In 1994 I was diagnosed with celiac disease, which led me to create Celiac.com in 1995. I created this site for a single purpose: To help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed and living happy, healthy gluten-free lives. Celiac.com was the first site on the Internet dedicated solely to celiac disease, and since then it has become an invaluable resource to people worldwide who seek information about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. In 1998 I created The Gluten-Free Mall, Your Special Diet Superstore! which was also another Internet first—it was the first gluten-free food site to offer a shopping cart-style interface, and the ability for people to order gluten-free products manufactured by many different companies at a single Web site.
Celiac.com 12/27/2005 - Enjoy Life Natural Foods will
begin displaying the GFCO certification mark on all 17 of their products
beginning in December 2005. Enjoy Life has a strong commitment to the
celiac community. We hear from consumers everyday, expressing how much
difficulty they have identifying foods that are safe for their gluten-free
diet, said Scott Mandell, President and CEO of Enjoy Life Natural Brands.
We are proud to be able to provide them with the extra convenience and
safety assurance this new certification provides. Look for more information
about Enjoy Life Natural products and recipes using these
products at www.gfco.org
and www.enjoylifenb.com.
Gluten-Free Certification Is HOT! The food industry is buzzing about gluten-free and GFCO.
GFCO has attended five food shows and exhibits with a total of more than 1,000 food companies since August. GIG, Shelley Case, RD and Carol Fenster, Ph.D. gave talks about the gluten-free market at three of these shows. Before we hit the show room floor, the room was buzzing about gluten-free products and gluten-free certification. The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and data from SPINS showing that Gluten-free product sales are growing at 14.6 % is making gluten-free a high priority in the food industry. GFCO is drawing interest from mainstream and specialty companies alike.
What Has Happened Since August:
- Plant Inspections for six companies will be scheduled for early 2006.
- 52 other companies have requested applications.
- Companies interested in adopting GFCO certification come from seven
countries
including Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, South Africa, and the UK. - GFCO has discussed the program with over 150 companies.
- Interested companies include makers of beverages, meat products,
baked
goods, nutritional supplements, flavorings, seasonings, and more.
Want to Help? You Can
- Tell the GFCO about companies you think should certify their products.
- Tell companies that you want to see certification on their products.
- Support GIG and GFCO with your contributions and fundraising ideas.
- Join the GFCO Team
Anna Ashworth
Gluten-Free Certification Organization
Program Administrator
www.gfco.org