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Found out about wheat based plastic when I bought some reusable food storage containers. This was not clearly labelled but instead a smalltext on the back of th

Found out about wheat based plastic when I bought some reusable food storage containers. This was not clearly labelled but instead a smalltext on the back of the package. As a person with an extreme gluten allergy, I freaked out and had to return it before even trying. If any plastics manufacturers see this, and you use barley, wheat, or any other gluten containing material (like rye), please also include a "Certified Gluten Free" seal when your processing plant has been verified to be safe. Otherwise I can't use your product.

hollerith 2y ago
Some plywood uses glue made from wheat, but you probably already knew that.
- EdwardCoffin 2y ago
  The commenter was clearly concerned about wheat-derived food containers. Is plywood now used in making such now, and I missed it?
  - hollerith 2y ago
    Well, gee, excuse me for going off-topic to make sure that someone describing themselves as "a person with an extreme gluten allergy" knows to watch out for plywood. Going off-topic almost never happens here, and I'm very sorry I went off-topic for such a trivial selfish reason.
    - EdwardCoffin 2y ago
      Generally avoiding plywood isn't actually useful advice for someone with even a serious problem with gluten: "simply touching gluten will not harm an individual with celiac disease." [1] The above source does continue: "...there can be a risk of ingesting airborne gluten, which is usually caused by flour. It is also important to remember not to prepare gluten-free foods in spaces where there is a risk of airborne gluten, as particles will settle on the food, making it unsafe for those with celiac disease to eat." [1] Perhaps you meant to imply something more in this line, that say the sawdust from cutting plywood could be a potential problem if food is nearby? In the same spirit as your apology, let me apologize for assuming that your original advice was sarcastic commentary about people who are gluten-free rather than genuine though ill-informed advice. [1] https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/cross-contact/#:~:text=If%20there%20is%20a%20risk,is%20usually%20caused%20by%20flour https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/cross-contact/....
mdorazio 2y ago
Rather than do 30 seconds of basic googling you instead decided it was awful and returned it? This comment is just bizarre to see on HN. Wheat-based plastic is made from wheat straw, not wheat grains. The straw has no gluten to start with and it sure as hell doesn’t after the chemical treatment required to plasticize it.
- kwoff 2y ago
  I've had celiac for over a quarter century, but my first thought seeing the headline was something like "oh no, another thing to look for?" Then I realized, like you said, it probably depends on how it's made. Not to exaggerate, but there's a sort of low-key "trauma" associated with celiac. I used to have nightmares where I'd eat bread or something without realizing it (should I throw up? do people think I'm faking it? why didn't I remember to check if it has gluten?). There are these gluten-free burritos in the gluten-free section. The other day, I got one out of my freezer and only after opening the package and seeing the burrito was a bit browner than usual and thinking "is this spoiled?", then I thought "wait, is this not gluten-free?" and verifyied the package...didn't say gluten-free. Next time in the store, I found they have non-gluten-free burritos beside the gluten-free ones, in the freezer marked gluten-free.... They often do this in the gluten-free bread/etc aisle, too, right next to the gluten-free stuff. And recently they stopped adding green "gluten free" labels on the price tags which were handy when strolling down the aisles, so now I'm back in "turn every package around to check for allergens" mode. Anyway, just saying I understand OP's knee-jerk reaction.
  - ManuelKiessling 2y ago
    Ah, the cookie nightmares, always a nice experience… Good to hear I’m not the only one though. Interesting times might be ahead actually. As the world moves away from meat and plastics (which is great, don’t get me wrong!), the glue-iness of gluten seems to play a central role. There are the biodegradable plastics on the one side, which in contrast to their contents don’t need to be marked as containing gluten (at least in Germany and at least for now), and on the other side, 90% of the stuff I see in the „vegan replacements of originally-non-vegan food“ aisles are based on wheat; which isn’t a problem while it‘s only a partial slice of the market, but might get interesting for cealiacs if one day those products replace the originals completely.

hollerith 2y ago

Some plywood uses glue made from wheat, but you probably already knew that.

EdwardCoffin 2y ago
The commenter was clearly concerned about wheat-derived food containers. Is plywood now used in making such now, and I missed it?
- hollerith 2y ago
  Well, gee, excuse me for going off-topic to make sure that someone describing themselves as "a person with an extreme gluten allergy" knows to watch out for plywood. Going off-topic almost never happens here, and I'm very sorry I went off-topic for such a trivial selfish reason.
  - EdwardCoffin 2y ago
    Generally avoiding plywood isn't actually useful advice for someone with even a serious problem with gluten: "simply touching gluten will not harm an individual with celiac disease." [1] The above source does continue: "...there can be a risk of ingesting airborne gluten, which is usually caused by flour. It is also important to remember not to prepare gluten-free foods in spaces where there is a risk of airborne gluten, as particles will settle on the food, making it unsafe for those with celiac disease to eat." [1] Perhaps you meant to imply something more in this line, that say the sawdust from cutting plywood could be a potential problem if food is nearby? In the same spirit as your apology, let me apologize for assuming that your original advice was sarcastic commentary about people who are gluten-free rather than genuine though ill-informed advice. [1] https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/cross-contact/#:~:text=If%20there%20is%20a%20risk,is%20usually%20caused%20by%20flour https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/cross-contact/....

mdorazio 2y ago

Rather than do 30 seconds of basic googling you instead decided it was awful and returned it? This comment is just bizarre to see on HN. Wheat-based plastic is made from wheat straw, not wheat grains. The straw has no gluten to start with and it sure as hell doesn’t after the chemical treatment required to plasticize it.

kwoff 2y ago
I've had celiac for over a quarter century, but my first thought seeing the headline was something like "oh no, another thing to look for?" Then I realized, like you said, it probably depends on how it's made. Not to exaggerate, but there's a sort of low-key "trauma" associated with celiac. I used to have nightmares where I'd eat bread or something without realizing it (should I throw up? do people think I'm faking it? why didn't I remember to check if it has gluten?). There are these gluten-free burritos in the gluten-free section. The other day, I got one out of my freezer and only after opening the package and seeing the burrito was a bit browner than usual and thinking "is this spoiled?", then I thought "wait, is this not gluten-free?" and verifyied the package...didn't say gluten-free. Next time in the store, I found they have non-gluten-free burritos beside the gluten-free ones, in the freezer marked gluten-free.... They often do this in the gluten-free bread/etc aisle, too, right next to the gluten-free stuff. And recently they stopped adding green "gluten free" labels on the price tags which were handy when strolling down the aisles, so now I'm back in "turn every package around to check for allergens" mode. Anyway, just saying I understand OP's knee-jerk reaction.
- ManuelKiessling 2y ago
  Ah, the cookie nightmares, always a nice experience… Good to hear I’m not the only one though. Interesting times might be ahead actually. As the world moves away from meat and plastics (which is great, don’t get me wrong!), the glue-iness of gluten seems to play a central role. There are the biodegradable plastics on the one side, which in contrast to their contents don’t need to be marked as containing gluten (at least in Germany and at least for now), and on the other side, 90% of the stuff I see in the „vegan replacements of originally-non-vegan food“ aisles are based on wheat; which isn’t a problem while it‘s only a partial slice of the market, but might get interesting for cealiacs if one day those products replace the originals completely.