INTERVIEW: Bob's Red Mill on Gluten-free Processing, Testing and GMO's

This is an interview with Cassidy Stockton, the Social Media Specialist for Bob's Red Mill.  Through the interview, she takes us behind the scenes at Bob's, and gives us insight into their practices and philosophies, and some of the challenges in the allergen-free food market.  The above video opens the door to the plant and their testing facility, so we can see how things are done.

BOB’S STORY

TF:  How & Why did Bob’s Red Mill get started? 

Bob’s:  Bob's journey began in the mid 1960’s after running across a book about old, stone-grinding, flour mills.  The book really struck him.  He became so enthusiastic, in fact, that he began to search the U.S. for stone mills that were still usable.  High-speed, steel, roller mills were quickly dominating the market, so any stone mill was a rare find.  Bob is pretty persistant, so when he procured millstones from an old water-powered flour mill in North Carolina , Bob and his wife, Charlee, began their first mill in Redding, California.

In 1978, Bob and Charlee decided to pursue others interests and moved to Oregon City, Oregon. On an afternoon walk, Bob came across yet another, beautiful, old mill.  As luck would have it, the mill was for sale.  In a few months, Bob was producing stone ground flours and cereals for local customers. Word quickly spread and Bob's Oregon City based mill enjoyed much success until 1988 when a fire destroyed the building.

Bob knew he owed it to his family of employees and loyal customers to rebuild.  He spent many years growing the business to where we are today. Our current site, located in Milwaukie, Oregon is a 320,000 square foot facility covering some seventeen acres and produces thousands of products each day.  Our products are all made with the same good old-fashioned techniques our customers have come to love and trust since our beginning.

ON CROSS CONTAMINATION

Bob's Whole Grain StoreTF:  How does Bob’s keep their GF flours truly “gluten-free” when also processing other products that contain gluten grains?

Bob’s:  Our gluten free process begins at the farm. We source from suppliers who can deliver clean, gluten free grains.  We do not use suppliers who cannot provide us with grains that are mostly clean from gluten-containing grains. Once we receive a shipment, it is tested in our on-site gluten-free laboratory for gluten before it is released into our gluten free facility. If an ingredient does not test gluten-free, it does not go into that facility. All products and ingredients are tested to be under 20 ppm.

Within our building we have two manufacturing facilities- one that is entirely gluten free and one that is for everything else. The gluten free facility has dedicated storage areas, manufacturing lines, employees, and even a separate ventilation system. Customers can learn more, here: http://youtu.be/pAq4pWQHWq4 (links to a tour of our GF facility). All gluten free products are tested when they come in (as ingredients), during and after production before being released to the public.

Our entire facility is HACCP certified, which means that we practice Good Manufacturing Practices and all of our employees are well-versed in preventing cross contact between allergens.

Link to HACCP

Link to GMPS

TF:  Do you use a particular process for cleaning machines and your facility?   If so, why did you choose this particular process?

Bob’s:  Yes, we have a full procedure for cleaning machines. All lines are cleaned between runs using air and 30 lbs of the new product is flushed through the system before packaging begins. Production is scheduled with allergens in mind so that cross contact is minimized, for example if a soy product is to be run on a line, only products containing soy are run after it.

TF:  What certification organization(s) do you use?

Bob's:  We are certified organic by Quality Assurance International and certified kosher by Kehilla Kosher. Our HACCP certification is done by Randolph Associates, Inc.

TF:  Do you source your gluten-free grains from farms that do not rotate their gluten-free crops with wheat, rye or barley? 

Bob’s:  Yes, all of our gluten free oats are grown by a farming cooperative in Canada who is committed to only growing oats. No oats can be grown on those farms within the last 3 years prior to joining the coop. Additionally, while I don’t know the exact mileage, all of those farms are located a certain distance from farms growing wheat/rye/barley or other gluten-containing grains to prevent cross contamination due to weather/ birds/etc.  

ON TESTING, LABELING  & MULTIPLE ALLERGENS

Bob's Gluten-free LogoTF:  To what ppm do you test for gluten?  Why have you chosen that particular number?

Bob’s:  We test products down to 20 ppm, which means nothing over 19 ppm goes out- period. We chose 20 ppm because we felt that was low enough for the mass majority of people and high enough for us to produce the wide variety of gluten free products that we carry. At the time, this was the standard used in Europe. People should know that while we do test to below 20 ppm, most of our products fall much lower than that.

TF:  You also process nut flours.  If someone has both gluten and nut allergies, is it safe for a nut-allergic person to eat your gluten-free flours?  What is your advice?

Bob’s:  Yes, we package hazelnut and almond meal in our gluten free facility. We do not grind these flours, as stone grinding cannot produce flour and instead turns nuts into butters. We do package those flours and as we stated above, use good manufacturing practices to prevent cross contact. We have many people with nut allergies who eat our gluten free products with no problem, but it really comes down to the comfort level of the individual. There are several companies that specialize in allergen-free and nut-free products and we recommend customers look to them if they are not comfortable with our practices.

TF:  Do you test for other top allergens? 

Bob’s:  No, we do not.

TF:  Are you considering testing for other allergens to help more people with multiple food allergies?

Bob’s:  No, there have been no plans to do so.

TF:  Why are some of your gluten-free grains, like whole grain millet, not labeled “gluten-free”?

Bob’s:  All of our gluten free grains that are tested, including millet, are labeled gluten free. Some products, such as the millet, are sold to all sorts of customers. Those products have a small symbol on the front of the package to indicate gluten free, while the products that have been specifically designed for gluten free eaters display a more prominent gluten free label. We do have some products that are inherently gluten free, such as Buckwheat Flour and Soy Flour, but are not packaged or tested to be gluten free. This typically happens when we cannot secure a supplier who can provide the commodity in a reliable, gluten free manner in a sufficient quantity for our needs.

TF:  Oats are another fairly common allergy for people with gluten allergies or celiac disease.  Do you also test for oats in your gluten-free flours?

Bob’s:  No.

ON THE PROPOSED GLUTEN TESTING LAW

TF:  While on the subject of gluten, what are Bob’s thoughts on the proposed gluten testing  & labeling law?  Do you think 20 ppm is enough? 

Bob’s:  As a leader in the gluten free industry, Bob’s Red Mill was asked in the original hearings. We fully support this labeling law and eagerly await its release. We have been very active in pushing this law through by working with our US senator, Ron Wyden. (http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=3d5eb70d-b48a-4afd-8dea-eb2a694df3a5) 

We support 20 ppm because we feel it is a reasonable level for most manufacturers to attain. When you start getting into 10 and 5 ppm, many companies won’t be able to meet that threshold and will not be able to produce gluten free foods.

TF:  Could you see the law going further in any area?

Bob’s:  One area that begs more consideration is regarding the use of the gluten free claim on foods that are inherently gluten free. The spirit of the law is to prevent people from putting gluten free on things such as milk and eggs- things that would not ever have gluten. However, it will cause problems for foods that are inherently gluten free, such as oats, but need to be produced in a way that makes them fully gluten free. It does not help the consumer to say that all oats are gluten free- they simply are not.

TF:  Could you clarify what the labeling law means for foods that are "inherently" gluten-free?

Bob's:  It’s kind of a tricky wording on the proposed law. It says that if a product is inherently gluten free, you must state that. So for things like Quinoa, for example, even if we go above and beyond to ensure that the product is gluten free (through sourcing, production, and testing), we’ll have to put “quinoa is inherently gluten free” on the labeling if we want to call it gluten free. What worries our company is that people might assume that all quinoa is safe for consumption because it’s "inherently gluten free", (when it could be sourced or processed with gluten grains, and is not tested for gluten). That’s just an example, by the way. It’s just scary with the foods that really do have a high chance of cross contact- like oats- and if customers are not as savvy about what something like "gluten free oats" really means, they might think that all oats are inherently gluten free, so safe to eat even if the label doesn't actually say "gluten free".

TF:  What is the most difficult thing for food manufacturers to deal with when serving people with food allergies (Tender Foodies)? 

Bob’s:  Cross contact and keeping our ingredients clean through the entire process. It’s hard when you’re trying to source grains and your suppliers don’t know enough about allergens to work with you.

ON AUTISM & HEALTH

TF:  I see on your web site that Bob is a big supporter of health and wellness.  In fact, he and his wife recently gave to Oregon Health and Science University.   What inspired this interest and the gift to OHSU?

Bob’s:  The donation to OHSU and the two given last year to Oregon State University and the National College of Natural Medicine are all working to create and bolster nutrition research and education. The OHSU donation is the largest and will create the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health. Bob and Charlee want nothing more than to help end childhood obesity and educate people about proper nutrition.

TF:  I also noticed that Bob’s site has a section dedicated to Autism.  I know that a gluten-free diet has helped many people with Autism.  What is Bob’s interest in this condition?

Bob’s:  Our gluten free products have always been free from dairy/casein and we started hearing from our customers about their success following a GF/CF diet to mitigate the symptoms of autism. We care about our customers, so we listened and started trying to get more involved in the autism community.

TF:  Do you have any new products coming to market, or any events coming up that you would like my readers to know about?

Bob’s:  We have a few new gluten free products coming in 2012, but we cannot divulge what they are at this time.

ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMO’S)

TF:  What is your position on GMO's?

Bob’s:  All of our products come from identity preserved seeds. This means the seed planted in the ground is non-GMO. We simply can't guarantee against cross-pollination due to natural occurrences such as wind drift, so we do not label our products GMO-free.

BOB’S ADVICE FOR TENDER FOODIES

TF:  How can Tender Foodies help manufacturers serve them better?

Bob’s: By increasing education and awareness (in the community).

TF:  If you were to give the Tender Foodie Community one piece of advice, what would you like them to know?

Bob’s:  Be an advocate for yourself. You are your biggest ally in eating allergen-free.

My warmest thanks to Cassidy Stockton and to Bob's Red Mill for the information they provided for this interview. 

The Tender Foodie in Women's Lifestyle Magazine

"Me" in The Leonard at Logan House chef's kitchen - an historic Bed and Breakfast in Grand Rapids, MII was very honored to be interviewed and profiled in Women's LifeStyle Magazine for their October Issue.  The issue is all about "home", a timely topic as we draw in, bundle up and find sanctuary from the business of life. 

Click to read the full article, "Making Tasteful Choices" and to visit Women's LifeStyle Magazine's e-edition.

Excerpt:

“Food is the center of social gatherings. At first, I would try to hide my food allergies,” explains Veltman, who would call ahead to order meals when meeting clients or attending parties at restaurants. “In doing so, I realized I was not alone.”
Food allergies are not just a health issue – it becomes a social issue.

RECIPE: Roasted Delicata and Sweet Dumpling Squash (with Rosemary and Maple Syrup)

Whole Roasted Sweet Dumpling & Delicata (left), Roasted Sweet Potato & Summer Squash (middle), & Delicata with Maple Syrup & RosemayWhen I opened my Doorganics Box last week, I was excited to see a couple of sweet dumpling squashes.  They looked up at me and said, "Roast me!" 

There was also a long, winter-squash-type thingy that I had never seen (nor eaten) before.  It said nothing. 

I needed it to speak, so I turned to the magic of the Internet and discovered that the long, squash-like thingy was a Delicata squash, and that it could be roasted easily, either whole and open-faced.  Then, thanks to four beautiful sprigs of rosemary sitting on the counter, I was inspired me to think, "maple syrup!" (Don't I always think maple syrup?)

I took initial whole roasting guidance from a neat blog called Fanatic Cook.  It is written by an aerospace engineer turned Master of Public Health/Master of Science in Human Clinical Nutrition and Biochemistry.  Say that 3 times fast.  The author ("RB") shows us how to beautifully roast a whole dumpling squash.  I've deviated a bit from RB's instructions, so I could try more stuff at the same temperature. 

Now lets have some fun with squash.  Here's three easy recipes.  The 2nd is a favorite.

Whole Roasted Winter Squash

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Make sure no parchment sticks out past the pan (or it might burn). 

Thoroughly wash one dumpling squash and one delicata squash (or 2 or each, just leave space enough for the squash to breathe and turn).  Use a knife to pierce each squash in several places all the way around to vent.  Place them on the cookie sheet and set into the preheated oven. 

Every 15 or 20 minutes, turn the squash so that every inch can get an even heat exposure.  Turn from top to bottom first, and as it starts to soften, turn side to side. 

When the squash is soft and browning, remove from the oven.  Let it cool down, cut in half, scrape out the seeds and pith.  Then serve hot. You can add a little sea salt, or some brown sugar or maple syrup, or just eat them plain.  Butter lovers can use these dairy alternatives, too.  The dumpling squash is quite delicious roasted and naked (you can even eat the dumpling's skin), so purists like RB might not want to dress it up at all. 

The delicata squash will take about one hour.

The dumpling squash will take about 1-1/2 hours.

Roasted Delicata with Rosemary and Maple Syrup

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

1 delicata squash

1 tsp. safflower oil

1 pinch of sea salt

*please use sea or kosher, not the variety that comes in a blue cylinder.*

2 TBS of maple syrup

2 large sprig of fresh rosemary

Thoroughly wash one delicata squash and cut it in half, lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and pulp and save the seeds (so you can plant in your garden!)  Put a little (a tsp.) safflower oil on your hands and "lightly" (I mean, lightly) rub the inside and the outside of each half.  Sprinkle the insides with a little sea salt - a pinch on each half.  Then spread the maple syrup on the flesh (inside) of each half - one TBS per half.  Make sure you get some up the sides.  Remove the rosemary leaves from the stem and sprinkle on the flesh.  Put in the preheated oven. 

After the first half hour, check every 10 minutes.  Cook for about 1 hour until soft, and carmelized.   This is so, so yummy.

Roasted Sweet Potatos and Summer Squash

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2 Sweet Potatoes (I used Covington, super good)

1 large Yellow Summer Squash

Safflower Oil

Sea Salt

Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.  Wash the squash and scrub the sweet potatoes, then chop of the stem and butt ends.  Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then place face down on the cutting board and slice into 1/4-1/3 inch think slices.  Then cut those slices in half.  All of the vegetables should be slightly larger than bit sized pieces (potatoes smaller than the squash for more even cook time) since they shrink in the oven.  Place on the sheet.  Sprinkle two pinches of sea salt over the vegetables.  Place the oil in the cup of your hand - about 1 TBS.  Lightly rub the potatoes and squash pieces with the oil. 

Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring up occasionally so that they get lightly browned on either side.  Serve hot.  Devour.

This method also works great for turnips!

Do You Shop in Multiple Groceries Every Week? 5 Simple Steps That Could Help.

Nearly every week, I visit several grocery stores just to buy the staples that I need.  If you have multiple food allergies and intolerances, finding the most basic products in one place is nearly impossible.  If you live in a mixed-allergy/non-allergy household, whew, you are probably too tired to actually make dinner!  As I listen to the Tender Foodie Community, it's clear that most of you experience the same huffing and puffing and trucking around town.  You might have to drive across state lines.  Perhaps you also order from multiple internet stores. 

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go to one or two stores to get what we need?  Here's the kicker:   The individual nature of mutlipe food allergies (along with your personal tastes) make it tough for grocery stores and brands to know what you need. Unless, of course, you tell them.  If we tell them en masse as a Tender Foodie Community, your request has more influence.

To help get your needs to your local grocers (and to the brands that they sell), I've put together a form.  Here's how it works:

1.  Sign up to become an email member in order to access this form.  Its free and we only send out updates once or twice a month.  Becoming a member will help us reduce the amount of spammers hitting our form.

2.  Log in to access the form whenever you find your head about to explode because you can't find X product, or you wished that you could find, for example, a cocoa powder that is non-GMO, non-alkaline, and produced in a factory that does not also process other allergens. 

3.  Twice a month, I'll send your request along with others in your community to your local grocer.  Where appropriate, I'll also send the request to whatever brands you list. 

4.  The more requests for a particular product that a grocer receives and the more requests the brand receives for better allergen processing, the more likely our community will benefit.  So ...

5.  Send this blog post to every Tender Foodie that you know. 

As a community, we are used to taking our knocks, doing our homework, and being silent.  If we have a way to act as a community, who knows, vendors might be swayed to work with allergen-free suppliers, test for multiple allergens, or make their facilities free of multiple allergens.   It could happen (here is one example).  Plus, you might reduce the number of trips you make, the amount of gas you burn and the amount of postage you drop.  Though we can't guarantee any vendor's actions, we think this could be super powerful.

Your input could help greatly expand the "safe" choices out there for Tender Foodies.

Does this Happen to You?

For example, I tend to visit the Meijer store near me for "some" organic vegetables, especially greens like kale and swiss chard.  They sometimes have the dairy-free chocolate chips that I use and sometimes have one of the many gluten-free flours that I use.  I go to one Harvest Health in Hudsonville to get the only truly dairy-free plain yogurt, that isn't processed in a factory that also produces other things I can't eat, even though their location on Burton Street is more "on my way" and both carry many allergen-free staples that I use.  I just gave a jingle to Saffrons, a Gluten-free Marketplace to see if they carried whole grain millet that isnt processed in a cross-contaminated factory, they didn't, but they were happy to get in a case for me.  Saffron's really does their multiple allergy homework.  They review products regularly, and label them for multiple allergens so it saves you shopping (and homework) time.  Although Saffron's is not conveniently located to me, I will drive there to get it and whatever else I can find, since they have great stuff.  For grassfed meats, I just made my first visit to Nourish Organic Market.  Nourish carries local and grassfed meat from local farms and butchers and other great products.  Plus, they are next to my yoga studio (From the Heart).  To try to add some measure of convenience, I now order local and organically raised vegetables from Doorganics - who delivers right to my door every Wednesday afternoon.  They are another new business that, although you can't yet order what you want in your weekly box (she says hopefully), they are helping me to expand my palate and try stuff I don't usually get (like turnips, which I now love).  Plus, their produce is straight from the farm keeping their fruits and veggies packed with the most nutrients.  I've also gone to Horrock's Market to get the Nature Made Frozen Fruit that I use in my smoothies.  For my favorite chocolate of all (Callebaut), and for organic wine I make an occasional trip to G.B Russo's and Son. They have great, higher end, specialty cooking supplies, too.  I used to visit the D&W Fresh Market near me because they were expanding their organic produce and allergen-free items.  However, it is now a Family Fare and they discontinued some of the items that I counted upon.  Several compoundingly disappointing trips later, I stopped trying.  I bet if they knew that, and other people spoke up, they would rethink what they are putting on and taking off the shelves.  Did I mention Trillium Haven Farms at the Fulton Street Farmer's Market in the summer?  Or trucking through Costco for items that might or might not be there from week to week?  Then there are the online stores, the internet searching, the cross-contamination research...

OK.  Now I'm exhausted. 

  (Send me an E-Jingle with your comments on the form, would you?)

RECIPE: Braised Duck Breast & Cassoulet from Bistro Bella Vita (gluten- and dairy-free)

Braised Duck Breast, photo courtesy of Jeff Hage of Green Frog Photo

A Cassoulet, at its most basic, is a bean stew that is cooked in an earthenware casserole dish.  The dish comes from  Languedoc, a region in the Southwest of France.  Although there are many variations on a cassoulet throughout France and around the world, the French actually have committees that sit around and make rules about what makes their national dishes. . . their national dishes.  That's love.

According to a lovely cooking site, CookThink.com, a proper cassoulet is defined as containing 70 percent navy (or haricot) beans, stock, herbs and seasonings like garlic, and 30 percent pork, mutton and duck or goose confit.

For those of us with food allergies, especially to gluten and dairy, we often have to break the rules, and a cassoulet, surprisingly, can adapt very well.  One of my local favorite restaurants, Bistro Bella Vita broke the rules for me and accommodated my rather long list of allergies so I could take part in a version of this French favorite.  I first tried the duck with the cassoulet, and made a second visit to Bistro where the duck was nestled onto summer vegetables (pictured here).

Read Bistro Bella Vita’s Tender review, and the following two recipes for yourself. 

Cassoulet Recipe

Ingredients

-Dried beans (Great Northern, Cannellini or Navy)   - 4 cups

-Chicken broth, no salt added – 6 qts

-Diced bacon – 6 strips

-Diced pork tenderloin – ½ lb

-Minced garlic – 2 T

- Large diced carrot  - 1 ea

-Diced Spanish onion – 2 ea

-Diced celery – ½ bunch

-DRY marsala wine – 1/2 750ml bottle

-Honey – 2 Tbl

-Dried oregano – 1 Tbl

-Dried Basil – 1 Tbl

-Fresh minced rosemary – 1 Tbl

-Kosher salt to taste

-Sherry vinegar – 2 Tbl

Instructions

-Soak the beans in water over night in refrigerator  

-In a large pan cook the bacon over medium heat until it is about halfway cooked, next add the pork and cook for about 2 minutes

-Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and sweat for about 4 minutes (Don’t let the garlic brown at all)

-Add the marsala wine to the pan and cook the wine down about ¾ of the way

-Add remaining ingredients (Honey, oregano, basil, rosemary, salt and vinegar)

-Make sure the beans are covered by the broth by at least 2 inches. *

         *You may need to add some water*

-Bring up to a boil then reduce to low/medium heat to a hard simmer

-Cook for about 2 hours. *Don’t let the liquid dry out* Make sure you check occasionally and stir with a wooden spoon and be gentle.

-Cook until beans are fully cooked and liquid has thickened. If the beans are still not done after two hours, you may want to reduce the heat toward the end of cooking and just add some water a little at a time until everything comes together.

Braised Duck Breast

From what I understand from Kyle, the Special Events coordinator at Bistro Bella Vita, the chefs change the braising recipe from time to time, depending who is cooking, their creative whims and the type of product they are working with.  You can change the flavor profile by removing the white wine and herbs, using just the chicken stock to deglaze the pan.  Here is my interpretation based upon what the chefs sent to me.

Ingredients

-4 duck breasts, skin and fat trimmed; seasoned with sea salt

-Mirepoix (1 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup chopped carrot, 1/2 cup chopped celery). 

-½ cup of white wine

-1-1/2 cups of chicken broth

-8 large sprigs of thyme (you could also use sage)

-2 bay leaves

Braising Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thoroughly dry the duck breast with a paper towel (external moisture will prevent duck from browning properly).

In a Dutch Oven or a large, covered oven-proof skillet, sear the duck on all sides in 2 tablespoons of oil (or duck fat).  Make sure the pan is very hot before searing duck.  When the duck is seared, remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the mirepoix to the juices in the pan (carrots, celery, onions) to the pan and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, and until the vegetables are a bit caramelized and just tender. 

Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of white wine. 

Add in the chicken stock and herbs, and then bring to a simmer.

Add the duck breasts back into the pan.

Cover and place in the oven @ 300 degrees F.  for 1 to 1&1/2 hours or until the duck is really tender, checking often and adding more liquid if necessary.

Remove the duck to a plate or cutting board, cover with parchment and let rest for 5 minutes.  Slice and serve over vegetables, or with the Bistro Bella Vita Cassoulet (above).

Warmest thanks to the chefs and to Kyle at Bistro Bella Vita for these recipes.   My thanks also to Jeff Hage of Green Frog Photo for providing these shots of the duck.