ABC Bakers, a licensed Girl Scout cookie maker, is testing Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies in 20 markets as part of the Girl Scouts’ 2013-2014 cookie sale.
Made with a blend of rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch and potato starch, the bite-size cookies contain no artificial flavors or colors, high fructose corn syrup, palm oil or hydrogenated oils. The cookies meet the 5 parts per million (p.p.m.) limit established by the Celiac Sprue Association, which is 75% lower than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 20 p.p.m. proposed restriction.
Test markets include California’s central coast, central Maryland, eastern Wisconsin, southern Nevada, western New York, eastern Iowa and western Illinois, eastern Massachusetts, eastern Pennsylvania and Maine, among others.
The Girl Scouts also addressed the use of bioengineered ingredients in its cookies.
“At the current time, there are genetically modified agricultural crops (GMOs) in Girl Scout Cookies," the organization said on its website. “Our bakers determine whether to use GMOs in Girl Scout Cookies based on a range of market-related factors and depending on the specific cookie recipe. Girl Scouts recognizes that many people have concerns regarding GMO ingredients, and we monitor member and consumer opinion on this matter."
Bonnie: We have vociferously opposed the awful ingredients in Girl Scout cookies. It's nice to see they are making strides.
2 comments:
The downside is that I can see this test failing - not because of the lack of desire or interest in a gluten free option, but because of the presence of GMOs and corn. I would imagine that potential customers in the gluten free market are also very wary of these ingredients, so the sales may not do as well. I personally would forego that purchase, but would be interested if the corn and GMOs weren't there.
Fair enough. But where they came from to this is a big step.
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