If you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, you understand that trusting gluten-free brands is not only a matter of convenience but something that helps keep you sane. There is so much out there that can make us sick that it brings me comfort to know when a product is certified gluten-free.
We should definitely be able to trust certified gluten-free brands, right? RIGHT?!
Feel Good Foods Recall Information
Well, not necessarily. Late last week, Feel Good Foods issued a voluntary recall of their gluten-free cream cheese stuffed mini bagels. Here are the products that were affected in case you need to check the box chilling in your freezer:
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Plain Mini Bagels – UPC 89903900283
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Everything Mini Bagels – UPC 89903900286
The Best By dates fall between 5/29/24 and 9/17/25.
The FDA’s announcement said that Feel Good Foods initiated the recall after one person reported “an adverse reaction to gluten.”
What really gets me is this statement in the FDA’s announcement:
As a result of this incident, Feel Good Foods is immediately recalling the product and is implementing measures to prevent reoccurrence.
FDA Company Announcement
I understand that some of this is corporate-speak designed to make people feel better, but here are the questions I’m screaming in my head:
- Why weren’t safety measures already in place to prevent gluten from getting into the gluten-free products?
- How does enough gluten get into a batch of certified gluten-free bagels that it makes someone sick, but their third-party gluten-free certification tests didn’t pick up on this issue?
Should We Actually Trust Gluten-Free Companies?
I’m not here to tell you how to feel about Feel Good Foods specifically, but I hope this recall helps you stay vigilant without fundamentally shaking your trust in all gluten-free products.
We need to hold brands accountable for their actions and advocate for transparency and accountability.
Resorting to extreme measures such as only eating whole foods and never eating out—or whatever unrealistic response you’ve gotten from internet trolls—is not the answer.
If you’re scared by this recall, you’re not alone, and you’re not overreacting. It’s forced me to confront how much faith we put in companies every day—when we take medicine, brush our teeth, put children in car seats, drive a car, go on rollercoasters, use electric tools, etc. The list of everyday activities that require having trust in other people and companies would be 100 miles long.
Companies typically learn from their mistakes and do better, unless they are like Van’s Gluten Free Waffles, which has had TWO food recalls due to undeclared wheat found in its gluten-free waffles. Seriously, it happened once in May 2018 and again in July 2023!
When it comes to eating gluten-free foods, my suggestion is to go with your gut. If you feel uncomfortable or sick eating a certain product for any reason, don’t eat it, regardless of whether it has a certified gluten-free label. You’re your best advocate when navigating a gluten-free lifestyle.
