FDA Issues New Gluten-Free Labeling Laws

With the percentage of people being diagnosed with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance increasing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a formal rule that will now give a clear cut meaning to the term “gluten-free,” as well as labeling laws associated with the term.

The FDA will now limit the use of the term “gluten-free” to foods and beverages that contain fewer than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. This means the product would have less than 2 hundredths of a gram of gluten per 2.2 pounds of food. The FDA standard also applies to dietary supplements since they sometimes have wheat-derived fillings or coatings.

Another important but confusing aspect of the new law is that if the product does contain less than 20ppm’s of gluten, but was made from a grain that contains gluten that wasn’t specially processed to remove the gluten, it cannot bear the term “gluten-free.” Certain ingredients used in the food industry for packaged food such as wheat-derived glucose syrup, are highly processed, so you would assume in that processing the gluten would be removed. However since the processing was not being done specifically to remove the gluten, it cannot carry the term gluten-free. If the product is specifically processed to remove the gluten in a wheat-based product, then it can say “gluten-free” because it would ensure the raw ingredient is completely decontaminated from gluten.

Naturally grain-free products such as bottled water, fruits, and hummus are allowed to have the “gluten-free” claim because they pose no risk of having gluten given their natural state. This is good because it helps people who may not understand a gluten-free diet know what options are out there, even if it may seem obvious to some what is gluten-free. However the issue is many people falsely assume that a gluten-free food is healthier than one that contains gluten. That is not necessarily true. If you are not afflicted with a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, then gluten containing foods can be and should be part of a healthy diet.

Your turn to take action: What are your thoughts on the FDA’s actions towards gluten-free labeling?