Stoney field Farms O'SOY yogurt and reading labels!!!!
I am SOOOO mad about this that I can't sleep!!!!
I have been buying the above mentioned yogurt by the case for years! When I first found it, it said it was made in a facility that processed milk and I was OK with that (I just TRY not to picture milk sloshing around and landing in otherwise vegan food). :P
ANYway, my 6.5 vegan (or so I thought!) son has one almost every night, and I use them in my smoothies. A friend was over last night reading the label and pointed out that it says it contains MILK!!!! The live active cultures are milk derived!
My questions are, how long has it said this, has it always had milk and was improperly labeled, and what do I do now?
I plan to contact the company and ask them this stuff, but now, what do I buy for my son? He doesn't like the Silk brand, and I don't know of any other vegan yogurt available around here.
He REALLY likes it and its a comfort food for him. I don't want him eating this crap, but need to find a replacement. I still have about 18 of them in my fridge. I will probably let him finish those at least (don't like to be wasteful) but THEN WHAT????
I feel like I've been duped, miffed, blindfolded and beaten on the ass!!!!
Moral of this story: even if you read a label once and its vegan, I guess you need to read the label every time you buy it, as the ingredients can change!! WTF!!!!
PS
I just went the company website and the ingredients listed does NOT say that it contains milk. Its has them all listed, but doesn't say dairy derived. Just that its lactose free!!!
I like Trader Joe's soy yogurt, if you've got one near you. Some Silk varieties are... eh, agreed, but I actually like the strawberry and raspberry kinds. I hear good things about wildwood brand, but i've yet to try it.
I had no idea about o'soy. Thanks for letting us know!
How weird that they do that, though... :o It seems easy enough for other companies to grow cultures without dairy.
I feel your anger. >:(
Sometimes it's like they are trying to hide things from you. I've reached for a Stoneyfield ice cream more than a few times and went... "grrr milk.. of course it is."
Maybe only certain flavors contain milk? I've seen that with other things. Like, the strawberry has milk but the chocolate doesn't...?
Has he tried the Wildwood brand? I think they are based near you, aren't they in SC? I haven't had it but my mom loves it.
I think letting him finish the ones in the fridge is a good idea.
BTW, what have you said to him about it?? It's kind of traumatic having a favorite thing taken away. I know he'd understand why but it still makes me sad. :( Maybe he might have a suggestion about how to ween himself off of it? Like buying another brand and mixing it up by having the old one every other day until it runs out? Or something else he'd like to replace it with? I dunno.
That sucks, little2ant. I'm sorry about this for your son. Ingredients are always changing it seems, and it's a huge pain to always have to read them so closely. Maybe you could ask your local health food store to see if they can order the Wildwood soy yogurt; I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard wonderful things about it. The Whole Soy soy yogurt would be another option. Another possibility if you're willing is to start making your own soy yogurt. Perhaps you could make plain, and then give your son choices for fruit toppings; he may enjoy being able to flavor his own yogurt. Here's a post from Susan at Fatfree Vegan on making soy yogurt:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/01/making-soy-yogurt.html
i'm sorry, that really sucks! and that would be so hard as a youngin' :-\. wait, it was ok and now it isn't?!
poor guy.
This is the ingredient label online for the Blueberry flavor (I don't see any milk, nor did I on any of the flavors ???):
OUR FAMILY RECIPE: CULTURED PASTEURIZED ORGANIC SOYMILK, NATURALLY MILLED ORGANIC SUGAR, ORGANIC BLUEBERRIES, INULIN, NATURAL FLAVORS, CALCIUM CARBONATE, PECTIN, ELDERBERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE (FOR COLOR). CONTAINS: SIX LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES INCLUDING: L. ACIDOPHILUS, BIFIDUS, L. CASEI, AND L. REUTERI.
Silk yogurt has those same cultures but the Silk's website says they come from a plant source. On the stoneyfield containers it says theirs come from milk, right?
http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/MultipleOrganismsGuaranteed.cfm
This talks about them adding the active cultures but doesn't say when they did it. It so annoying to know that they could just use plant sourced cultures and don't. I'm going to write to them and see what the deal is.
http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/MultipleOrganismsGuaranteed.cfm
sorry, i just want to say what a great site name. multiple organisms. ha ha. ok not the place... sorry, i will not less this diverge further.
I really like this kind: http://www.nancysyogurt.com/nancys_products/soy.php
You an get WholeSoy& Co at the French Broad Co-op. It says specifically that it is vegan and the lactic acid is vegetable derived. They've got 4-5 flavors. I find theirs to be less artificial tasting than Silk.
Also, because I keep forgetting to tell you, Earthfare has close to a dozen wraps in the deli section. We got a great brown rice one from Food for Life that made fantastic road-trip wraps.
grrrrr I totally hear ya on this >:( I found this out about 2 months ago...the only yogurt i trust is whole soy yogurt. It's tasty and says on the bottom, VEGAN, DAIRY FREE, NO CASEIN... I hate when stuff like this happens.
grrrrr I totally hear ya on this >:( I found this out about 2 months ago...the only yogurt i trust is whole soy yogurt. It's tasty and says on the bottom, VEGAN, DAIRY FREE, NO CASEIN... I hate when stuff like this happens.
WholeSoy was actually recalled a few months ago for dairy contamination. Wildwood is the only brand with a dedicated dairy-free line.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/wholesoy06_07.html
Noooooooooo!!!! (on my knees screaming) Gosh Darnit!!...I really thought I had the soy yogurt covered!!! Booooooo...time to move on I suppose, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Thanks for this info MD :)
Just wanted to say that I love Wildwood plain unsweetened soy yogurt...you can always add fruits/agave if you want it sweeter. It's really good. I've found it at Whole Foods and also my HFS.
thanks for all the info....I will definitely try the Whole Soy and Wildwood brands. I think that letter that was posted on veg boards must be old-it did used to be that it was just processed on shared equipment, but now they purposely put milk in it. I will still write to them and post any new reply I get.
Thanks again! I am feeling better, although I have not told my son yet! I will probably tell him they stopped making it and we have to buy a different kind. :'(
Thanks again! I am feeling better, although I have not told my son yet! I will probably tell him they stopped making it and we have to buy a different kind. :'(
humm, i'm interested in why you wouldn't tell him. i think it could be good for him to know in some ways. you can simply say that they started putting milk in it and that you started getting a new brand :)
well, i guess that's what i meant. they stopped making the vegan kind so i have to get a new kind. what i probably wont tell him is that he has been eating the milk kind all along without us knowing. then he might think, "well, milk tastes good and i'm still heatlhy, so I still want to have it!" i don't want him to feel bad either like he has done something wrong. i seriously think he is going to be totally sad about it. He LOVES the stuff above all else-especially since he can poke a straw thru it and drink it (has a soft top).
its so hard with kids.....i was veg*n to be such a positive thing in his life and its hard when something bad like this happens and have him stay on board. like how many 6 year olds would choose to give up something they love because of an ingredient? he understands things to a certain point, but this is pretty vague, yanno? i've been lucky so far, but you never know!
how could i forget WholeSoy? Mixed berry!
I'm willing to forgive them for (accidental?) dairy contamination. I'm not allergic, and my money's still going in the "soy" fund. Whatever that is.
thats sooo shady of a normally reputable company!!! grrr >:(
if you check out wildwoods web site...they DID have coupons available...i got a couple in the mail. and who doesnt love free swag?? :)
this is kind of funny - after reading this thread, I noticed at the bottom of the page an ad for Stoney Fields... ironic.
on another note, I'm curious about making my own soy yogurt - and I guess buying a yogurt maker. any suggestions, thougts, experiences? I might start another thread...
This is the letter I got. ???
Hello Jennifer,
Thanks for contacting us! We always welcome comments and questions from our
yogurt lovers, and we’re grateful when someone takes the time to tell us
what they think of our company and products.
To answer your question regarding whether O’Soy is completely dairy free,
the O'Soy may contain traces due to shared equipment, but it also may
contain traces due to the fact that some of the cultures used are dairy
based. The cultures are used at such a low level that if any dairy is
present it is at a minuscule amount. If you're highly allergic to dairy we
do not recommend usage. The formula has not changed, but if there are any
dairy concerns, it is best to consult with your physician.
We are passionately committed to producing the best tasting, healthiest
yogurts available, and trying to do some good in the world while we’re at
it. Please visit our web site at Stonyfield.com to learn more.
Sincerely,
The folks at Stonyfield Farm
if you check out wildwoods web site...they DID have coupons available...i got a couple in the mail. and who doesnt love free swag?? :)
I didn't get my coupons. :(
This is the letter I got. ???
Hello Jennifer,
Thanks for contacting us! We always welcome comments and questions from our
yogurt lovers, and we’re grateful when someone takes the time to tell us
what they think of our company and products.
To answer your question regarding whether O’Soy is completely dairy free,
the O'Soy may contain traces due to shared equipment, but it also may
contain traces due to the fact that some of the cultures used are dairy
based. The cultures are used at such a low level that if any dairy is
present it is at a minuscule amount. If you're highly allergic to dairy we
do not recommend usage. The formula has not changed, but if there are any
dairy concerns, it is best to consult with your physician.
We are passionately committed to producing the best tasting, healthiest
yogurts available, and trying to do some good in the world while we’re at
it. Please visit our web site at Stonyfield.com to learn more.
Sincerely,
The folks at Stonyfield Farm
which means its been in there all along and not properly labeled!!!! I knew it!!! I wrote them a somewhat angry letter and I am waiting to hear if they write back.....will post!
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