5 slices of pizza!  That is wonderful.  I never would have asked the allergist about pizza, if you had not posted that your ds could eat it.  Have you considered trying him on baked egg?  I know that he cannot eat unbaked egg, but since baking really seems to work for him with the milk, maybe it would work for egg also?  He sounds like he is still very sensitive to unbaked milk, yet he does so well on baked milk, that maybe it would be the same for egg.

BTW, I checked on Whole Foods soy milk when I started this thread and it is on shared equipment with a tree nut, don`t recall which one.

[Carefulmom]

I called about Nature's Promise original soy milk about two weeks ago.  In New England, it is distibuted by the Stop and Shop chain. The distributer is "Food Hold USA".   Their friendly rep had me read the bar code to her and informed me that (at least for the carton I was holding), it is on a shared line with almond and dairy.  There's no warning on the package.  The rep told me that Food Hold is moving towards labeling everything on shared lines across all their products, but they aren't there yet. 

Earlier this spring I also called Supervalu corporation (the parent company of Star/Shaws, a local supermarket chain) about Wild Harvest soy milk.  They put me in touch with the local dairy that produces it.  It's a big, well known dairy Massachusetts.  Their rep said the Wild Harvest soy milk was not produced on the same lines as anything with nuts but was on the shared line with dairy. I then got the spiel about how they run it on a separate day and clean the lines.  I've used it for DS with no problems, but I don't know how sensitive he is to cross-contamination, so I don't know how helpful that is.

I wonder if they sell Wild Harvest here.  I will check.  Thanks.

[socks on a rooster]

Carefulmom, can you send a sample to FAARP and have it tested for almond and milk?

[CMdeux]

Just got off the phone with Trader Joe's.

The CSR I spoke with was definitely NOT evasive (particularly in light of the fact that I was calling to confirm XC in another-- unlabeled-- product).

She double checked-- the 64 oz containers of soy milk are ONLY on lines shared ONLY with wheat-- as far as the top 8 goes, that is.

They are NOT shared with any nut products, nor with milk.

HTH. 

[Carefulmom]

Just got off the phone with Trader Joe's.

The CSR I spoke with was definitely NOT evasive (particularly in light of the fact that I was calling to confirm XC in another-- unlabeled-- product).

She double checked-- the 64 oz containers of soy milk are ONLY on lines shared ONLY with wheat-- as far as the top 8 goes, that is.

They are NOT shared with any nut products, nor with milk.

HTH.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Carefulmom]

Carefulmom, can you send a sample to FAARP and have it tested for almond and milk?

I finished it up.  I really did not want to pay for testing anyhow.  I saw what I saw.  I know you are just trying to be helpful.  Dd`s allergist says a negative test is meaningless, because it only shows what the level of allergen is in the product that remains in the container.  It does not show if there was allergen in what the child ate.

[candyguru]

Our milk allergic daughter drinks "So Good" and "So Nice" brands of soy milk.  Most of the other brands (ie: Silk) have warnings such as may contain almonds etc.

http://www.sogoodbeverage.com/




http://www.sonice.ca/

[Carefulmom]

So So Good and So Nice don`t make almond milk?  It seems like when I called there were several without warnings, but were still on shared lines with tree nuts.  However, I did not call on those brands.  Any idea if So Good and So Nice are sold in the U.S.?

[candyguru]

So So Good and So Nice don`t make almond milk?  It seems like when I called there were several without warnings, but were still on shared lines with tree nuts.  However, I did not call on those brands.  Any idea if So Good and So Nice are sold in the U.S.?

I've never seen So Good or So Nice almond milk.  I checked their websites and I didn't see any almond milk products. Sorry, I don't know if they are available in the USA   Hope you can find them