Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Teddy Grahams - safe for peanut allergies

I don't usually buy Teddy Grahams, but I bought them this week for Rylie as a special treat. I read the ingredients (Mini Teddy Grahams Snak Sak, Honey) and they seemed safe for her to eat, but I noticed that Kraft/Nabisco also make Nutter Butter bites, in the same size resealable bag.

This made me a little nervous, because cross-contamination warnings are not mandatory in the US. I called Kraft today to ask if Teddy Grahams and Nutter Butter Bites are made in the same plant or on shared equipment. The woman told me that it is Kraft's policy to put a statement on the package when products are made on shared equipment or in a plant that processes peanuts, and the Teddy Grahams bag does not have this statement.

For some reason I still don't fully trust the answers I get when I call these food companies. I feel like they don't quite understand the risk of cross contamination and are reading from a script of answers to common questions.

At this point I feel like I've done all I can do - I read the ingredients and called the company about cross contamination. I feel pretty confident that the Teddy Grahams in the Snak Sak are safe for kids with peanut allergies.

This doesn't mean that all sizes or varieties are safe, because the manufacturing process might differ. Please read ingredients and manufacturing statements on all packages, every time.