The Watchdog for Gluten-free Standards
Celebrating Women’s HERstory Month with Tricia Thompson
Tricia Thompson was always the kid with the stomachache, doubled over in pain. Thankfully for the gluten-free and celiac disease community, she listened to her gut and “allowed” her gastrointestinal issues to play a big role in her career choice – a registered dietician and an advocate for all the children and adults with celiac disease or gluten-related disorders who are fearful of eating because they don’t want to get sick.
As the Founder Gluten Free Watchdog — the first independent, subscriber-driven gluten-testing organization — she uses state-of-the-art gluten testing data for foods, shares public alerts via social media when food manufacturers make gluten-free claim that have ingredients not allowed in foods labeled gluten-free, and contacts manufacturers and the US Food and Drug Administration when things are mislabeled. With nearly 35,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, she has become an un-biased, trusted source and advocate for the ever growing community of gluten-free eaters.
What do you do?
Professionally, I am the founder of Gluten Free Watchdog, LLC, a consumer-driven group involved in a myriad of activities intended to help consumers with celiac disease and gluten-related disorders. These activities include testing food for gluten to check compliance with the FDA’s gluten-free labeling rule, keeping a watchful eye out for products labeled gluten-free that are facially misbranded under the rule, contacting manufacturers about problematic labeling, and reporting misbranded products to the FDA and USDA.
What inspired/instigated you to do what you do? How did you get here?
My initial goal for Gluten Free Watchdog was to bring state-of-the-art gluten-free food testing directly to the consumer. Most foods tested through Gluten Free Watchdog are subscriber requests. While some folks request testing because they believe a product made them sick, many requests are for peace of mind. And hopefully we provide this. Approximately 96% of foods tested through Gluten Free Watchdog test under 20 parts per million of gluten (the level of gluten FDA considers gluten-free).
How are you making a mark — HerStory — in the global food and beverage system to ensure it is safer, more sustainable and inclusive?
Through our advocacy work—reaching out to manufacturers when product labeling is out of compliance with the gluten-free labeling rule and explaining why, encouraging FDA to provide educational information to manufacturers on areas of the rule frequently misunderstood, and empowering consumers to do the same, are all helping to improve the safety of gluten-free foods.
If I’m remembered for anything at all professionally, I hope it’s because I was fiercely determined to advocate for folks with celiac disease and gluten-related disorders.
What are your greatest career accomplishments?
In addition to running a small business, I am most proud of the articles I have published in the peer reviewed scientific literature. I am a dietitian and it is very important that dietitians are involved in research, most especially dietitian-led research.
It is women’s history month…how do you want to be remembered in history?
If I’m remembered for anything at all professionally, I hope it’s because I was fiercely determined to advocate for folks with celiac disease and gluten-related disorders.
What has been your greatest obstacle and greatest joy from what you do?
My greatest joy is hearing from consumers that the work done by Gluten Free Watchdog has made a positive difference in their lives. My greatest obstacle is getting the Food and Drug Administration to take gluten-free misbranding seriously.
What words of wisdom did your mother/grandmothers/aunts share with you?
My mother used to tell me I could accomplish anything when I put my mind to it.
Who has significantly influenced your life?
There are too many to name but there have been a few simple gems of wisdom passed my way, including from an internship director who said the best way to make a difference was to specialize, specialize, specialize and a dietitian colleague/mentor who told me not to hide my light under a bushel basket.
My choices have all been guided by what I love doing. There was no plan. I figured if a decision I made was guided by what I loved then the next decision would come from that place and I couldn’t go all that wrong.
Looking back, what would you have done differently? What would you do again?
I’m not one to look back and wish I had done something differently. My mistakes and missteps informed my successes. My choices have all been guided by what I love doing. There was no plan. I figured if a decision I made was guided by what I loved then the next decision would come from that place and I couldn’t go all that wrong.
If you could have anyone in the world over for dinner, who would you choose and why?
I would love to have dinner with my great grandmother Amalie Marie Werner and hear all about her life. She traveled alone to NYC from Norway in 1892 when she was 16. She joined her brother who was in the Merchant Marines and she worked as a seamstress in NYC.
Links:
Connect with Tricia — Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | LinkedIn
Photo of Tricia Thompson taken by Amy Keller
Check out other women being featured for Women’s History Month
