Gluten Content Test: Counter Culture Coffee Forty Six Coffee Beans + Nima Sensor False Positive

After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2016, I wrote Counter Culture Coffee to see if the coffee beans I get from them (Counter Culture Coffee Forty Six) are gluten free.

My email to them:

“I have recently been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Because of that, I need to eliminate gluten from my diet.  Does counter culture coffee contain gluten or any gluten containing additives?  I can’t imagine you use gluten anywhere in the process, but I wanted to double check.”

Their reply back (dated 3/8/16): “Thanks for contacting us! Coffee is naturally gluten-free and we do not add anything in the process of roasting, so you should be good to go!”

Note: This is their reply to me personally, not an official position, contact Counter Culture Coffee with questions and verify currentness of information.

Fast forward to 11/2017.  I decided to double check this with my Nima Sensor

Result: Gluten Found!  What the what?!!!!  This result baffled me and sent me into a spiral wondering – Just what can I trust???  Single ingredient item from (what I consider) to be a high end coffee roaster, that has told me their process includes not gluten ingredients.  After some digging, I realized that this was false positive result.  Nima has issues with intensely colored things.  See link below.

I decided to perform a GlutenTox test on this coffee. GlutenTox allows you to choose between 5 and 20 PPM.  I performed this test at the 5 PPM (parts per million) sensitivity level.

I used a cooled down shot of espresso to complete this test.

The bag of coffee, two glutentox solutions and test strip

Close up of the results

The test stick has two lines, the one on the left is the blue control line and should always become visible.  There is another possible line just to the right of that, that one is red.  That becomes visible if gluten is detected at the selected concentration.  As you can see in this photo only the control line is visible.  According to this result the sample I tested has a lower than 5 PPM gluten content.

Order has been restored in the world

More About GlutenTox

 

img_img_2890

Each GlutenTox test comes with single use pipettes, extract solution, dilution solution, sample scoop and a test stick.  The testing process is relatively simple and the instructions are clearly written.  This test gives you some flexibility as you have the choice between testing at 20 PPM (parts per million) or 5 PPM.  Under 20 PPM allows manufacturers to label certain foods as gluten free.

GlutenTox Home is a quick, user-friendly test to detect gluten in foods, drinks, cosmetics, or any other substance. It’s useful for anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or keeps a gluten-free diet for any reason.

  • Adjustable sensitivity: test for 20ppm or 5ppm of gluten depending on your specific needs
  • No special equipment required; everything but the test material is included in the kit
  • Safe, non-toxic, and easy to use
  • Quick response: a reliable answer in less than 20 minutes
  • The included G12 antibody recognizes the toxic fraction of gluten in wheat, barley, rye, and even oat.

Kits contain everything you need to test for gluten in foods, drinks or cosmetics. Kits are available in 2-, 5- and 10-test quantities.

Price varies based on how many kits you buy

Visit GlutenTox

 

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

A note about gluten content tests: These are performed in non-lab environments with small samples.  Processes and ingredients change over time.  Tests found on Gluten Free Finds should not be considered authoritative in nature.  Always check product labels and consult manufacturers for additional information on ingredients and processes.

Do Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Have Gluten? – Gluten Content Test

cln_img_2544

Pack of 36 Reese Peanut Butter Cups 1.5 Ounce Packages

As of this posting, 8/16/16, The Hershey Company lists “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – All Except Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Unwrapped Minis and Seasonal Shaped Items” on their dietary needs web page, under US Gluten Free products.  Emphasis mine, see link below.  Double check this page or contact the manufacturer to verify timely information.

To put that to the test, I performed a GlutenTox test. GlutenTox allows you to choose between 5 and 20 PPM.  I performed this test at the 20 PPM (parts per million) sensitivity level.

cln_img_2543

First… I sourced an entire box of 36 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.  Required for this test? No.  Required to fulfill a childhood dream? Yes. 🙂

cln_img_2759

I also used a mortar and pestle to help create a uniform sample for testing.

cln_img_2764

This was a bittersweet moment.  Kind of fun, kind of… “what are you doing to that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup?”

cln_img_2765

This is what a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup looks like after it has been subject to a mortar and pestle.

cln_img_2769

The test stick has two lines, the one on the left is the blue control line and should always become visible.  There is another possible line just to the right of that, that one is red.  That becomes visible if gluten is detected at the selected concentration.  As you can see in this photo only the control line is visible.  According to this result the sample I tested has a lower than 20 PPM gluten content.

cln_img_2767

Each GlutenTox test comes with single use pipettes, extract solution, dilution solution, sample scoop and a test stick.  The testing process is relatively simple and the instructions are clearly written.  This test gives you some flexibility as you have the choice between testing at 20 PPM (parts per million) or 5 PPM.  Under 20 PPM allows manufacturers to label certain foods as gluten free.

Update 1/2017: I’ve started to see some Reese’s packages actually labeled gluten free.

Also:

More About GlutenTox

GlutenTox Home is a quick, user-friendly test to detect gluten in foods, drinks, cosmetics, or any other substance. It’s useful for anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or keeps a gluten-free diet for any reason.

  • Adjustable sensitivity: test for 20ppm or 5ppm of gluten depending on your specific needs
  • No special equipment required; everything but the test material is included in the kit
  • Safe, non-toxic, and easy to use
  • Quick response: a reliable answer in less than 20 minutes
  • The included G12 antibody recognizes the toxic fraction of gluten in wheat, barley, rye, and even oat.

Kits contain everything you need to test for gluten in foods, drinks or cosmetics. Kits are available in 2-, 5- and 10-test quantities.

Price varies based on how many kits you buy

Visit GlutenTox

 

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

A note about gluten content tests: These are performed in non-lab environments with small samples.  Processes and ingredients change over time.  Tests found on Gluten Free Finds should not be considered authoritative in nature.  Always check product labels and consult manufacturers for additional information on ingredients and processes.

Free Shipping – GlutenTox at Home Gluten Testing Kits

GTH-icon-432x432

GlutenTox Home is a quick, user-friendly test to detect gluten in foods, drinks, cosmetics, or any other substance. It’s useful for anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or keeps a gluten-free diet for any reason.

  • Adjustable sensitivity: test for 20ppm or 5ppm of gluten depending on your specific needs
  • No special equipment required; everything but the test material is included in the kit
  • Safe, non-toxic, and easy to use
  • Quick response: a reliable answer in less than 20 minutes
  • The included G12 antibody recognizes the toxic fraction of gluten in wheat, barley, rye, and even oat.

Kits contain everything you need to test for gluten in foods, drinks or cosmetics. Kits are available in 2-, 5- and 10-test quantities.

Price varies based on how many kits you buy

I have used these for my series of gluten tests (look for more in the near future) and have found them to be very, very useful.

As of this posting, GlutenTox is offering free shipping (I’m guessing to US addresses, but not sure) on any GlutenTox Home Kit!  Just use coupon code hol16.  Check GlutenTox for up to the minute availability.

Visit GlutenTox – remember promo code hol16

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

Ends Soon: Nima Portable Gluten Sensor – 20% Pre-Order Discount

103265017-nima4.530x298

The Nima Portable Gluten Sensor is a pocket sized lab that you can take with you to test gluten content of food.  Put the food in question in a one time use capsule and two minutes later Nima will give you results.

“Designed in San Francisco by a team from MIT, Stanford, Google, and Nike. Nima brings together the best in chemistry, engineering, and design.”

Nima is being offered at a 20% discount while in pre-order.  This discount is set to end on 9/15/16.

Check it out – Nima Portable Gluten Sensor

An update I just received from Nima:

Nima shipping soon!

We are ramping up for production this month and getting ready to fulfill your pre-orders! We are eternally grateful to you and appreciate your belief in our vision.

You’ll be receiving an email in the next week requesting the shipping address so we can get Nima to you this fall!

Also from Nima… “You bought the Nima Starter Kit at the lowest price possible. Future retail purchases will be $279.”

Pre-order your unit now to lock in the lowest possible price.

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

Nima Portable Gluten Sensor – 20% Discount… Ships Soon!

103265017-nima4.530x298

The Nima Portable Gluten Sensor is a pocket sized lab that you can take with you to test gluten content of food.  Put the food in question in a one time use capsule and two minutes later Nima will give you results.

“Designed in San Francisco by a team from MIT, Stanford, Google, and Nike. Nima brings together the best in chemistry, engineering, and design.”

Nima is being offered at a 20% discount while in pre-order

Check it out – Nima Portable Gluten Sensor

An update I just received from Nima:

Nima shipping soon!

We are ramping up for production this month and getting ready to fulfill your pre-orders! We are eternally grateful to you and appreciate your belief in our vision.

You’ll be receiving an email in the next week requesting the shipping address so we can get Nima to you this fall!

Also from Nima… “You bought the Nima Starter Kit at the lowest price possible. Future retail purchases will be $279.”

Pre-order your unit now to lock in the lowest possible price.

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

Nima Sensor Accuracy Report + 20% Off Pre-Orders

nima

The Nima Portable Gluten Sensor is a pocket sized lab that you can take with you to test gluten content of food.  Put the food in question in a one time use capsule and two minutes later Nima will give you results.

“Designed in San Francisco by a team from MIT, Stanford, Google, and Nike. Nima brings together the best in chemistry, engineering, and design.”

Nima is being offered at a 20% discount while in pre-order

Check it out – Nima Portable Gluten Sensor

As a Nima Pre-Order customer (I’m excited to get mine!), I get their email updates.  The most recent update had some great news about Nima’s accuracy…

New Findings: Nima Accuracy Report

One of our frequently asked questions from buyers like you is around Nima’s accuracy. Since we’re still in pre-production and working toward shipping our pre-order units this fall, we are doing on-going testing of the units that come off the manufacturing line to make sure that Nima is functioning at the level we originally targeted.

At the launch of our pre-sale last October, our goal was to have Nima’s accuracy at 99.5% to detect 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten in a food sample. We conducted a study off our latest round of test units to demonstrate its ability to consistently detect 20 ppm of gluten in a food.

The majority of tests performed as designed. Only one test in 200 incorrectly displayed a gluten-free smile result, representing a 99.5% accuracy rate. In this case, the erroneous result was caused by an internal failure. We are highly encouraged that we are able achieve the goal we initially set for Nima’s accuracy, but we know that our work is not done yet. Our full report provides more details about the methodology and results.

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

Gluten Content Test: Chilli Man Chili with Beans

img_img_2527

Chilli Man Chili with Beans is made by Faribault Foods.

Find Chilli Man Chili: Amazon || Wal-Mart || Jet

I contacted Faribault Foods to ask if Chilli Man Chili with Beans is gluten free.  Note that this is their response to me personally.  Ingredients and procedures can change over time, check with manufacturers to get up to date information.

I received this response on March 9, 2016

Thank you for your contact concerning Chilliman Chili. This product does not contain any gluten ingredients.

Barb Edwards
Consumer Relations

 

To put that to the test, I performed a GlutenTox test. GlutenTox allows you to choose between 5 and 20 PPM.  I performed this test at the 20 PPM (parts per million) sensitivity level.

img_img_2528

The test stick has two lines, the one on the left is the blue control line and should always become visible.  There is another possible line just to the right of that, that one is red.  That becomes visible if gluten is detected at the selected concentration.  As you can see in this photo only the control line is visible.  According to this result the sample I tested has a lower than 20 PPM gluten content.

Each GlutenTox test comes with single use pipettes, extract solution, dilution solution, sample scoop and a test stick.  The testing process is relatively simple and the instructions are clearly written.  This test gives you some flexibility as you have the choice between testing at 20 PPM (parts per million) or 5 PPM.  Under 20 PPM allows manufacturers to label certain foods as gluten free.

More About GlutenTox

GlutenTox Home is a quick, user-friendly test to detect gluten in foods, drinks, cosmetics, or any other substance. It’s useful for anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or keeps a gluten-free diet for any reason.

  • Adjustable sensitivity: test for 20ppm or 5ppm of gluten depending on your specific needs
  • No special equipment required; everything but the test material is included in the kit
  • Safe, non-toxic, and easy to use
  • Quick response: a reliable answer in less than 20 minutes
  • The included G12 antibody recognizes the toxic fraction of gluten in wheat, barley, rye, and even oat.

Kits contain everything you need to test for gluten in foods, drinks or cosmetics. Kits are available in 2-, 5- and 10-test quantities.

Price varies based on how many kits you buy

Visit GlutenTox

 

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

A note about gluten content tests: These are performed in non-lab environments with small samples.  Processes and ingredients change over time.  Tests found on Gluten Free Finds should not be considered authoritative in nature.  Always check product labels and consult manufacturers for additional information on ingredients and processes.

Tips & Tricks for Using Nima Sensor To Test Gluten Content + 20% Off Pre-Orders

Nima has released a new how to video showing how to use Nima Portable Gluten Sensor to test for gluten content.

The Nima Portable Gluten Sensor is a pocket sized lab that you can take with you to test gluten content of food.  Put the food in question in a one time use capsule and two minutes later Nima will give you results.

“Designed in San Francisco by a team from MIT, Stanford, Google, and Nike. Nima brings together the best in chemistry, engineering, and design.”

Nima is being offered at a 20% discount while in pre-order

Check it out – Nima Portable Gluten Sensor

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

Gluten Content Test: McDonald’s Brewed Ice Tea

cln_img_1936

As a Celiac, I don’t eat food from McDonalds.  That ship has sailed.  I’m not sure where it went, but it’s gone.

I do however still enjoy their brewed ice tea.  Of course, this is a restaurant prepared item, so it’s going to vary on a location by location and batch by batch basis.

I performed a GlutenTox test at the 5 PPM (parts per million sensitivity).  I chose the more stringent option (GlutenTox allows you to choose between 5 and 20 PPM) because I thought… why in the world would this have any gluten, at all, in it.  Note that this test was completed with the unsweetened version, not McDonald’s Sweet Tea.

cln_img_1937

The test stick has two lines, the one on the left is the blue control line and should always become visible.  There is another possible line just to the right of that, that one is red.  That becomes visible if gluten is detected at the selected concentration.  As you can see in this photo only the control line is visible.  According to this result the sample I tested has a lower than 5 PPM gluten content.  Yay!

Each GlutenTox test comes with single use pipettes, extract solution, dilution solution, sample scoop and a test stick.  The testing process is relatively simple and the instructions are clearly written.  This test gives you some flexibility as you have the choice between testing at 20 PPM (parts per million) or 5 PPM.  Under 20 PPM allows manufacturers to label certain foods as gluten free.

More About GlutenTox

GlutenTox Home is a quick, user-friendly test to detect gluten in foods, drinks, cosmetics, or any other substance. It’s useful for anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or keeps a gluten-free diet for any reason.

  • Adjustable sensitivity: test for 20ppm or 5ppm of gluten depending on your specific needs
  • No special equipment required; everything but the test material is included in the kit
  • Safe, non-toxic, and easy to use
  • Quick response: a reliable answer in less than 20 minutes
  • The included G12 antibody recognizes the toxic fraction of gluten in wheat, barley, rye, and even oat.

Kits contain everything you need to test for gluten in foods, drinks or cosmetics. Kits are available in 2-, 5- and 10-test quantities.

Price varies based on how many kits you buy

Visit GlutenTox

 

Related: Do you offer any kind of gluten-free alternative? FAQ on McDonalds website.  GF Finds Commentary… No, no they don’t

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

A note about gluten content tests: These are performed in non-lab environments with small samples.  Processes and ingredients change over time.  Tests found on Gluten Free Finds should not be considered authoritative in nature.  Always check product labels and consult manufacturers for additional information on ingredients and processes.

Gluten Content Test: Melina’s Hot Salsa – Marked Gluten Free

img_img_1919

After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I lost my favorite salsa.  I contacted the company to ask about gluten content and… no reply.

After some looking around we tried Melina’s Hot Salsa.  It is marked gluten free and was found in the regular salsa section at my local Hy-Vee (Midwest chain) store.  The stuff is delicious.

As you can see on the label, this is marked gluten free.  I decided to put that claim to the test by performing a GlutenTox test.

img_img_1922

Each GlutenTox test comes with single use pipettes, extract solution, dilution solution, sample scoop and a test stick.  The testing process is relatively simple and the instructions are clearly written.  This test gives you some flexibility as you have the choice between testing at 20 PPM (parts per million) or 5 PPM.  Under 20 PPM allows manufacturers to label certain foods as gluten free.

img_img_1919

For this test, I decided to use the 5 PPM threshold.  The test stick has two lines, the one on the left is the blue control line and should always become visible.  There is another possible line just to the right of that, that one is red.  That becomes visible if gluten is detected at the selected concentration.  As you can see in this photo only the control line is visible.  According to this result the sample I tested has a lower than 5 PPM gluten content.  That’s great!  I was happy to see this result.

GlutenTox Home is a quick, user-friendly test to detect gluten in foods, drinks, cosmetics, or any other substance. It’s useful for anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or keeps a gluten-free diet for any reason.

  • Adjustable sensitivity: test for 20ppm or 5ppm of gluten depending on your specific needs
  • No special equipment required; everything but the test material is included in the kit
  • Safe, non-toxic, and easy to use
  • Quick response: a reliable answer in less than 20 minutes
  • The included G12 antibody recognizes the toxic fraction of gluten in wheat, barley, rye, and even oat.

Kits contain everything you need to test for gluten in foods, drinks or cosmetics. Kits are available in 2-, 5- and 10-test quantities.

Price varies based on how many kits you buy

Visit GlutenTox

Connect with Us!  FacebookTwitter | Pinterest | Google+RSS Feed | Email NewsletterSubmit a Tip

Recent Great Deals [more]:

A note about gluten content tests: These are performed in non-lab environments with small samples.  Processes and ingredients change over time.  Tests found on Gluten Free Finds should not be considered authoritative in nature.  Always check product labels and consult manufacturers for additional information on ingredients and processes.