Talking Allergies

I am sorry to report that Pepsi-QTG Canada, the manufacturer of Quaker® brand products, has made the decision to manufacture a peanut butter product on the same line as as these products. Please see the letter below.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Boo! Shame on them.

It seems everytime we take a step forward, we have to take two backwards.

My thoughts exactly!

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

My daughter will be disappointed. She loves the Cinnamon Streussel Crispy Delights.

I was also terribly disappointed to see this as my son loves the rice cakes and my other the streusal ones - it is a counted on safe treat in my house for snacks, lunchboxes etc.

i would like to suggest or encourage everyone who this affects, to write and or call their consumer/customer service line and complain about his change.

are we up for another campaign! heck I just finished the BC one, this one can't be too hard can it :wink: I do believe with effort, we may be able to get them to change... maybe we could do it with some positive reinforcement such as "how much we appreciated the new peanut free granola bars and that they were now a sponsor of this anaphylaxis canada (is this correct?)" anyhow, i think using the right language and hearing from enough families, we could have an impact.

where else should I post this idea on this forum?

I've written to them by going to their website and completing their form. I will also call them in the morning...

Here's the info for you all to contact them:

Canadian Residents

To send us an email, please click here and complete our online form found on our Canadian web site. http://www.quakeroats.ca/html/eng_con.html

Accessible only in Canada 1-800-267-6287

Quaker Tropicana Gatorade Canada
Quaker Park
Peterborough, Canada
K9J 7B2

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Son-anaphylaxis to peanuts, allergic to soy, peas, beans, tree nuts, cats, trees, grass & mold. Asthmatic due to colds & allergies.

Daughter-anaphylactic to kiwi fruit, allergic to soy, dairy, trees, grass, cats & dust

I just spoke to the customer service at Quaker Oats and there needs to be some clarification as the products that will now have the "may contain" will be the
The clarification is around the Quaker Crispy Tortilla Corn & Rice Cakes - that is the name of one product - apparently the Crispy Torillaz comes in two flavours, corn & rice.

Quaker confirmed to me that NONE of the regular Quaker Rice Cakes (mini & large) will be affected by this change. So in reality it is a much smaller percentage of products than we initially thought. I had suggested they send out an official clarification and she said that they are monitoring feedback today and will act accordingly.

The company strongly encourages calls and I have to say she was the MOST informed customer service rep i have ever spoke with. I was very impressed I almost thought I was talking to either their Vice President of Operations or Marketing - she was that good!! Apparently when they set up their peanut free facility in Petersborough, Anaphylaxis Canada went in and did extensive training with the staff. I have just fallen in love with PepsiCO - and here I started out this morning so disappointed with them.

Here is more clarification. This was the reply to my comments:

Hi Nancy:

We appreciate you taking the time to contact us regarding the upcoming change to our Crispy Delights and Crispy Tortillaz.

We understand the difficulties and challenges that you and your family face every day due to food allergies and we are sorry to hear about your disappointment.

We would like to reassure you that our Large Rice Cakes and our Crispy Minis will continue to be produced in our Canadian Trenton Facility and will NOT be impacted by this change. We hope your family will continue to enjoy those along with our line of Chewy bars that are made in a peanut free facility.

To be absolutely clear, following is the list of Quaker® products that are affected by our production change, and that will therefore display a “may now contain peanuts” flash on packaging:

Crispy Tortillaz™ Salsa & Sour Cream Corn and Rice Cakes
Crispy Tortillaz™ Santa Fe Ranch corn and Rice Cakes
Crispy Tortillaz™ Cheesy Nacho Corn and rice Cakes
Crispy Delights™ Chocolaty Drizzle Cookies
Crispy Delights™ Cinnamon Streusel Cookies

The following Quaker® Crispy Minis and Rice Cake products are not affected by our production change and, as a result, do not carry a peanut warning on package.

Crispy Minis® Cheddar Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis BBQ Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Sea Salt & Lime Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Butter Popcorn Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Sour Cream & Chive Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Ketchup Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Crunchy Dill Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Salt & Vinegar Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Minis Caramel Kettle Corn Flavour Rice Chips
Crispy Wholegrain™ Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Flavour Rice and Corn Cakes
Crispy Wholegrain™ Mexican Fiesta Rice and Corn Cakes
Crispy Wholegrain™ Apple and Cinnamon Flavour Rice and Corn Cakes
Original Large Rice Cakes
White Cheddar Flavour Large Rice Cakes
Butter Popcorn Flavour Large Rice Cakes
Savoury Tomato & Basil Flavour Large Rice Cakes
Caramel Corn Flavour Large Rice Cakes
Caramel Chocolate Chip Flavour Large Rice Cakes
Cracker Jack® Butter Toffee Flavour Large Rice Cakes

Your comments are important to us and we will make sure that your feedback is forwarded to the appropriate Brand Manager.

Pepsi-QTG Canada is strongly committed to the safety and well being of its consumers and, therefore, reminds consumers that it is important to read the label every time. Please do not hesitate to contact our Consumer Relations department at 1-800-267-6287, Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30 EST if you have any questions regarding these or any of our other products.

Kind regards,

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Son-anaphylaxis to peanuts, allergic to soy, peas, beans, tree nuts, cats, trees, grass & mold. Asthmatic due to colds & allergies.

Daughter-anaphylactic to kiwi fruit, allergic to soy, dairy, trees, grass, cats & dust

Wow! Thanks Nancy.

_________________
Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

I received this from Anaphylaxis Canada:

Dear Registrant,

On September 20, 2007, a notice was sent to let you know about a product change for certain Pepsi-QTG Canada products. Further to this notice, Pepsi QTG has provided additional details in order to clarify those products impacted by this change. Please read the notice below. If you have any questions/concerns, please contact them directly at their customer relations department at 1-800-267-6287.

For your information,

Anaphylaxis Canada

*******************************************

CLARIFICATION: PRODUCT CHANGE NOTIFICATION

Re: Important Notice: Quaker® Crispy Delights Cookies
Quaker® Crispy Tortillaz Corn and Rice Cakes

Recently, Pepsi-QTG Canada, the manufacturer of Quaker® brand products, made your membership aware of a production change at the U.S. manufacturing facility where Quaker Crispy Delights Cookies and Quaker® Crispy Tortillaz Corn and Rice Cakes are produced for Canada. Feedback from consumers via our Consumer Relations Department has indicated that there may be confusion about which Quaker products are affected, and we would like to clarify this for your membership.

The U.S. production facility that produces Quaker Crispy Delights Cookies and Quaker® Crispy Tortillaz Corn and Rice Cakes for Canada will be introducing a new peanut butter product in the U.S. As the addition of this new product may create a potential for contact with peanuts of our Canadian products, the packaging of our Canadian products will be changed accordingly. Both Canadian product lines will have new product packaging alerting consumers with an on package flash that these products MAY NOW CONTAIN PEANUTS, in conjunction with the addition of may contain traces of peanuts to the allergen statement.

All other Quaker Crispy Minis Rice Chips or Rice Cakes available in Canada are made in our Canadian production facility in Trenton, Ontario and are therefore not affected by the U.S. production change. As a result, those Quaker products do not carry a peanut warning on package.

PRODUCED IN THE U.S. FACILITY - MAY NOW CONTAIN PEANUTS

Quaker Crispy Delights Cookies

Flavours affected:

Quaker Crispy Delights Cinnamon Streusel
Quaker Crispy Delights Chocolaty Drizzle

Each product will have an alert appearing on all outer packaging just below the ingredient listing. The alert will also appear on all inner packaging. The new packaging will begin appearing on shelf in September 2007.


Quaker® Crispy Tortillaz Corn and Rice Cakes


Flavours affected:

Quaker Crispy Tortillaz Salsa & Sour Cream
Quaker Crispy Tortillaz Santa Fe Ranch
Quaker Crispy Tortillaz Cheesy Nacho

Each product will have an alert appearing on all outer packaging just below the ingredient listing. The new packaging will begin appearing on shelf in November 2007.

PRODUCED IN CANADA - PEANUT FREE PRODUCTS

Quaker® Crispy Minis® Rice Chips and Quaker Rice Cakes (large) NO CHANGE -- WILL NOT CARRY PEANUT WARNING

Quaker Crispy Minis Cheddar
Quaker Crispy Minis BBQ
Quaker Crispy Minis Sea Salt & Lime
Quaker Crispy Minis Butter Popcorn
Quaker Crispy Minis Sour Cream & Chive
Quaker Crispy Minis Ketchup
Quaker Crispy Minis Crunchy Dill
Quaker Crispy Minis Salt & Vinegar
Quaker Crispy Minis Caramel Kettle Corn
Quaker Wholegrain Crispy Minis Parmesan & Roasted Garlic
Quaker Wholegrain Crispy Minis Mexican Fiesta
Quaker Wholegrain Crispy Minis Apple Cinnamon
Quaker Rice Cakes Original
Quaker Rice Cakes White Cheddar
Quaker Rice Cakes Butter Popcorn
Quaker Rice Cakes Tomato & Basil
Quaker Rice Cakes Caramel Corn
Quaker Rice Cakes Caramel Chocolate Chip
Quaker Rice Cakes Cracker Jack Butter Toffee

Pepsi-QTG Canada is strongly committed to the safety and well being of its consumers and, therefore, reminds consumers that it is important to read the label every time. Please do not hesitate to contact our Consumer Relations department at 1-800-267-6287 if you have any questions regarding these or any of our other products.

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15-year-old son: peanuts, nuts, raw egg whites, asthmatic
Self: allergic rhinitis, fragrance/chemical sensitivities, oral allergy syndrome