Rice Chex & Corn Allergy

http://www.chex.com

It turns out there are quite a few foods that aren't posted about on here because none of our group eats them nor have they tried to eat them in many many years because of the obvious corn. But some of the newer to corn allergies crowd are attempting to eat them. So we'll be making a few posts here in the next few days so that these products show up in our page search.

As much as we'd all love to grab a box off the shelf and start eating, General Mills Rice Chex is not safe for corn allergies.

First, Rice Chex is fortified. The fortification process adds corn. ALWAYS. So if you see a product that is fortified with vitamins, just put it back on the shelf.

Fortification contains corn for two reasons.
1. The vitamins are sometimes sourced from corn as it the case with almost all Vitamin C products on the market. They are produced via fermentation of corn.
2. Corn and corn derivatives are used to stabilize the vitamins so that they are viable when added to the product, and so they are shelf-stable.. so that when you eat the product the vitamins are still viable.

I have circled/boxed in the main corny ingredients in this product. Vitamin E is almost always corntaminated, but can be from corn or soy. BHT is almost always derived from corn. And then there's the aforementioned vitamins.

Now let me talk for a minute about the things not boxed in red. Lets ignore that rice can be corntaminated and that the cereal itself could easily be made on the same lines as their Corn Chex (which is also gluten-free).  The sugar is likely safe, and the salt is likely safe-ish.

Molasses on the other hand is easy to have corn added to it. There are very few molasses products on the market that are safe for corn allergies, so if you see molasses on a product you should use caution.

Anyway, I hope this helps some of our newer group members and those new to corn allergies to better avoid some of the pitfalls.