Heck sausages

[pretender]

We had Heck Plump Pork & Apple Sausages (gluten free by name & ingredients)for tea last night and within two hours I am ill, I noticed that there are about six different sausages in the range. I have contacted the manufacturer because the outer cardboard branding cover can be inter changed with other Heck sausages and the inner plastic wrapping cannot be recognised as being the right product for the outer wrapper. The sausages were displayed by maker and not by gluten free, has anyone else had a problem?

[Henbur]

According to their website only three of their range aren't gf, the square sausages, the skinless sausages and the chorizo style - given these are all very visually different from the other standard looking sausages I think you would have known if they had been packaged incorrectly, which only really leaves cross contamination of some kind or a reaction with another ingredient definitely interested in their response when you get it!

[pretender in reply to Henbur]

All very well if you google before you buy, seeing the "GF" and ingredient list you might pick them up. I am not a butcher or eat that many sausages, a sausage is a sausage. No contamination issues in my house. I have another health issue but the reactions are totally different.

[Henbur in reply to pretender]

Not sure why so defensive? I was not suggesting a need to google ingredients or contamination on your part. I suspectedthis be on their part because eh do handle gluten and it is unlikely you ate the wrong sausages because of the nature if the non gf ones I.e. I imagine you would have noticed if your sausage was skinless, square or bright red chorizo coloured? Hence my comment about being interested in their response!

[pretender in reply to Henbur]

Not defensive at all, I just see to many Coeliac's with continued ill health and never consider the "GF" diet as the cause. We bought two packets of sausages based on the ingredients, no issues with the first pack. The second pack cooked in a safe sauce (casserole style) by my wife, if the ingredients are safe for me we do not look at the product to closely either tin/packet/dried food etc. The point made was that the contents could be swapped, so different sleeves.

[Henbur in reply to pretender]

I don't think the issue is with your cooking methods or diligence checking ingredients. Nor in this instance do I think it is because the sleeves had been mixed up simpy because the gluten containing sausages are so different and you would have noticed. Hence I thought that contamination could have occurred IN THE FACTORY DURING aMANUFACTURE I.e. Lines not being cleaned down properly after handling other sausages etc. which is a much bigger issue if that makes sense?

[pretender in reply to Henbur]

I think it would be very difficult for anyone not experienced to pick out the safe sausage if all sausages sold were removed from all packaging, unwrapped and unmarked. Nothing to say manufacter handles gluten on any packaging

[barryd]

I had a problem with g/f sausages at Christmas. I believe they almost certainly were g/f but it put me off sausages for a while.I. like many others on here am coeliac, but I have several other intolerances which can make life awkward sometimes, so for me anyway, it may well have been one of those.

I've now started eating sausages again, and have enjoyed The Black Farmers with no ill effects.

[pretender in reply to barryd]

I also had a problem with a well known brand being mixed in with "safe" sausages, lesson learned then was check ingredients list

[sallydogsmum in reply to barryd]

I liked the Black Farmers' ones for a while, then noticed there seemed to be a lot of 'gristle' to chew my way through, so stopped buying them. I'm thinking of making my own, and was musing this issue only this morning while walking the dogs.........thinking sage and onion with nutmeg and cracked pepper or apple and shallot? Need to get working on them!!!!

[SilverDreamMachine]

We buy Sainsbury's taste the difference toulouse and pork and herb sausages. Both very tasty and the toulouse are particularly good in a sausage and pulse casserole!!

[Hidden]

Like a lot other Coeliacs i struggled with sausages for years. But afer a Coeliac Fair i now buy DOHERTYS gluten free. They are from frozen range at Asda. I have recommended them to a few coeliacs and response been good. They only are sold at Asda but to me well worth a try.

[pretender in reply to Hidden]

Will look at them but only by ingredients to see if any good for me, GF to me means use caution.

[Manawydan]

What outcome do you want from the manufacturer?

[pretender in reply to Manawydan]

Have you check these products out? there needs to be something in place that relates to the packaging of the sausages being relevant to the sleeve they are displayed in.

[Bluebell234]

M andS do small chipolata sausages which are gf and the only ones I have found which are not rubbery

[tmoxon]

Tesco finest pork sausages are also now gluten free,they are 2 packs for £5, you need to check that they are the plain ones as the others do contain gluten, they are very good, also bought different flavours of sausages in Asda, large trays of quality type sausages 3 for £10, we got these for bbq's but haven't had any yet. The asda ones were very clearly labeled with the crossed grain symbol in the chiller cabinet. Paul Rankins are also very nice.

[pretender in reply to tmoxon]

We have checked out many sausages including "GF" ones but most contain a derivative which is not good for me! The crossed grain symbol is flawed.

[tmoxon in reply to pretender]

That does make life difficult for you, its bad enough sticking to the normal gf diet without other issues, I will have a look at the Asda ones if you like they are in the freezer, what is it you need to avoid?

[pretender]

I had no problem as a 6 year old (1955) and I assume went into remission aged 13. In those days ingredients were not tampered with, no derivatives. Since the second diagnosis 2007 I again have to avoid ALL wheat (including derivatives) Rye, Barley & Oats. Along with dairy which triggers IBS symptoms (right side lower ribs). I also have an acquired Formaldehyde Allergy were even foods (cauliflower, Shitake mushrooms),trigger the symptoms, Hypromellose HPMC found in prescription drugs, Hydroxpropylmethylcellulose HPMC found in Anadin (for one), and bread type GF products. Along with smokers outside buildings, exhaust fumes, deodorants this list is to much to list.

But tonight for my 65th Birthday I am going to a restaurant for dinner and can expect 5* treatment as a Coeliac.

[Roxy-55]

My top favourites are Debbies and Andrews gluten free (Tesco has the gluten free ones, Sainsbury has Debbies and Andrews but not the GF ones). I'd love them even if they weren't gluten free and haven't experienced any negative effects... and I seem to be very sensitive nowadays. I emailed them to let them know how delighted I was to find them just in an ordinary Tesco express aisle and how special it is for a GF person to even be able to eat sausages! Perhaps us GFers need to affirm the good products and if enough of us do, it might help them to prove to the supermarkets that it's worth stocking them .... and not just in the 'ghetto' GF area!

[pretender]

Been in Tesco's this morning and again notice the Plump pork & Apple sausages are not on the shelf only two options available.

[Venetia]

the more I read on this site the more disturbed I am becoming about the foods I am eating. I used to stick to naturally gluten free foods and I was well , but eating "gluten " free labelled foods sometimes cause reactions in me and sometimes not, I have been sorting my computer and re read some old posts and note how many guerrillas seem affected and complaining about so called gluten free foods, whether sausages or whatever ( black Farmer has seemed ok so far) so I am going to go back to eating only naturally gluten free for a while and see if it makes a difference. Its the social side that makes it difficult, i.e. trying to be "normal" when out with friends, but feeling well and having energy is so much more important and I have had more of those draggy tired days since eating so called safe foods…….I do so appreciate this site , thanks everyone for your comments, questions and replies,

[pretender in reply to Venetia]

Good luck Venetia with your quest. as I say in most of my posts I prefer to go by ingredients rather than the term "GF". Social side is not that big a problem once you know what to leave alone by informing others on your nights out. Next week off to Tunisia for a week and no ingredient lists for me but expect more problems from my allergy and foods safe to eat.

[Venetia]

Sorry an added comment to the sausage debate, Sainsburys used to stock Debbie and Andrews gluten free sausages , then they disappeared off the shelves, and I get so tired of sending in my little customer objection notes, and seeing the product return, then go or stay, Warburtons bread does come and go. Sainsburys keep trying to stock only their own products, …….. ONE thing I do know , the shops will change if it affects their profits, so its up to what we buy or not,

[Thurgolady]

The Co-op do a good Gluten Free Pork sausage - one of my favourites now along with Black Farmer.

[loobylou123]

I was only aware that their normal pork sausages were Gluten Free and they do look very different in colour to their other varities. When trying a new brand of sausage i always look at the packs to make sure they are all the same to avoid the packaging being misplaced. i can highly recommend Black Farmer and Co Op do their own brand too

[Jacks]

Has anyone mentioned this - when I looked, Hecks contained milk. That'd be problematic for me.

[urbangirl]

Tried some M & S GF sausages at a BBQ the other day. Package described GF crumbs containing:

Gluten free crumb contains rice flour, chick pea flour, cornflour, salt, dextrose

Was not very well after. Nobody else was ill - just me. Didn't read the packet properly! Think the dextrose is a problem for me. Disappointed as they tasted really nice.

[pretender in reply to urbangirl]

Dextrose can be a wheat derivative that under EU & FSA Law is permitted in GF foods, that is fine for the majority but for some not pleasant at all. This is where being a Coeliac is farcical we are all treated the same but we are not and all for the benefit of the manufacturer/ Coeliac organisations BUT not the patient.

My advice is go by the ingredients not the "GF" banner.

[urbangirl in reply to pretender]

Don't I just know this! Fed up with it. And annoyed with myself for trusting someone else to read the packaging - and someone who should know better!

But now I think I am lactose intolerant and I love coffee with milk. I can't tolerate soya either. My next favourite drink is gin and I can't replace coffee with gin can I?

[Penel in reply to urbangirl]

I'm not too good with milk but am fine with cream in my coffee, as it has a slightly lower lactose content. Some people put butter in their coffee, but I'm not too keen on that. Gin is also a favourite, but usually just on a Saturday evening.

[urbangirl in reply to Penel]

Wow thanks for this advice Penel. Do you use single or double cream? I gave up coffee once and the withdrawal headache was dire.

[Penel in reply to urbangirl]

Having read an article telling me that the higher the fat content, the lower the lactose, it has to be double cream!

[pretender in reply to urbangirl]

Be careful with soya, it may contain "Maltodextrin" yet another derivative. I have been on soya for several years and find there is soya @£0.59 without any derivatives in Tesco & Sainsburys which gives me no problems. Gin can be made from grain alcohol and that may have fragments etc of gluten irrespective of what is preached. Smirnoff vodka made from corn or white rum from cane sugar. Sadly now TeeTotal due to warfarin