The following letter was written in response to questions on products by So Delicious. The letter itself shows just how little they know about corn allergies and allergies themselves.
"
Thank you for your question! In regards to corn, our natural flavors come from botanicals and extracts from natural sources. They can be comprised of many or just a few compounds that are extracted from plants, fruits, and beans. We purchase our natural flavors from only a handful of companies with whom we have developed a trusting relationship. As a key component of our non-GMO project compliance we strive to identify and utilize ingredients that are not corn based."
YAY! Sounds good right?
"As you know, a corn allergy is the inability to fully digest the corn protein. Our natural flavors and flavors used in our products that contain ethanol can be derived from corn, as a carrier. However, neither will never contain corn protein. We do not have any products that contain corn protein."
WHA? No no no.. dear lord no! Corn allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of immune system to corn resulting in mild to severe reactions which may result in death if untreated.
Secondly, they cannot guarantee it has no corn protein. There is no test to adequately state there is no corn protein. Such a test does not exist. Also, the proteins in corn have not been adequately tested for allergenicity so all the allergens haven't even been found in order to test for them.
"Although we do not have the protein in any of our products, our fans propelled our desire to deliver a better understanding to our ingredients and will soon have a list of products that contain no corn derivatives. With that said, we apply strict quality-control measures, which are noted as the most rigorous in the industry, in an effort to prevent contamination by undeclared food allergens. To assure our preventative measures are effective, we sample test our products for the presence of allergens down to 5 ppm using state-of-the-art testing methods. Our program is unique because we have documented and regimented procedures that are instituted at every facility where we produce So Delicious. They involve some of the most rigorous testing in the world and are conducted at various stages of our production – from testing the raw materials and ingredients to the manufacturing lines to the final product. We ensure that the product that is shipped into stores is safe and of the highest quality."
Hey they test down to 5ppm, unfortunately they don't do that test for corn because it doesn't EXIST! And even if it did exist, it wouldn't be that accurate.
"We believe that we are doing an outstanding job at ensuring safe and delicious products, but we wanted to get additional input from outside teams. So, several years ago, we invited FAAN, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, to review our allergen and cross-contamination prevention program. They praised our program and today all of the facilities that we work with have instituted our strict regimen to ensure safe products. FAAN was so pleased with our work that we currently sample our products at more than 60 of their events each year!"
While FAAN does great things for people with the top 8 allergens, FAAN is just another 4 letter cuss word for many with corn allergies. FAAN's knowledge and support for corn allergies is essentially non-existent at best and dangerous at worst.
"For any of our consumers with allergens and sensitivities, we always suggest checking with your medical or allergist specialist before consuming any So Delicious products. I hope this information is helpful, puts your mind at ease, and encourages you to enjoy our So Delicious products!
I hope this puts your mind at ease!
Have a terrific day,
Consumer Services Representative
So Delicious Dairy Free
Turtle Mountain, LLC
1040 Shelley St.
Springfield, OR 97477
You’re SO Gonna Love our Dairy Free Delights!
www.SoDeliciousDairyFree.com
www.Facebook.com/SoDeliciousDairyFree
http://Twitter.com/So_Delicious"
Yes, it's clearly put my mind at ease to never recommend your products to anyone with a corn allergy because even if you do have a product that happens to be safe right now.. the amount of misinformation and stupidity in this letter makes me certain it won't be long before you mess it up.
