Trader Joe's just launched two new gluten-free breads trying to meet an ever-growing demand for gluten-free products at the store. A few of my readers mentioned this bread to me and then my sister bought the new white sandwich bread at her local Trader Joe's. She said it was most similar to Udi's Bread and was happy to see it readily available and on the shelves.
I was very curious to understand how the bread was produced and if it was made in a dedicated gluten-free facility so I contacted customer service. It took a few days, but I finally received this response from Trader Joe's:
Thank you for contacting us with your product inquiry. However, our bread product selections and suppliers may vary by state and/or region (as we do source our bread products locally). Therefore in order to provide you with accurate allergen information for the specific facility that makes the bread for your area, we would require the specific product SKU number or UPC code from the packaging.
We can share with you that as a standard any products that state “gluten-free” on the labeling will have undergone testing to validate the claim.
GLUTEN FREE — Per the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gluten free labeling regulation, a product that displays a “Gluten Free” claim on the label has been validated to contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. If you see “Gluten Free” on a Trader Joe’s product, this means that the product has been validated to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten. Individuals with Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity must avoid gluten for their health.
So, we do also invite you to contact us directly at (626) 599-3817 anytime Monday through Friday during the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PSt) with the specific product SKU or UPC code for further clarification. However, you can be assured that the product is indeed "gluten free" per the above standards.
It looks like Trader Joe's understands the FDA gluten-free labeling regulation, but I still do not know how the bread is produced or if the production facility is dedicated gluten-free. It seems strange to me that the gluten-free breads would be produced in different factories across the country, but this email implies that it does just that. Once I get a loaf of this bread in my local Trader Joe's, I will inquire about the particular SKU and it's source facility and report back. .
In the meantime, here are the ingredients for the new gluten-free breads at Trader Joe's.
INGREDIENTS
GLUTEN FREE WHITE SANDWICH BREAD: Water, Tapicoa Starch, Potato Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Cane Sugar, Modified Tapioca Starch, Rice Flour with Cultured Rice Flour (for freshness), Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Whole Grain Sorghum Flour, Xanthan Gum, Yeast, Egg Whites, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Potato Flour, Monocalcium Phosphate), Sea Salt, Calcium Sulfate, Enzymes. CONTAINS EGGS.
GLUTEN FREE WHOLE GRAIN BREAD: Water, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Cane Sugar, Rice Flour with Cultured Rice Flour (for freshness), Modified Tapioca Starch, Whole Grain Sorghum Flour, Whole Grain Amaranth Flour, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Whole Grain Teff, Xanthan Gum, Yeast, Egg Whites, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Potato Flour, Monocalcium Phosphate), Flaxseed Meal, Sea Salt, Molasses, Calcium Sulfate, Enzymes. CONTAINS EGGS.
Has anyone tried this bread yet? What do you think?
Labels: bread, gluten-free, Trader Joe's
13 Comments:
Hello Erin, I came across your blogpost via Twitter. While I haven't seen TJ's new GF bread, it's ingredients are similar to Udi's, and I cannot eat Udi's bread without repeatedly getting sick. I finally figured out that at minimum, it was the Xanthum gum that continued to create GI distress when I ate any Udi's products. As a Celiac since 2013, I have learned that fillers and emulsifiers can play a significant part in causing mild to moderate GI distress, and while it isn't the same as getting glutened, it was enough to cause me to avoid it altogether. To answer your question, it is suspicious that one would need to call the local source based on SKU; it suggests that each factory is different, and each factory might not use dedicated machinery.
What funny timing. I just went to TJ's to pick up a loaf of Udi's and saw the new bread. I went to the service desk and asked if it was a different brand or just Udi's repackaged. I explained that there are no markings on the bag to indicate the facility is GF and that we are very sensitive celiacs in my house. We need to know. The service guy said, "I am not supposed to tell you, but yes it's from Udi's. It's a slightly different recipe, TJ's recipe, but it's made by Udi's in their facility."
I was going to also ask you if they were supposed to have the GF symbol too? I though that was going to be standardized or id TJ somehow immune?
I have second-hand knowledge that it is NOT Udi's bread. TJ's broke their contract with Udi's.
Udis is dry And crumbly. My kids won't eat it. It tastes terrible. This new bread is amazing. It's soft and chewy and the kids don't know the difference on a sandwich. Very impressed!!
Only get to Trader's every few months as there is not one near my home. Discovered their new gluten-free bread had replaced my usual brand, Udi's, the only gluten-free bread I like. Bought one loaf to try as I don't like most gluten-free breads. Wish I had bought all they had to freeze and use until my next trip. The whole grain bread is fabulous! If anyone finds out where else I can buy it, please post location. Maybe it will be closer to home.
We just shopped at Trader Joe's last night and brought home several loaves of the gluten-free whole grain and also the white sandwich bread. It's the only gluten-free bread that doesn't taste like drywall. I have 6 loaves in the freezer!
I purchased 2 loafs of TJ's Gluten free bread 3 days ago. I was utterly disgusted because somehow the recipe changed. It tastes exactly like Udi's and even has the Udi's signature huge holes in it so any sandwich filling falls through. It was also crumbly and dense at the same time. Two months ago I bought yummy GF bread from TJ's.
I will be on the search AGAIN for palatable GF bread.
So disappointed. I truly believe most Celiacs just settle for the worst GF bread out there (Udi's). I am shocked those people sell anything as their bread and bagels are disgusting.
I heard good things about TJ's GF bread, and am always open to new things! I bought the white sandwich bread (well before its expiration date) and toasted it for breakfast. However, it was so rubbery & tough I could hardly get through it (unfortunately, I had broken my "over easy" egg on top of it with confidence, & needed to eat the egg).
I try to avoid brown rice when possible (borderline fructmal). The best GF bread I have tried is SCHAR'S white bread. It is soft and toasts up really well - tender & crisp. Schar's also has English Muffins! And Ciabatta rolls that are very nice. Their Entertainment Crackers are kind of a GF "Ritz". and better than Glutino, IMHO. When I travel, it's hard to find Schar's, so I take it with me. Ask your grocery to carry!
Lynn...try Costco
I am so confused...Trader Joe"s was suggested as "the place to get" my Gluten free breads. I found that Costco has a wide variety of breads to meet anyone's needs. It's worth a peek! I hope you see this Lynn!
I highly recommend Canyon Bakehouse - their breads and bagels are very close in texture and taste to traditional gluten-rich store bought breads and bagels. My family has even eaten some of the bread and they could not tell the difference. The best part is their products and facility are gluten, nut, soy and dairy free.
The breads and hamburger buns at my local TJs do not taste or have the consistency of Udi's. They are soft and light, not dense and firm like Udi's.
Some stores (including Target) care some Canyon Bakehouse breads, however, Canyon Bakehouse's online ordering is easy and the prices are better, too.
Oh, I am so sorry to be the bearer of bad news; but Costco does not carry our super large and most delicious Udis bread anymore. I haven't let my thoughts be known to Costo. I should! We all should! Why should we be held hostage with tiny expensive sandwich bread while the rest of the obese world is capable of making a fat ass Dagwood sandwich at whim? Yes I go to Trader Joes and have noticed the wonderful similarity to Udi bread; and the bagles! We will probably all die from lack of fiber. BUT bring on the sandwich!
As a Trader Joe’s employee myself, the information given to us is limited so we don’t even know what facilities make our products. It’s not that we CANT tell you. We love to help our customers the best we can!
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