• Dedicated Line – refers to machinery that a factory uses to produce one specific product.
   
• Shared Line – refers to machinery that produces a variety of products. These machines are usually cleaned between each run, however a chance of residue being left behind is possible.
   
• Separate or Dedicated Facility – An entirely enclosed and devoted area to the production of a product. 

Reading Food Labels

• Not all product ingredients are listed on a product label or the process by which food was produced. 
   
• Sometimes ingredients have ambiguous names, such as ‘natural flavors’ or ‘spices’. You must not assume that these are truly naturally derived ingredients or if they exclude the ingredient you must restrict. If you contact the company and they refuse to tell you what the exact spices are due to company confidentiality then you should not purchase or consume that product (or at your own risk).
   
• Companies frequently change their ingredients and cooking procedures. This may or may not be immediately reflected on their label. Check with the company regularly to ensure that the product is still safe for you to consume.
   
• Many ingredients have multiple or ‘hidden’ names that are not obvious when reading the label. For example, corn ingredients have several names such as maltodextrin, starch, and di-glyceride.

Contacting Food Manufacturers

• Explain that you have a specific condition that requires the elimination of certain ingredients. Ask them if they produce any products suitable for these conditions or if they exclude any of the specified ingredients.
   
• Ask if they produce these items on dedicated lines, shared lines or in a separate facility. 
   
• Ask for a complete ingredients listing and question them about any ingredients that seem suspicious or uncertain. 
   
• If a company fails to recognize your condition, identify ingredients, or clarify the manufacture of the product, you should consider that this item might not be suitable for you diet. 
   
• Document all transactions with a company for personal reference. Write down the person’s name that you contacted, date, and any information received. You can also print the Manufacturer Contact Form for personal use. 

Purchasing Fresh Meat & Poultry
It should be noted that fresh beef, pork, and poultry might be injected with artificial or natural ingredients, flavors, preservatives, and fillers. Whole turkeys are notorious for having ingredients injected, especially the self-basting. You should look for products that contain wording such as ‘minimal processing’, ‘all natural’, ‘no artificial ingredients’, and ‘no added ingredients’. You should also question the grocery store on the origins of the product if none is listed on the label.

Purchasing Deli Products
A specialty deli or grocery store deli should be considered a place where cross contamination of ingredients is likely to occur. A variety of meats, cheese and other products are prepared in this area usually sharing the same equipment such as fryers, slicers and serving utensils. Common ingredients found in a deli include milk (cheese and meats) and wheat/gluten (bread, flour). If you have a milk allergy, but you need to have meat sliced you should consider that this is typically done on the same slicing machine. Sometimes you can have the machine sanitized before your turn. However, this will be difficult if you visit the deli when it is busy. Try to go when there are less customers and tell the deli manager your particular needs.