Guardian Angel Foods

Guardian Angel is yet another of those companies started by a parent wanting to supply allergen-free foods for her children.

Julie La Rochelle is an actress by trade, but became a businesswoman through her love for her five-year-old son, Charles-Antoine, who suffers from severe food allergies that have long prevented him from enjoying birthday cakes, snacks and other things that are fun for kids to eat.

Since nothing on the market could satisfy her son's sweet tooth, Julie got the idea of cooking desserts that would be just as good and attractive as store-bought ones. Throughout the years, she has perfected her cake recipes which have become the standard for her friends and family. They are so delicious that other kids fight over them in daycare centers and during family events!

Cakes wreaking havoc may or may not be a good thing, but their being awarded a special safe designation by Health Canada, a governmental agency, certainly is.

From their press release:

Always on the cutting edge of the food industry for allergy sufferers, Guardian-Angel Foods has just obtained the Certified Allergen Control (CAC) designation for the program's four allergens, namely peanuts, almonds, eggs and milk.

This program, headed by the Association quebecoise des allergies alimentaires du Quebec (AQAA), is recognized across the country and guarantees a thorough, standardized screening for allergens. This is the ONLY seal of compliance that has received Health Canada's support and contribution for safe products that meet the needs of allergy sufferers. Furthermore, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) participated in the development of the CAC program and provided scientific support to validate its requirements.

Through the integration of this new allergen control protocol in production centers, Guardian-Angel Foods can now offer food allergy sufferers an additional safety warranty. The very first products with the CAC designation are the opera cake, chocolate passion cake, chocolate birthday cake, and a new product: the Guardian-Angel cake, a delicious white cake, covered with a generous layer of light frosting a taste just like heaven! More than ever, Guardian-Angel Foods brings a little HAPPINESS to the table!

That certification of compliance means no peanuts, no nuts, no eggs, and no dairy in any of their products. Just as important, it means that none of those ingredients are ever allowed in the doors of their dedicated baking facilities.

They're available in stores in Quebec, but I don't see any internet sales links on their overly-busy website.

Guardian-Angel Foods products are now sold in all Metro, IGA, Marche Richelieu, Bonichoix and Tradition stores, as well as in an increasing number of bakeries and pastry shops. You can find them in the frozen dessert section of the bakery aisle of your supermarket. Visit www.alimentsangegardien.com for more information on the company's product line and the outlet nearest you.

The English language version of the website is at www.guardianangel.com.

Even if these particular foods are only available in a limited area the Certified Allergen Control (CAC) program is an excellent feature of Canadian life that I urge our American FDA to copy.

If you suffer from food allergies, your life is filled with daily choices about what food to eat and risk management. The CAC mark of conformity guarantees that particular foods underwent optimal control according to the stringent criteria of the certification program developed by a food allergy consumer organization for one or more of the following allergens: peanuts, almonds, milk or eggs.