E464 (Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) problems anyone?

[Ukulelelady1]

Trying to get back on to foods after cross contamination, I have found I’ve having problems with E464. My daughter pointed out that it’s a laxative, which I wasn’t aware of. Just wondering if anyone else has issues with it, as I went back to square one after consuming some gluten free bread as toast.

[Whydothis]

YES! I find it highly laxative - like cross-contamination but without the other symptoms.

I first came across it when I went back to a product that had previously been ok (BFree sweet potato wraps), felt ill, and then compared the ingredients with an old bag I still had. I found they had changed the recipe and added this.

More recently I had a few days away in a good B&B, and was offered Genius toast. I eat only home-made food at home, but had eaten Genius bread without problems in the past. Again, I found out the hard way that this also now contains it.

I suggest reading all labels for this as well as gluten. It seems to be mainly in bread-like products, presumably to improve the texture.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to Whydothis]

It seems to be in lots of gluten free products, not just bread. I’m finding it hard to find things to eat right now and I just thought it was me, as I seem to be super sensitive to a lot of things since being diagnosed with coeliac disease. I do read all the packaging, it’s too risky not to with my diet.

[Whydothis]

PS - this was my post on the same subject a few months ago - with some helpful replies.

healthunlocked.com/glutenfr...

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to Whydothis]

Thanks, I’ll take a look.

[Penel]

That’s a yes from me too.

I’ve found it most recently in gf fish cakes. As WDT has said, it seems to be cropping up in things that didn’t have it before.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to Penel]

When you look at what it’s made from, it makes me wonder why they find it okay to put it in food at all.

[MTCee]

I shudder whenever I read the ingredients on commercial gf bread products. Not much of it looks like it belongs on something that is meant to be eaten. It might be best to try and avoid all such products. Stick to fruit and yogurt or eggs and cheese for breakfast when away if you can. I’d rather miss a meal than eat commercially made bread. I’ve had too many bad experiences to feel safe with any of them.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to MTCee]

Most fruit I have difficulty with, (I’m on a low FODMAP diet), and can’t tolerate dairy, I’ve been like that since before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, and haven’t been fortunate enough to be able to reintroduce it into my diet, so I’m struggling to find things to eat.

[MTCee in reply to Ukulelelady1]

I’m sorry to hear that. That must make things really difficult. Are you ok with eggs or fish? Trying to find suitable food when traveling can be a real nightmare when you have food intolerances.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to MTCee]

Yes, thanks, I can eat eggs and fish. I’m struggling at the moment. I seem to have had a flare up, I don’t know if I’ve been glutened and then become more sensitive to foods or what.

[ChuckBandChar]

I’m not sure where your located, but in the States I have found bread from Canyon Bakehouse have natural ingredients. I have had no issues with it. They only make GF baked products. They ship internationally as well.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to ChuckBandChar]

That’s sounds ideal. We are in the North of England, and don’t have anything like that - that I’m aware of. Thanks for the reply though.

[bookish]

I first heard about the potential problems with HPMC from Micki Rose at Pure Health purehealthclinic.co.uk/2011..., because some (not all) HPMC contains carrageenan. That is why I started to remove the contents from my HPMC capsules and re-capsule them. I hadn't realised that HPMC was now in so many products. (I stopped eating anything pre-prepared a few years ago as also super-sensitive). Many online reports of reactions.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to bookish]

I’m surprised at the amount of people that are sensitive to all these ingredients in food. If this is the case, why are manufacturers continuing to put it in their foods? It’s like they are slowly poisoning us. I’m getting cynical these days.

[bookish in reply to Ukulelelady1]

Me too! x

[Researchfan]

Hi Ukulelelady1,

Thanks for pointing out about e464. Hope you are doing a bit better.

I’m not a fan of all the gums and additives manufacturers seems to think it’s ok to add to products. A lot of gluten free products are processed food just like regular products - sometimes more so. Psyillium husk is a laxative too. And I find a lot of the breads are too high in added fiber. It can go either way for people with sensitive guts - diarrhoea or constipation. I don’t do well with. Too much fiber. Especially artificially added ones. Similar to fodmaps. I’m not sure whether hydroxproprlymethylecellulose is fermentable? Or been tested by monash university? Psyillium FODMAP friendly supposedly.

[Ukulelelady1 in reply to Researchfan]

It’s getting ridiculous, the amount of additives put in food, it’s. I wonder there are so many people intolerant to food additives. I have started cooking everything from scratch, which isn’t always ideal as I have other health issues as well, and don’t always feel like spending ages preparing foods. Added into the mix I don’t eat meat, there’s really not a wide range of scope, and worried that eventually, there will be nothing I can eat.

I didn’t realise psyillium husk was also a laxative. I’ll keep an eye out for that one too. Thank you!

[accordeonman]

I have been living glutenfree for about 20 years and the change was marvelous

now I have had problem with bread for some years

My wife make bread for me and no trouble but buying bread doen't go

Earlier it was no problem so perhaps there was no E464 and other Es then

Last december I had to visit hospital. The doctor said divertuculitus and I had to go for antibiotic....not so good

Now reading your story and others I feel it's E464

I have oatmeal in the morning, I can eat egg and fish, potatoes but no bread from the shop

And when I have a crasch it takes me weeks to come along again