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Gluten-free label rule not backed up by testing
Food manufacturers, until August 5th, were able to label foods “gluten-free” even if they were not. Now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a standard (less than 20 parts per million) that products must reach in order to be called “gluten-free.” However, the products do not have to be tested and labeling is voluntary. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley and rye.
Andrea Levario, executive director of the American Celiac Disease Alliance, says while her group has been pushing for that standard, “Sadly, the rule does not require companies to test for gluten.”
“And, that is one of the areas that is a bit troublesome for us,” Levario tells Brownfield Ag News, “Because while there’s a standard, unless somebody IS getting sick, there’s no way of knowing for sure if the products are meeting the standard.”
For people with Celiac disease, a genetic auto-immune disorder, the ONLY treatment is to consume foods without gluten. Levario says there are several food companies that have developed their own certification that test ingredients for gluten – that are well known by people with Celiac and related conditions.
She says the term “gluten-free” has become a fad diet marketing tool for manufacturers wanting to sell more products. Under the ruling, foods that have never contained gluten – like bottled water – will still get to carry a“gluten free” label if companies so choose.
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