Mars Bars off the menu for coeliacs too

[tamaranth]

Noticed a letter on the BBC News site: Does anyone else find it frustrating that "Mars starts using animal products" makes the news, yet "Mars stealthily drops 'gluten free' certification" doesn't?

Googled for more refs, and found a note on the Coeliac Society's newsletter: We are getting lots of enquiries about why Mars ® products (such as MarsTM, GalaxyTM, StarburstTM, BountyTM, SnickersTM) are not listed in this years directory despite them previously being suitable for a gluten-free diet. We are in active dialogue with Mars ®, who report that they are undertaking a risk assessment with regards to the gluten-status of their products.

And found a newsgroup post from someone who'd emailed Masterfoods and been sent a list of the products that were still gluten-free: list is here.

I'm not coeliac, but I can appreciate how frustrating and unnecessary this is.

Comments

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

The BBC coverage isn't great at all. The milk in the chocolate always has been an animal product - the problem is, Masterfoods have switched to a supplier using real calf-stomach rennet to produce their whey.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

I don't think the problem was in the BBC coverage, I think it was the way that the letter-writer phrased it. But yes, use of animal rennet (where it wasn't used before) is the newsworthy issue: the BBC has not yet picked up on the switch from gluten-free to not gluten-free.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

No - it was the BBC who wrote the headline, "Mars starts using animal products". So at least one headline sub-editor hasn't a clue about food ingredients! I think the BBC got tipped off about the dead calf ingredient by the Vegetarian Society - presumably, they've not understood any press release from the Coeliac Society :-(

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

I'm just heart-broken that "Mars starts using animal products" isn't as sfnal as it looks.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

'Mars Bars not suitable for xegans': Mars® has switched to a new supplier of whey, which uses the stomach lining of young Martians. Numerous products, including Mars Bars and Mars Ice Cream bars, are no longer suitable for people who do not eat alien lifeforms.

[How ironic is it that LJ ate this comment???]

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Shit, And thank you. I've been regarding a Mars Bar as a standby for years. It never occured to me that they would go backwards so I haven't been keeping an eye om it.