I've joined up to ask the bizarre question if anyone else has been made ill by the most banal and unlikely of things, i.e. ground coffee?
I normally use Lavazza or Taylors, or even local Co-Ops own brand, and all have been entirely fine. For years coffee is the one thing I have been able to trust.
Popped into M&S foods two days ago, purchased their own brand Peruvian coffee (no.5). Made that coffee yesterday morning, had coeliac symptoms and thought it was something I had eaten previous evening. Made the coffee again this morning - again symptoms.
I have reported this on to M&S and unsure what steps they will take (i.e. test the product, or check what is happening up the line), but genuinely I have found M&S to be a very poor place to go if you have coeliac.
I have similarly been made ill by another unlikely product (pork rind - I know, it's my naughty secret), where they checked and assurance given even though gluten in another part of the factory.
I've even been made ill by their gluten free range bread products.
Questions:
1) has anyone else had this experience with a brand of coffee, and if so, which one?
2) how are people finding M&S generally for coeliac friendly?
I have had gluten type reactions to food which was gluten free: strong coffee on an empty stomach; very fatty foods; additives in bread, such as emulsifiers, gum, hydroxy methyl cellulose.
I’m ok with M&S decaffeinated coffee but tend to avoid most ready made foods, as I have IBS.
Thank you Panel. Appreciate that. You're right - it is a minefield and I do wonder if it's the lack of science behind aspects of coeliac and our immune reactions. I believe I am on top of it, and then something new comes along. Too many mysteries!
I have a similar reaction to foods made by Waitrose. I started blaming the maltodextrin which was in a couple of dishes I bought, and it may well have been, but I still got a gluten type reaction to some of their other own brand items. It is all very strange.
It is strange. M&S is top of my worst offenders across the board, and interesting you're having similar with Waitrose. I find Tesco to be the best. I just wonder how this is happening. Yes, maltodextrin is a hot potato or topic. I just avoid it at this point.
No issues with M&S food. Since my diagnosis (~7 years ago), I've had increasing issues with coffee. I've narrowed it down to the Robusta bean which has more caffeine, no problems with Arabica. Can't explain it, I just know the boundaries I can live within.
I have Coeliac disease and cannot tolerate coffee. It’s so severe that I throw up when I drink it. I have read somewhere that coffee isn’t so great for people with this condition so it’s just tea for me!
Wow, that's pretty severe. It's just such conundrum really, and just telling people not to eat gluten doesn't seem to be the end of the story. Once that gut damage sets it, it just seem challenging to get on top of it.
Such a diversity between shops. Maybe the answer is to stick to the known brands, not the own brands. I've found Lavazza and Taylor's to be fine, and my local Co-Op had a good own brand that was very cheap and really nice. I just don't know how some get it so right, and some seem to get it so wrong. Did you ever check with Lidl on what was going on with their coffee?
I haven't been able to tolerate any coffee for years, and my eldest son has had to stop drinking it too. He drives a lorry and it was seriously inconveniencing him. I still like the small though, but now am restricted to tea.
Such a shame. Coffee is a great pick me up. Tea is lovely also, but coffee just has that edge on it. I often wonder if it's the pesticides that are sprayed on crops that give a lot of the bother? Have your tried organic coffee at all?
My coeliac symptoms are joint pain and peripheral neuropathy. I do get gastric 'pain' i.e. a dull persistent pain in my right side, but no actual gastric symptoms.
Interesting re coffee. I’ve had quite a few reactions to coffee here and there. Usually when purchased from a cafe so I switched to tea or peppermint tea. I like Taylor’s too and kenco for instant normally (they label gluten free online but not on packet).
I avoid Nescafé instant especially but the more expensive ones too, this really does knock tummy off for some reason. It was by chance found that one out as couldn’t figure out why every time I visited a particular in law (whom careful about gluten free for me) would be made ill afterwords. Eventually realised the coffee. Declined a few times to test and was fine. Next time had a coffee - 🤢 .
I was diagnosed wheat allergic and gluten intolerant by gastroenterologist not coeliac, so can happen without CD interestingly. I have IBS. I have other intolerance and histamine intolerance which strong coffee can setoff so don’t know if it’s that or cross contamination.
Agree gluten is just the tip of the iceberg for many gluten free people!
Not tried M&S coffee. Coop usually ok too for me. Waitrose own brand gf products mentioned by Sapphire10, interesting. Some contain gluten free wheat derived glucose syrup which in the allergic person or ultra sensitive coeliac could be an issue. Same with dextrose (can be wheat derived). Waitrose should be commended for labelling this though as no other supermarket seems to as they don’t have to by law. I avoid additives wherever possible.
I use whole beans, I was having problems with using a Kuerig machine. Better once I bought an old fashioned coffee maker. I think I’m going to get a French press next.
Yes coffee will give me dose of heartburn and occasionally IBS/celiac symptoms. I like fresh ground coffee but stick to no 3 blend and not strongest no 5 that I get in Aldi.
It’s hit and miss isn’t it ? Caffeine can be a problem full stop. So, I honestly do not know. You know you best. I love cayenne pepper but bought a different brand. It wasn’t pretty. I stick to more or less the same stuff day in day out. They are my safe foods.
Apparently, ‘a little bit of gluten won’t hurt me. I’m too young to have an illness. Gluten upsets me. I’m lucky I’m pretty. I’ll grow out of it.’
Thank goodness for Professor Dave Sanders, Professor Marios Hadjivassiliou and Professor Aeshlimann. At least these wise guys talk sense. Professor Michael Newton Marsh left a legacy. It is extremely weighty.
Hi Trustnowt, Are you sure it is gluten sensitivity or have you got IBS aswell? I am a coeliac and have IBS and dairy free too. The very first thing I noticed that upset me was coffee, nearly 60 years ago, and fat of any kind, milk and a few other things. It wasn't till 20 years later that I was sorted out and diagnosed. Guar Gum in bread, biscuits and cake is another bad culprit for IBS. Good luck.
Never trust any coffee that has been ground before buying as many times they have fillers that can cause problems. Only buy coffee beans and grind them yourself to ensure that you are getting only coffee.
I do occasionally buy GF products from M&S and generally have no problem apart from their takeaway sandwiches. The first time I thought nothing of it and that it was just coincidence, particularly as I suffer from IBS too, and then when I bought something again a few months later, it happened again. I was bought a takeaway sandwich from there recently by an ex-colleague when I popped into my old place of work and that was fine. Unfortunately I couldn’t remember the fillings I’d had, so not sure whether it was just a particular type of sandwich filling, but I’d say it’s happened on at least three occasions; fortunately not a severe reaction, however I don’t believe it was coincidence.
It did happen once when I ate one of their quiche last year, and decided I wouldn’t buy another, however my daughter brought me one in recently when she visited so I decided to risk it and I was fine so again I’m not sure.
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