UPDATE 9/29/15: The Petition mentioned in this post now has over 2,100 signatures. 169 of those signatures are reporting illness related to consuming “gluten-free” Cheerios. An updated map is below in the post.
Last week I wrote about my concerns with “gluten-free” Cheerios and urged you to wait a bit before eating them. I’m so worried. I’m sad. I’m tired of seeing more and more reports of people getting sick after eating them.
So I wanted to send this map over to the good folks at General Mills/Cheerios. That’s right, I said good folks. Because, you see, I have a major Pollyanna Complex. I want to believe the best is possible, that the people over there care about you and me. I want to believe that somehow they haven’t heard people are getting sick. I want to believe when the person handling their Twitter account tells me they are concerned about my health and your health that they mean it. I’m yet to see a single indication that any of this is true, but darn it, I just keep on hoping they will show us it’s true.
I made this map for you, General Mills/Cheerios. You know that Change.org petition that has over 1,900 signatures (2,100 as of 9/29/15) on it? I waded through all of the comments over there and compiled only the ones that reported sickness directly attributed to “gluten-free” Cheerios. I made a note of the city and state where each of those people live, then marked it with a pin on the map. See those red dots? Each one of them, 129 (Update: 169 as of 9/29/15) of them, represents a person who lives with Celiac disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity who got sick after eating “gluten-free” Cheerios. This is just a small percentage of those who have reported getting sick in many places on the internet. I wish I could say it ends with this map, but it does not. I’ve seen hundreds more reports of illness across the internet. The map below was created from data gathered from the petition comments on September 21 at 9:00 pm. Comments with reports of illness continue to come in on the petition and elsewhere.
The map below represents an update on 9/29/15. The number of illness reported ONLY ON THE PETITION has grown to 169. The does not include the hundreds of illnesses reported in other locations on the internet or reported directly to the FDA.
Every red dot represents a person just like you, just like me. I’m talking to you, General Mills/Cheerios. These are real people. They are grown-ups, many with sick kiddos, they are concerned family members who have accompanied a sick loved one to the doctor after having a simple bowl of cereal that they believed was safe for them to eat. That fella Phil in your commercial? He seems nice enough, wanting his daughter-in-law to enjoy breakfast with him. There are people just like him reporting that their family members got sick from “gluten-free” Cheerios. You didn’t show that part in your commercial.
I wish I could say it ends with this map, but I’ve seen hundreds more reports of illness across the internet. The number grows every single day. The only response we seem to hear is, “They are safe. Every batch is below 20ppm.” Then what is it in this cereal that is making people so sick? Shouldn’t someone be investigating? I’m worried. Aren’t you, General Mills?
Here’s my original post on why I think waiting before eating “gluten-free” Cheerios is a good idea. Please visit that post; I’ve included links to many important posts on this matter. And hug your fellow gluten-free friends this week. We are all in this together and have to figure out what we can do or encourage to be done about this.
Have you gotten sick eating “gluten-free” Cheerios? Click here for information on reporting your illness to the FDA. Your voice needs to be heard.
Thank you for putting in all the time and effort for this project, Johnna. I’ll be sharing it in my Tuesday post because I think it IS our responsibility to share ALL of the information with readers. They look to us for guidance. And right now? Our community seems divided which is so hard for me to wrap my head around when so many are getting sick. In my mind, if GF friends are getting sick from a product, we don’t keep promoting it until something is done. Again, thank you.
Thank you for sharing it, Sarah.
It was alleged tonight in another spot on the internet that those of us concerned about this are nitpicking and bickering. I don’t believe that to be the case. I appreciate what you have said about it being our responsibility to share ALL of the information and the divisiveness in our community. I know we just want folks to not get sick. Seems like such a simple idea, really.
Great post Johnna!
I totally agree with Sarah that our community is divided right now. I think so many people with celiac want that chance to eat something they remember from pre-diagnosis to make them feel “normal” again. Some people love the Cheerios and have no reaction, while others are suffering. Something is not right and I do hope that GM addresses these people getting sick and takes their reports seriously.
The only other time I saw this much outrage and bickering between members of our community was when a national celiac association put their stamp of approval on a gluten-removed beer. I was very against this move and spoke openly about it. Oh boy, the hate mail I got for that was something fierce. I couldn’t believe that other people with celiac would write to me like that!
I am seeing bloggers publicly attack one another over this Cheerios issue and I can’t help but feel sad. I really wish we could all work together, acknowledge that we are all individuals with different reactions and different celiac disease, and ultimately get along to solve this issue together.
Thanks, Erin.
I never could have imagined gluten-free bloggers would attack each other over this. They were my saving grace when I was diagnosed. I’ve always felt like there was a loving, nurturing, supportive community and felt so welcomed into it. And it is the same with the gluten-free community as a whole. I’ve always felt like if one person was concerned or got sick, others would be, too. I’m surprised to see this isn’t happening. I’m sorry you got hate mail. đ
I honestly think oats in general are an issue. I been eating cheerios felt sick. Then i switched to gluten free oatmeal, and still same kind of problem. I think our body thinks oats is gluten. Sometimes. Since I have went totally grain free. I’m fine. I tried eating oatmeal again, and it came back. When i ate some non bake oatmeal gf cookies, i ended up with diarrhea. So oats can be gluten free. But from personal experience. it can also cause sensitve people an issue. I also found out corn is a problem for me as well. Corn chex. i cut that out too, people keep saying it makes them sick also. but i tried ot her gluten free corn products only to find i had inflammation with those as well. Corn is an inflammatory! big time. from my experience. Just throwing that out there! Since going fruitarian i feel amazing also. I allow myself eggs or fish if i want.
Oats are only an issue in 1% or less of those with celiac disease, as proven in a study of avenin, the reactive protein in oats. While I am all for eating in the way that best suits each of our bodies and recognize we are each unique, I want to be sure we don’t share misinformation here. Some people feel great grain-free, others don’t. Most celiacs tolerate purity protocol, truly gluten-free oats without issue, a small amount do not.
Cheers to continued feeling amazing!
I have celiac disease and have NOT reacted to the GF Cherrios. I am very sensitive and would react if there were a cause too! I am so happy to have Honey Nut Cherrios back in my life!
BTW I live in Portland, OR
Thank for your comment, Beth. That is exactly my concern: some, like you, are eating them with zero issues, some are having an issue with the very first box they eat and some are getting sick after trying more than one box. There seems to be a problem with consistency somewhere along the line. I didn’t give this much thought until a three year old I care dearly about got sick eating them. I have seen the box his mom bought, clearly labeled gluten-free. I also know he tolerates oats and dairy. The only difference in his diet was the addition of a small snack serving of the new Cheerios. That was enough for me to extend validity to the concerns so many are reporting. I hope you’ll stick with your fellow gluten-free friends who are worried about this. As a community, we have to find a way to make sure we are all safe eating foods labeled gluten-free.
I think the problem is that they are made GF, but they still process them on shared equipment that isn’t GF. So you get the “chance ” for cross contamination. I’d they are going to go through the troubled to make them GF, then make the processing 100% GF also
My understanding is that they are using dedicated equipment to make Cheerios, but the oats that are coming into their facility are not grown under purity protocol, meaning they are not certified gluten-free oats. So when they arrive at General Mills, there are still gluten-containing grains mixed with the oats. The oats are then mechanically separated. Something along the way just isn’t right with all of the reports of illness. I hope there is a solution soon so folks can stop getting sick.
We have bought several boxes of the gluten-free cheerios and honey-nut cheerios for our family. What kind of ‘sick’ is happening to people so that we know what to look for?
Hi Toni! The kind of “sick” that I am seeing reported is basic gluten reactions. As you know, that varies from person to person. If you take a look at the comments left on the petition I linked to, that will give you a good look at what is being reported.
My husband and daughter with Celiac don’t get sick and I can only tell if my daughter has had gluten from a blood test she gets every 6 months for a diabetes research study she is in. I just bought a few boxes of Cherrios. I hope I’m not hurting them.
Thanks for your comment, Kelly. It’s such a gamble with every box based on the illness reports all over the internet. I wouldn’t take the risk.
I have not eaten GF Cheerios and I wouldn’t take a chance trying to eat them. I used to eat Chex every morning. However, since hearing about this I’ve stopped eating Chex. I am very sensitive to gluten and I can’t take a chance. If General Mills is producing one product that is making people sick, I’m not going to trust them on another product they produce.
The FDA ruling has made things worse for people with Celiac disease… we can’t eat gluten at all.
I’ve switched to only products that are produced in gluten free facilities.
Sorry GM… you’ve lost my business. Only zero gluten is ok with me.
Thanks for your comment, Jen. I’m not a fan of breakfast cereal, but have certainly used Chex for Chex Mix and even as breading before. I’m with you, it gives me pause. I just wish they would step up and figure out what is going on. This isn’t a very good way for a company to show they care.
Thank you for you work!!! what can we do to help and make sure that they listen us??
Hi Bertha. Thanks for your comment.
The best thing you can do is sign the petition. Share the posts with your friends. Make sure anyone who eats gluten-free knows to steer clear of these for now. And thank you for doing what you can.
Kudos. Seriously well done. While they “may” be safe, I simply don’t understand the risk. We are talking about boxed cereal. And with all of the reports of reactions, why not just wait it out and see what outside testing proves?
As for the division in the community, I’ve come to realize there are those that are in it for the benefit of everyone and those that are not.
Keep it up…
Thanks. And thanks for what you are doing, too.
Johnna, I found your site through Cheryl Harris’ site this evening, and have spent quite a bit of time reading what both of you have to say. I was a Cheerios fan as a child, and on into adult life until 1983, when I was told I had celiac disease. I’ve really missed Cheerios and was looking forward to having them again. BUT! Now I’m afraid to try them, even though there’s an unopened box in my kitchen! No way, do I want to get sick! That box is going back to the store. I thought some of sending it to the local food bank, but have changed my mind, because people who need to be gluten free go there looking for gluten free food. I wouldn’t want anyone to get sick because I took that box there!
Good job on your writing! Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your comment, Jeanne.
I agree with you. I would take the box back to the store and tell them why I am returning it. It’s a gamble, whether you get a box that doesn’t make you sick or not. I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone.
Thank you again!
Thank you for sharing! I haven’t tried them yet; it just didn’t feel right to me. Now I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve felt since I heard the first commercial that they are trying to jump on the Chex bandwagon, how are they mysteriously now gluten free? No mention of the research they’ve done, the steps to become a gluten free facility. Sounds fishy to me! Sorry to those fellow celiacs that got sick, that’s no fun.
Thanks for your comment, Angie.
There is a video from Cheerios showing how they are “mechanically sorting” regular oats in an attempt to make them safe for those who eat gluten-free. Even after seeing the video, I am not comfortable with the process. I’d rather stick with certified gluten-free oats. And now after reading hundreds of reports of illness, I’m really not comfortable with the process. I hope something changes soon so people are not getting sick. You are right, no fun at all!
I am currently in the hospital with my 12 year old who is recovering from sepsis. He hadn’t been eating at all, all week because he was so sick. He has several severe allergies, to include wheat. However, as he has began to feel better I’ve been giving him frosted cheerios. He has been having a constant allergic reaction to what we thought were his IV antibiotics. Those were stopped for 12 hours, and despite 100mg of IV benadryl he was still red and swollen with rash. We had the drug allergy team in here yesterday and they were stumped. NOT ONCE DID I CONSIDER THE CHEERIOS. now I’m quite concerned that it isn’t the meds, but the cereal. THOUGHTS ANYONE?
First, I would stop giving him the Cheerios right away. Second, if his allergic reaction clears when you stop giving him the Cheerios, I would report this to the FDA. There is a link in my post on how to do this.
I’m so sorry you are going through this. I hope your son is feeling much, much better soon. Take good care of yourself, too. It’s easy to overlook our own needs when caring for another. Hugs to you!
I am not Celiac but am sensitive and have gone gluten free over the past 10 days at the suggestion of my Dr and after doing my own research. I have to say the GF Cheerios have been my “go to” breakfast every day.They don’t bother me at all.I do not do well at all on GF Chex cereals for some reason… they tend to make me feel sick. If there is a problem with the GF Cheerios I hope the problem can be corrected and soon. I would hate to see them discontinue this product altogether. We need as many quality options as we can get.
Two things: First, You may not have actually been eating gluten free over the past 10 days if you’ve been eating “gluten-free” Cheerios. Second, some boxes seem fine and other boxes are not fine. It’s a gamble whether you get a good box or a box that makes folks who don’t tolerate gluten sick. Not worth the risk, in my opinion.
Interesting that you don’t tolerate gluten-free Chex cereal. That’s another General Mills product, the same as Cheerios.
I agree with you, I hope the problem is corrected soon.
I have eaten them and so far no reaction. But considering that not everyone can tolerate oats or the amount of gluten per required levels accepted by medical professionals. They should be reviewed and reconsidered. I certainly wouldn’t bash them for putting out a product they believed was within limitations.
Hi Sandra. Thanks for your comment. I’m glad to hear you are one of the lucky ones who hasn’t gotten sick. As many have reported, one box seems fine and the next does not. Never have we seen such widespread reports of illness from a food labeled gluten free.
I agree, bashing any company who strives to produce a food that is safe for us is uncalled for. Calling them out and asking for investigation is certainly warranted. And the FDA is now doing just that.
I have been eating gluten free Cheerios since they came out and having celiac disease I have not had a problem. Secondly, I highly doubt a company such as General Mills would put there reputation on the line in this sort of way. Lastly, did you interview every single person that had a supposed reaction and find out what they ate that day.
I think that it is truly wrong of you to scare people and dissuade them from buying this product just because of your little research paper.
Thanks for your comment and questions, Theresa.
I am glad to hear you haven’t gotten sick eating these. As I have mentioned, many have. Are you insinuating that they haven’t all taken a look at their diet, at any new inclusions? As a fellow Celiac, I have faith in my community that they know when a food has made them sick, that they live with this and know to take a good, hard look at what they are eating before sharing their concerns about any product.
No, I did not interview each of the hundreds of people who have reported illness. I am leaving that to the FDA. It seems they have received enough reports of illness to warrant an investigation.
I hope you will reconsider your position on this. Instead of siding with a large company, how about sharing concern? Where’s your empathy for your fellow Celiacs who are sick? Where is your concern for the future safety of all food labeled gluten free?
It’s hard to understand why you personally would want to–or would want others to–keep eating a product that could very likely make you ill at any moment. The facts have been shared by Gluten-Free Watchdog with information on the processes and testing results that General Mills itself shared. As Johnna said, these products are now under FDA review for their gf labeling because of the number of illnesses reported by consumers. The FDA does not make the decision to review a company and their products lightly.
Shirley
This is an important point, Shirley. It seems some can’t read the reports: people have been fine eating one box, buy the second and then become ill. It’s a gamble. I won’t gamble with my health or that of others.
Johnna, I can’t thank you enough for this post. The impact of this visual can’t be underestimated. It makes it so clear how MANY folks are getting ill from these products. I simply can’t understand anyone lashing out at you and others who are a) sharing this information to prevent others from getting ill, b) directing those who have gotten ill to report their reactions, and c) signing and sharing the petition asking the FDA and GM to FIX this problem now. This is what EVERYONE in the gf community should be doing!
Shirley
I never could have imagined a bowl of bland cereal is what it would take to turn the gluten-free community against each other. A community who has always shared the concerns of their fellow Celiac and NCGS friends is now divided, full of victim blaming, absent of empathy, all because of cereal. We need to come back together, realize people we know have gotten sick and that we are taking a gamble on getting sick ourselves if something isn’t done. I appreciate your advocacy, Shirley!
I don’t eat any oats, I just don’t trust them.
I understand your concern, Diana. I have done very well with certified gluten-free oats, but am particular about which brand I buy even then. I am perplexed why Cheerios decided to make their entire production “gluten-free” (quotes intended…) instead of continuing to make their cereal as it has been and make a completely separate packaging of cereal made with certified gluten-free oats.
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it!
I tend to agree with the comment that General Mills wouldn’t take the chance on such a popular cereal being “glutened.” Having so many people sick across the U.S. shouts lawsuits to me. I must say I’ve been enjoying my GF Honey-Nut Cheerios for weeks now—I’m on my 4th box and no problems whatsoever. I’m auto-immune very gluten & GMO sensitive. Gluten effects my hearing, my stomach, and my skin. Fatigue, brain fog and insomnia also are my symptoms and I’m talking bad. With all these symptoms and not being celiac, I’m EXTREMELY sensitive to gluten and so far I’ve been 100% fine and feeling great eating GF Cheerios. My skin and hearing would be the first to tell me I ate something I shouldn’t have. And so far, no rash or hearing deficit has shown itself. Maybe I’ve just gotten the right boxes of cereal so far??? However, the illnesses across the U.S. now blamed on Cheerios has me doubting what I thought was safe and such a luxury. Now I don’t know what to think.
Thanks for your comment, Sheila.
While I can’t tell you what to think, I can ask that you consider empathy for your fellow community members who have been sick after eating these. It is so widespread. Like you, these people know their reactions well and are certainly reacting to something. For me, it means I will wait before eating these to make sure whatever it is that is making people sick can be properly addressed. I hope it doesn’t come to the point of a lawsuit. I also hope the reports of illness, which now include hospitalization, stop coming in. It’s very concerning for all of us and has implications down the road regarding gluten-free food.
Southwestern Ohio here! I was ecstatic when I first heard about the gluten free Cheerios. I almost immediately went sprinting right out to get myself a box of the honey nut variety, and the first box gave me absolutely no trouble. I had seen some reports of people getting sick, but didn’t think much of it, thinking there must be some other factors involved. Then, a week ago today, I had a bowl from a new box while mucking about online. This time was different: I ended up violently sick, and it was the only thing outside of what I’d made for myself that could have possibly gotten me sick. Now I’m hearing more and more about people getting sick from them, and it’s made me nervous and wary. Thanks for doing what you’re doing; hopefully GM sits up and takes notice of this!
Thanks for your comment, Jaime. I’m so sorry to hear you got sick. This is one of my foremost concerns–one box being fine and the next not. Did you report your experience to General Mills and the FDA? I sure hope you are feeling much better now.
People with CD likely have cross reactors, grains their bodies process as threats, like gluten. This doesn’t mean cheerios are the culprit here. Learn your body, your system’s reactions, before ruining something good for the rest of us!
Hi KB. Thanks for your comment.
Have you taken the time to read about the concerns with this product? The concerns with how testing is being conducted? About the oats being used? It starts there. But it moves beyond that with your comment.
Is your assumption that you are the only one who knows what “cross reactors” others with Celiac disease have? That others aren’t familiar with their bodies reactions? Folks who are very in tune, very knowledgeable and very careful in choosing what they eat have become ill eating “gluten-free” Cheerios. Please read the reports of illness. Among those who have become ill are people who tolerate gluten-free oats, people who are careful about portion control, people who are very in tune with introducing a new food to their diet. Perhaps most concerning are the reports of those who have been fine with one box and not the next, or one variety and not the other.
As for “something good for the rest of us,” that is the most lacking in empathy statement I’ve seen today. Don’t you care that others in the Celiac disease and NCGS community are sick? Aren’t you concerned of the implications for any future foods labeled gluten-free that make people sick? What if you had become ill? Would you respond differently? Or would you want your community to point fingers at you and say you should know your body better, stop ruining something for them?
I have Celiac and am very sensitive to gluten. So sensitive in fact that immediately I have symptoms followed by violent vomiting, severe abdominal pain and other digestive upset I don’t need to post here. These severe symptoms happen 2 hours after eating gluten or something cross contaminated. Having said this I have NOT reacted to the GF Cheerios……no immediate burning in my mouth or lip numbness tingling and no severe abdominal pain/vomiting etc. It’s interesting to read the divided comments and how some react and others do not. My daughter has it as well although she can get away with slight cross contamination where as I cannot. We have not had any reactions or problems eating the GF Cheerios.
Thanks for your comment, Tamara. I’m glad to hear you and your daughter haven’t gotten sick. I agree with what you have said–the comments are divided; many have reacted and many have not. Some are fine with one box and the next makes them sick. Such a gamble. I don’t know what the answer is except in-depth inspection of the sourcing and manufacturing process. I had hoped General Mills would step up quickly with the number of illness reports growing every day but haven’t heard anything on their end yet except that they are confident of their process and “here’s a coupon, sorry you got sick.” I’m not sure how many more reports of kiddos and adults getting sick or worse, going to the ER after eating these, it will take before folks say “ENOUGH.” It’s too much of a gamble for me to even consider trying to eat these.
My wife was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2008. She has been so excited to enjoy Cheerios for the first time in 7 years now. It needs to be made known that people with celiac are NOT getting sick from eating Cheerios. Please don’t take away the enjoyment that most people are getting because a few are reportedly getting sick. This is why there are no gluten free Rice Krispies anymore. A few people complain and then it ruins the experience for everyone.
Thanks for your comment, Troy.
Have you been reading the reports from the “few,” which now numbers into the hundreds? People with Celiac disease are getting sick, some not from the first box but from subsequent boxes. Have you given consideration that your wife may have been lucky and not gotten the boxes with a high parts per million gluten content? Have you read how the testing is being done and why it creates concern? Have you seen how the oats are sorted and why it could cause some batches to have high gluten ppm and others test fine? It is a gamble.
As for ruining the experience for everyone, missing work, being sick for days, getting glutened for the first time in many years has been how the experience was ruined for some. Because your wife isn’t one of those, you would like others to just sit back and be quiet about a product that is making them sick? Would you be more empathetic if the sickness related to “gluten-free” Cheerios struck close to home? It did here. I’m going to be supportive and empathetic to the entire gluten-free community and advocate for safe food that we can ALL enjoy.
As for gluten-free Rice Krispies, Kellogg’s stopped producing those due to “manufacturing constraints.” When asked by journalists in the gluten-free community, they would not elaborate. To my knowledge, there were never hundreds of reports of illness related to their cereal. Could you point me to the reports of that? I’d like to know if that was the case. Thanks!
Johanna, Thank you for your research in this matter, my husband is a celiac and lactose intolerant, he was so excited to hear that Cheerios was going gluten free. After 2 days of having them he became quite ill. I’m hoping that they have resolved this problem, Thank you Again, Laurel Lacci, Waltham,Mass.
Hi Laurel. Thank you for dropping by.
I’m so sorry to hear your husband got sick from Cheerios. Like you, I hope they will resolve this problem quickly. I also hope you have reported the illness to the FDA and to General Mills. We all have to work together to get this corrected so no one else becomes ill from a simple bowl of cereal.
So… I don’t have Celiac disease; but whenever I eat any gluten-free general mills cereal, I get sick AF. It makes me sad that they don’t have a normal option for people without Celiac disease.
I want to make sure I understand your comment. Are you saying that you don’t need to eat gluten-free for any reason but when you eat any cereal from General Mills that just happens to be gluten-free, it makes you sick?
Has this always been the case? Or have they just started making you sick since they were labeled gluten-free? What specific cereals?
This isn’t just gluten free Cheerios! It has nothing to do with celiac disease, ibs, lactose intolerance, etc. I had the Honey Nut Cheerios worn no milk and I got violently ill. I thought it was food poisoning. I had severe cramps, explosive diarrhea and vomiting am at once shortly after eating about a cup of Honey Nut Cheerios. I want sure if it was my dinner or the flu. I am 100%certain that the Honey Nut Cheerios is what caused it because the nectar grew days that I had it, I had cramping and diarrhea right afterwards. Cheerios needs to step up and put a stop to this.
I hope you have reported this to the FDA. The only way we can impact a change is to keep reporting illnesses linked to this product. If you believe Cheerios made you ill, FDA is asking that you contact FDAâs MEDWATCH, the Adverse Event Reporting System. You can do this via email https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm⌠or phone (800) 332-1088, Choose option #4 to speak to a representative.
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease 16 years ago. Getting âGLUTENEDâ is a rare event in my world, as knowing how to avoid it comes easily after such a long time. When a product is labeled GLUTEN FREE, I should be able to trust that. After eating Honey Nut Cheerios the first time, I pondered what other foods I had eaten along with it to explain the abdominal pain. Nothing. So to be sure I wasnât crazy, I subjected myself to a second small serving he next day. This product should NOT be allowed a GF label. PAINFUL!
I’m so sorry this happened to you. It’s been too many years now that this product has continued to be labeled gluten-free. tt is no longer labeled gluten-free in Canada; we can hope that will soon be the case everywhere.
yeah I finally figured out what the random poisoning was coming from after only eating cheerios and getting sick hours later. Man does celiac suck. I’ve been eating cheerios for years and usually am fine but probably four times a year I get sick and I think I just found out why.
I’m so sorry to read that Cheerios has made you sick. So many have gotten sick but nothing seems to be changing, except more companies using sorted oats now that Cheerios has opened the floodgates.