Frequently Asked Questions

At Barbara's Bakery, we remain steadfastly committed to producing natural products made without artificial preservatives, artificial ingredients, hydrogenated oils or refined white sugar. Here are some answers to your most frequently asked questions. If you have certain dietary needs or restrictions be sure to check our Special Diets page where you can search our products according to your needs.

1. Natural Flavors & Colors
2. Oils
3. Puffins
4. Shredded Wheat
5. Snackimals™
6. Special/Restricted Dietary Needs
7. Vegan & Vegetarian
8. Whole Grains and our Affiliation with the Whole Grains Council
9. Wild Puffs Cereal - Wild Art Submission
10. Miscellaneous (Store Near You, Web Orders, etc.)

Natural Flavors & Colors

Q: What are natural flavors and colors? Can you give some examples?

A: Examples of natural flavors include spices, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon oil, chocolate extract and herbs. Many of our natural flavors are derived from spices, fruits, vegetables and plant materials. Barbara's natural flavors or colors never contain refined white sugar, preservatives, artificial flavors, petroleum derivatives or monosodium glutamate (MSG). We work closely with our suppliers to ensure that only the most natural ingredients are used and meet Barbara's high quality standards.

Barbara's natural coloring ingredients include annatto, turmeric, and vegetable extracts. We do not use any FD&C colors in any Barbara's products. We only use naturally derived colors without synthetics.

Q: Could you tell me more about the natural flavors and colors used in your Wild Puffs Fruit Medley Cereal?

A: The natural flavor in Wild Puffs Fruit Medley Cereal is a fruit juice concentrate base. The fun, natural colors of Wild Puffs Fruit Medley Cereal come from the yellow of corn, the orange of annatto extract, and the magenta from black carrot extract.

You might be interested in the origins of some of our extracts. Annatto is a shrub native to the Caribbean, South and Central Americas. It's sometimes called the "Lipstick Tree" because of its glossy leaves and brilliant pink starburst flowers. Annatto seed pods are picked just as they begin to split and then dried in the sun. The black carrot is primarily grown in Turkey, where it is the basis for a native spicy summer drink called "Salgam." The black carrot is an excellent source of the pigment anthocyanin, which produces hues from deep red to dark blue.

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Oils

Q: What are hydrogenated oils and why are they bad?

A: Hydrogenation is the process of forcing hydrogen atoms to combine with unsaturated fatty acids. The process changes liquid vegetable oils into a more solid form. Hydrogenated oil resists rancidity and extends the shelf life of various foods, including cakes, cookies, crackers and breakfast cereals. Unfortunately this process produces trans fatty acids and there is a growing body of evidence that says that trans fats are dangerous to humans.

Trans fat raises the "bad" LDL blood cholesterol levels, while lowering the "good" HDL blood cholesterol in your body. This, of course, increases the risk of coronary heart disease.

Trans fatty acids are also found in all hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, including margarine and shortening. Consumers can check the ingredient list for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

At Barbara's we NEVER use hydrogenated oil in our products, relying instead on naturally extracted expeller pressed oils, small batch processes and high quality packaging to ensure freshness.

Q: What are expeller pressed oils and why does Barbara's use them?

A: Expeller pressed oils are mechanically extracted (pressed) from the oil source without the use of the petroleum based chemicals or solvents commonly used to extract oils from seed. Expeller pressed oils retain most of their nutrients including valuable Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid) and 6 (linoleic acid) essential fatty acids.

Q: What is High Oleic Acid (Omega 9)?

A: Found in monounsaturated oils like canola and olive oils, high oleic acid has been linked to helping manage cholesterol in the blood.

Q: What is Canola Oil?

A: Canola oil is made from rapeseed, a member of the mustard family. (The canola plant was bred using traditional cross-breeding methods and was not genetically engineered).

Many health experts believe the monounsaturated fats found in canola oil, particularly the omega-3 fatty acids, are an important part of a healthy diet, decreasing the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

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Puffins

Q: Which part of the box do we send in for "Adopt-a-Puffin"?

A: You may send us either 2 box tops or 2 UPC code flaps from any Puffins Cereal.

Q: Which Puffins cereals are made in a peanut-free plant?

A: Original Puffins, Cinnamon Puffins and Honey Rice Puffins are produced in a peanut-free facility.

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Shredded Wheat

Q: How is your Shredded Wheat cereal made?

A: Raw wheat is milled, cooked, and dried and then passed through shredding equipment. The still-moist shreds of wheat are rolled up into servings called Muffets, which are then toasted and wrapped for packaging.

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Snackimals™

Q: Do you make Snackimals™ in a larger size package?

A: Our new, larger 7.5 oz. size Snackimals™ were created for you because of consumer demand! If you don't see Snackimals™ on your grocery store shelves, ASK your store manager or buyer to order them.

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Special/Restricted Dietary Needs

Q: I am on a special or restricted (Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Fat, Low Sodium, No Salt Added, Wheat Free, etc.) diet. Which of your products are suitable for me?

A: Visit our Special Diets page. There you'll find a listing of 14 separate selections. Choose the diet to bring up a listing of our products that suit your special or restricted dietary needs.

Q: Do you have any cereal made with gluten free ingredients?

A: Honey Rice Puffins, Organic Corn Flakes, and Organic Brown Rice Crisps are all made with ingredients that are gluten free.

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Vegan & Vegetarian

Q: Which of your products are suitable for a Vegan diet? Or Lacto-ovo Vegetarian diets?

A: To see a complete listing of our Vegan products, visit our Special Diets page, choose "Vegan" from the list. We are very cautious and thorough in our examination of ingredients before we label our products "Vegan". You can also use the Special Diets list in the same way to search for products suitable to a "Lacto-ovo Vegetarian" diet.

Q: Do you use animal rennet in any of your products that contain cheese or cheese cultures as an ingredient?

A: No. Our ingredient suppliers use vegetable rennets. Vegetable rennet is used to define any non-animal source rennet. Vegetable rennets are enzymes derived from plants or microbes.

However there are other dairy products in the cheese products ingredients that may not make them suitable for a Vegan diet.

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Whole Grains and our Affiliation with the Whole Grains Council

Q: What is the definition of "whole grains"? Why are whole grains good for you?

A: The entire seed of the plant, also known as the "kernel" is made up of the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.

A whole grain product will always contain these three vital kernel components, whether the grain is eaten whole, cracked, split, or ground into flour. Popular whole grains include wheat, corn, rice, oats and barley. To incorporate whole grains into your diet, check to see if the ingredient statement uses the word "whole" – as in "whole wheat", "whole oats" etc.

Whole grains are healthier and provide more protein, fiber, and many important vitamins and minerals. Eating whole grains reduces the risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. (Source: The Whole Grains Council).

As founding members of the Whole Grains Council, we at Barbara's Bakery promote "Whole Grains at Every Meal." Look for the gold whole grain stamp on Barbara's whole grain products.

The Council's aim is to educate consumers, health professionals, and chefs on the numerous benefits of eating whole grains. Visit the WGC website for more information on how whole grains are beneficial to your body.

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Miscellaneous

Q: Where can I find a store in my area that carries Barbara's Bakery products?

A: There may be more stores in your area that carry our products than are listed in our database. Check the yellow pages in your local phone book under health or natural food stores for a location near you.

Q: Can we purchase products directly from Barbara's Bakery or through your website?

A: YES! You can now purchase your favorite Barbara's products directly from our new online store.

Q: Are you a publicly traded company or privately held?

A: We are a privately held business.

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