Guest guest Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 I contacted Arby's asking which of their items were gluten-free and received the below e-mail today. If you bring in your own sandwich bread or roll, you can enjoy a roast beef /cheese sandwich, baked potato, fresh fruit cup and milkshake. Yum! P.S. As always, there are cross-contamination issues. I also wouldn't have them put any condiments on your meat or cheese because of the cross-contamination issues. Sue Your request for information posed to the Arby's Guest Feedback system was forwarded to me, Papa, Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs Compliance Officer for Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. Thank you for your interest in Arby's, and especially for considering our menu as something that might meet the dietary need you indicate. ... I imagine you ask for this information either for yourself or a loved one (although the e-mail address makes me wonder of other possibilities!). I wish I could be more positive about the gluten-free experience you might have in Arby's restaurants. At this time, before I can get to our suppliers about this issue, I steer people only toward the menu items I know will be gluten-free. It is difficult for me to recommend any food that is complicated in the manner that it is colored, flavored or seasoned, or for which a specific starch declaration is not made. I think you may already know more about this area than I do: the manufacturing sector, especially those making seasonings, do not immediately respect the limitations to the materials they might use in their craft, beyond those represented by the major allergens. At this time, even though a seasoning might be free, the supplier could change one of their raw materials and not upset the allergen-picture at all, but tamper with the gluten-profile. Therefore, I need to create an awareness among our suppliers, and then impose the rule. Or the government will impose the rule as a labeling issue--there are considerations underway at the present time. Regardless, until I can lock all suppliers into the specific declaration of a starch, be it corn, potato or wheat, I will take this more conservative approach in making menu recommendations. And, there will be some things that I doubt will be changed or limited (e.g., buns, breads and wraps); but then, at least we will know and be able to construct a list that a number of Celiacs have already proposed as a good practice for our website. The re-design of our website, to be more user-friendly, is expected to be completed by mid-May. [NOTE: www.arbys.com The nutrition section contains ingredient lists for almost all the components of our menu items.] The simple truth otherwise: our gluten-free list is short. Proteins, without bread or buns: roast beef, ham and turkey. [None of the items under Chicken Naturals, including even Diced, except the Grilled Fillet.] Cheeses, natural and processed. Peppered bacon. Baked potatoes only [Plain, or with butter and gluten-free seasonings. About 50% of our restaurants offer baked potatoes.] Fresh Fruit Cup. [in 2006, as part of our new program for Arby's Kids Meals; contains diced apples and grapes, that can be ordered as a side.] Milkshakes. I cannot recommend any of the other potato products, though, because, in their cooking at the restaurant, there is the chance they will share fryer-space with wheat flour-based coated items. And then (you should be made aware of this) the Curly Fries are coated, and there is gluten added as a part of that formulation and preparation by our supplier. Their preparation in the same oil as that used for Homestyle Fries and Potato cakes takes out all three as options. [so the declaration of food starch in our Homestyle Fries seems a bit moot, but still I want suppliers to declare and stay with their statement.] Again, thank you for your interest in Arby's. I have just returned to the responsibilities of this position, having occupied the office several years ago. I will see to it that the Arby's website soon contains a quick drop-down list where you can learn of any new items that are suitable for you or your loved one. ... If you need any further information or additional details, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Papa, Ph.D. Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs Compliance Officer Technical Services Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. 1155 Perimeter Center West Atlanta, GA 30338 Phone: (678) 514-4315 Mobile: (678) 778-9730 cpapa@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 What a great response! I will definitely patronize them whenever I can - there's not one in Marin to my knowledge. Trudy > > I contacted Arby's asking which of their items were gluten-free and > received the below e-mail today. If you bring in your own sandwich > bread or roll, you can enjoy a roast beef /cheese sandwich, baked > potato, fresh fruit cup and milkshake. Yum! > > P.S. As always, there are cross-contamination issues. I also wouldn't > have them put any condiments on your meat or cheese because of the > cross-contamination issues. > > Sue > > Your request for information posed to the Arby's Guest Feedback system > was forwarded to me, Papa, Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs > Compliance Officer for Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. Thank you for your > interest in Arby's, and especially for considering our menu as something > that might meet the dietary need you indicate. ... I imagine you ask for > this information either for yourself or a loved one (although the e- mail > address makes me wonder of other possibilities!). > > I wish I could be more positive about the gluten-free experience you > might have in Arby's restaurants. At this time, before I can get to our > suppliers about this issue, I steer people only toward the menu items I > know will be gluten-free. > > It is difficult for me to recommend any food that is complicated in the > manner that it is colored, flavored or seasoned, or for which a specific > starch declaration is not made. I think you may already know more about > this area than I do: the manufacturing sector, especially those making > seasonings, do not immediately respect the limitations to the materials > they might use in their craft, beyond those represented by the major > allergens. At this time, even though a seasoning might be free, the > supplier could change one of their raw materials and not upset the > allergen-picture at all, but tamper with the gluten-profile. Therefore, > I need to create an awareness among our suppliers, and then impose the > rule. Or the government will impose the rule as a labeling issue-- there > are considerations underway at the present time. Regardless, until I can > lock all suppliers into the specific declaration of a starch, be it > corn, potato or wheat, I will take this more conservative approach in > making menu recommendations. > > And, there will be some things that I doubt will be changed or limited > (e.g., buns, breads and wraps); but then, at least we will know and be > able to construct a list that a number of Celiacs have already proposed > as a good practice for our website. The re-design of our website, to be > more user-friendly, is expected to be completed by mid-May. [NOTE: > www.arbys.com <http://www.arbys.com/> The nutrition section contains > ingredient lists for almost all the components of our menu items.] > > The simple truth otherwise: our gluten-free list is short. > Proteins, without bread or buns: roast beef, ham and turkey. [None of > the items under Chicken Naturals, including even Diced, except the > Grilled Fillet.] > Cheeses, natural and processed. > Peppered bacon. > Baked potatoes only [Plain, or with butter and gluten-free seasonings. > About 50% of our restaurants offer baked potatoes.] > Fresh Fruit Cup. [in 2006, as part of our new program for Arby's Kids > Meals; contains diced apples and grapes, that can be ordered as a side.] > Milkshakes. > > I cannot recommend any of the other potato products, though, because, in > their cooking at the restaurant, there is the chance they will share > fryer-space with wheat flour-based coated items. And then (you should be > made aware of this) the Curly Fries are coated, and there is gluten > added as a part of that formulation and preparation by our supplier. > Their preparation in the same oil as that used for Homestyle Fries and > Potato cakes takes out all three as options. [so the declaration of food > starch in our Homestyle Fries seems a bit moot, but still I want > suppliers to declare and stay with their statement.] > > Again, thank you for your interest in Arby's. I have just returned to > the responsibilities of this position, having occupied the office > several years ago. I will see to it that the Arby's website soon > contains a quick drop-down list where you can learn of any new items > that are suitable for you or your loved one. ... If you need any further > information or additional details, please feel free to contact me. > > Sincerely, > Papa, Ph.D. > Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs Compliance Officer > Technical Services > Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. > 1155 Perimeter Center West > Atlanta, GA 30338 > Phone: (678) 514-4315 > Mobile: (678) 778-9730 > cpapa@... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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