Talking Allergies

I have posted in the past but so long ago I can't remember what email address or user name I used so I re-registered so I could share something that happened to us this weekend.

My son is 8 and has a peanut allergy. He received some Laura Secord "peanut free" chocolate bars. Despite the "peanut free" logo on the front of the package - the bars also contain a "may contain peanuts" warning on the back!!

I contacted Laura Secord and they assured me the bars are indeed peanut free and the warning is an error - it should have been removed for the new packaging. Still very concerning to me! They said it will corrected "next year".

I filed a complaint with the CFIA and they have been great! They already came by to pick up one of the bars in question to test and will be contacting Laura Secord head office. If only all areas of the government worked so fast!

Anyway, just thought I would pass this on!

Good to know - thanks for posting.

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DD 2004 Allergy to peanuts, egg, sesame, and new: lentils and chick peas
DS 2006 Allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, kiwi fruit, eczema

Hi there! Glad you're back. I just have to ask--what province are you in and what exactly do you mean by "came by to pick up"?

Michele

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Myself - Seasonal, cats
dd-asthma (trigger - flu) anaphylactic to eggs, severe allergies to bugspray and penicilin,pulmicort
ds-Seasonal, cats and OAS
dh-allergy cats, bugspray and guava, outgrew egg allergy

I'm in Ontario. We were given a package of 6 chocolate bars. Someone from the CFIA came by yesterday to pick up one of them to test to see if they were actually peanut-free, and to have a copy of the packaging with the peanut-free logo and nut warning.

I have found CFIA toe very quick as well. and the last time I called them they came to pick up the product the next day, and after it was tested they called me with the results. it wasn't a cross contamination concern.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

Just a heads up: I saw bars of milk chocolate (cardboard box, 100g......2for5$) at our mall's Laura Secord store recently - with the peanut free logo. I did email the company to double check before giving any to DS. I asked about tree nuts, peanuts and sesame to ensure they are in fact safe from any cross contamination of any of the above. These bars are in fact safe, made in a peanut, tree nut, sesame safe free facility) and DS has eaten them -happily I might add. My chocolate loving boy.

...oh, they lady said there was also marshmallow chocolate, peanut free but I didn't even go look at them as DS is anaphylactic to gelatin. So apparently there are other options.

The only thing I would caution is ONLY the boxes with the peanut free logo are safe. There is a variety in the same style box (with no logo) which does list tree nuts in the ingredients.


oh, I did in my email bring up the peanut logo safe treats I've seen by Laura Secord which Costco sells. I am not impressed that they contain tree nuts but advertise a peanut free logo. It does say on the back a tree nut is not a peanut but I still don't think the general public would even get that. I explained that an allergy parent would most likely (I hope) read the ingredients but others might not especially once seeing the logo on the front. They thanked me for bringing this to their attention and will re-look at this product.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

FYI - this is an email exchange with Laura Secord from May 2011:

to Laura Secord: Hello, Could you please advise if the Easter milk chocolate eggs, UPC 6730081219 - 160g, that were sold in your store are free of tree nuts? The clerk told us they were in a tree-nut free factory but your website says that you can not guarantee any products to be free of allergens due to cross-contamination. Thank you for your help.

from Laura Secord: If the product has the peanut-free symbol on the box it is also free from tree nuts at Laura Secord. Unfortunately there are no Canadian standards for tree-nut allergies so we cannot officially mention this on our packaging however our packaged peanut-free products are made in an entirely nut-free facility. It’s the peanut-free items that are in the open case that may have been exposed to nuts. I hope this clarifies that for you.
Have a great weekend!
Customer Service
Laura Secord


then Sent Laura Secord this note from the AL forum:
Today at Costco there are more Laura Secord baked goods. In the bakery section on the tables (but packaged) I see they have changed the wording on the packages. There is a peanut free logo on the front but on the back where the ingredients are listed---in microscopic writing underneath it says this product is made in a facility with tree nuts. And when I say the writing was small I mean teeeny. Then it actually has a sentence (can't remember the exact wording) to the effect of be it known that peanuts are not part of the nut family.

plus this note to Laura Secord: You said our packaged peanut-free products are made in an entirely nut-free facility so is that only for chocolates?

from Laura Secord:Good morning,
I had received an answer to your inquiry from a representative of La Petite Bretonne, the manufacturers of the baked goods you asked us about. Please see the response below and let me know if you have any more questions.
Have a great day!
Customer Service
Laura Secord

Hello,
We want to confirm that our chocolatines are a peanuts free product only. Concerning nuts, the mention « may contain traces of nuts » is a preventive measure; we do not use any nuts in the fabrication of our products and all types of nuts and peanuts are strictly prohibited in all our plants, as well as rest areas and employee lunches. However, La Petite Bretonne produce chocolatines with two kind of chocolates and one of our chocolate supplier uses their chocolate in the fabrication of some of their finished products that contain nuts, it is impossible for us to guarantee there is no risk of contamination from this supplier, even though they have assured us that all their finished products are fabricated in a distinct plant and separate production line.
If you have any question, do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,

La Petite Bretonne ( Distribution) Inc.

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

DS had a few bites last week from the bar. I don't think I'll take a chance again. Their statements too odd and confusing. The first email I got was they are totally safe etc.., this statement you received yet again makes me leery.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

Re-reading it, it appears they cannot guarantee since it is beyond their control although their supplier says it is a different plant. All the more reason to hope for clear May Contain regulations...

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

Walooet, you are talking about a baked good?

BC, you are talking about a candy product?

That would be why there's a difference. They are from completely different facilities.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

That inquiry was about the baked goods at Costco.

Separately I inquired about the chocolates at Easter which I was told were nut-free as well as peanut-free.

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

[quote="walooet"]FYI - this is an email exchange with Laura Secord from May 2011:

to Laura Secord: Hello, Could you please advise if the Easter milk chocolate eggs, UPC 6730081219 - 160g, that were sold in your store are free of tree nuts? The clerk told us they were in a tree-nut free factory but your website says that you can not guarantee any products to be free of allergens due to cross-contamination. Thank you for your help.

from Laura Secord: If the product has the peanut-free symbol on the box it is also free from tree nuts at Laura Secord...
Customer Service
Laura Secord

Wow!
What kind of answer is that? Don't they realize that peanuts and tree nuts are 2 separate issues?

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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

Good point Anna Marie. Although I did email them at the same time regarding both the baked goods at Costco and the chocolate. Just too confusing for me, there are so many options this is one I'm going to avoid from now on.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish