ALL ABOUT ALLERGENS
Ingredient
Information
We recognize the challenges and needs of our customers who have allergies or sensitivities to nuts, dairy, soy, and other allergens recognized by the Food and Drug Administration. Your safety is our priority, which is why Aunt Millie’s follows all of the Good Manufacturing Practices established by the FDA after an allergen is run on the line. We also always disclose all ingredients in the ingredient statement on our packaging as required by the FDA. Our packaging is the most current and up-to-date source for allergens and ingredient information. For more information on food allergies, visit the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) site.
January 1, 2023
All of our production facilities currently produce items with sesame. Due to the oil in sesame seeds, it is difficult to ensure a facility is 100% sesame free even after allergen cleans are completed. To be as transparent and safe as possible there is sesame in every formulation. This is the company’s decision effective January 1, 2023 in order to be in compliance with the FASTER Act. The company feels this is the safest option for those with sesame allergies. All ingredient legends and allergen claims have been updated to reflect this change.
Nutritional
Information
What you feed your family is important. It has to be tasty and filling, of course, but you also want it to provide fuel for your busy lives. Luckily, Aunt Millie’s has you covered on all fronts. We’re especially proud of the whole grain and fiber in our products.
Calcium plays an important role in achieving and maintaining optimum bone health. When consumed as a part of a well-balanced diet and incorporated with an active and healthy life-style, these compounds reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, a disease characterized by a reduced bone mineral density. Calcium and vitamin D not only promote healthy bone formation and retention, but have many other benefits. Calcium is vital for muscle contraction and heart function. Many of Aunt Millie’s products are enriched with calcium and vitamin D to provide you with tasty ways to incorporate these essential nutrients into your diet. Calcium and vitamin D not only promote healthy bone formation and retention, but have many other benefits. Adequate vitamin D intake has been linked to decreased susceptibility for development of high blood pressure, cancer, seasonal affective disorder, type-1 diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body when exposed to sunlight, however, for those with inadequate sunlight exposure, vitamin D consumption is critical to ensure proper nutrition.
During the milling process of grains, many essential nutrients originally present in the grain are lost. Due to this, refined wheat flour will often have these nutrients added back in the form of enrichment. These nutrients include thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), folic acid (vitamin B9), and the mineral iron. Since flours have been enriched with these essential vitamins and minerals, diseases such as beriberi and pellagra have been almost entirely eradicated. Folic acid (vitamin B9) plays an important role in fetal development. Since its addition to flour enrichment in 1998, neural tube defects such as spina bifida, have decreased more than 33% in the United States. Evidence suggests that if all women of childbearing age and expectant mothers in their first trimester consumed the recommended amount of folic acid (400 micrograms per day), 70 percent of neural tube defects in newborn children could be prevented.
Fiber makes up the non-digestible portion of carbohydrates. Because fiber cannot be digested, it has the capability of adding bulk to the diet, without adding calories. There are two main types of dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber is the type of fiber found in whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and other foods. It helps move foods through the digestive tract, promoting regularity. In addition, dietary fiber may also help lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar levels, and may reduce the risk for heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and certain cancers. Aunt Millie’s offers products that provide either a good source of fiber or an excellent source of fiber. A good source provides at least 10% of the daily recommended value of dietary fiber (28 grams), and an excellent source provides at least 20% of the daily recommended value.
Aunt Millie’s uses only the highest quality, Kosher-approved ingredients. All of Aunt Millie’s bagels and English muffins are dairy-free and many of our breads and buns are too, making them Kosher Pareve. Many of our fats and oils are vegetable-based. This includes functional fats such as monoglycerides and sodium stearoyl lactylate. Aunt Millie’s baked goods contain enzymes isolated from cereal, fungal, and bacterial sources. Some of our products require dairy, such as nonfat dry milk, butter, buttermilk, and whey, to achieve maximum flavor and texture. Please look for Kosher certification on our packaging.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) starts out as ordinary corn syrup, made from corn starch. Then, with the use of enzymes, it is given a higher level of fructose (a simple sugar found in fruits and honey). With HFCS being very similar in sweetness, less expensive, and easier to bake with, HFCS became a popular ingredient with bakers and other food manufacturers. Some people say high fructose corn syrup should be avoided because it is linked to obesity. Others prefer sugar in its place, feeling that sugar is more natural.
Probiotics are live microorganisms naturally present in many dairy products that, when consumed, reside in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These live cultures aid in the digestive process by fermenting dietary fibers that our bodies cannot digest on their own. This fermentation process provides the gastrointestinal tract with energy in the form of short chain fatty acids, allowing your GI tract to function optimally. The benefits of probiotics would be compromised, however, if they did not have sufficient fibers to thrive on. These dietary fibers are known as prebiotics. Benefits associated with pre- and probiotics include: a healthy digestive tract, increased immune system function, enhanced mineral absorption, risk reduction for certain cancers and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, and several others.
Following a vegan diet consists of consuming strictly plant-based foods avoiding all animal derivatives. Many of our products are consistent with a vegan lifestyle. They are made with ingredients that contain no eggs, dairy, honey, or any animal byproducts. Please always check ingredient listings and allergen statements within the nutritional facts panel as some of our products do contain dairy (butter, whey) and/or honey. You will find this information on the back of our packaging.
Rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, whole grains provide you with the nutrition you need to keep you feeling your best. Whole grains, unlike refined grains, contain all three portions of the grain kernel: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends making at least one-half of dietary grains, whole grains. By eating more whole grains, you increase your fiber consumption, which may lead to reduced blood cholesterol and risk for heart disease, enhanced digestive function, and heightened satiety. Whole grains are also rich in B-vitamins that are critical for metabolic processes, iron for oxygen transport, magnesium for energy utilization, and selenium for enhanced immune function. When shopping for whole grain products, look for the Whole Grains Council stamp on Aunt Millie’s packaging. For more information on the benefits of whole grains, visit the Whole Grains Council’s website.
Allergen FAQs
What allergens are present in your products?
There are 9 major allergens recognized by the FDA: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.
• Sesame is present in all our baked goods.
• Wheat is present in all our baked goods.
• Soy has been removed from all bread, bun, and dinner roll lines.
• Milk is present in many of our breads. Any item that has the Kosher Pareve symbol will be dairy-free.
• Eggs are present in our Snack Planet donuts line, which is run in a separate facility.
• Tree nuts are not used in our bread, bun or roll facilities. Our Snack Planet donuts line does contain tree nuts (coconut) and
is run in a separate facility.
• Crustaceans, fish, peanuts or any of their by-products are not present in any of our facilities and products.
How do I determine if an allergen is present in a product?
First, always check our packaging. Our packaging is the most current and up-to-date source for allergen information. To be more transparent with our allergens, we have created this system of production codes, shown below. Look at the production code on the front of the packaging. The first letter of the production code indicates at which bakery the product was baked.
| Code | Bakery | Product | Allergen(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| J | Jackson | Bread | Wheat, Milk, Sesame |
| K | Kalamazoo | Buns | Wheat, Sesame |
| KZ | Kalamazoo | Bread | Wheat, Sesame |
| L | Lowell | Buns | Wheat, Sesame |
| LW | Lowell | Bread | Wheat, Sesame |
| P | Plymouth | Buns | Wheat, Sesame |
| PL | Plymouth | Bread | Wheat, Sesame |
| S | Sidney | Buns | Wheat, Milk, Sesame |
Food Safety
The safety of our facilities—to protect our workers and for the health of the products we proudly distribute throughout the Midwest—is always top-of-mind at Aunt Millie’s. We adhere to strict guidelines to keep our bakeries and bread lines running smoothly and cleanly.
Aunt Millie’s Food Safety program is designed to deliver high-quality, safe bread products. We are a member of the American Institute of Baking (AIB) and are now certified as part of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
All our bakeries have undergone the most stringent BRC Certification requirements (and continue to rank with the top bakeries in the country). Our Quality and Food Safety Programs are all in accordance with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the American Institute of Baking (AIB) Food Standard for Food Safety, Issue 6 of the BRC Standard, as well as all Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, state, and local food safety standards.
Aunt Millie’s is committed to delivering safe, quality products to all of our customers. Below are links to all the awards and certifications each one of our bakeries has received.