2 replies to this topic

[T.H.]

Last year, I had read that the USA had not decided on exactly what 'Gluten Free' was going to mean on our labels, yet. They were trying to determine what ppm gluten free would be, and what all the standards would be that a company would have to meet, etc...

But then a couple months back, I came across a couple websites for Gluten Free Beer that said that the gluten free ppm had been decided: 20 ppm. Sometime in August, 2009.

And now, I'm seeing more things that say that no, it's still up in the air. USA hasn't finalized the gluten-free standard yet.

Does anyone know what the truth is??? I haven't been able to figure this out, don't know where to look for the information, etc... I'd just like to know where the law stands right now, and what standards a company has to be meeting, if any, to legally call itself gluten free.

Every time I think I know, I find something else that says I'm wrong. Urg...very confused and befuddled right now.

[psawyer]

As far as I know, it is still unsettled from a legal perspective. Many companies are declining to put a "gluten-free" label on their products until it is finalized. Others are testing, and reporting the results.

Bottom line:
You can not ever ensure 100% gluten-free. There will always be a chance of contamination from outside sources. You can test, and declare that the product is tested to be below a certain content level (parts per million). No test can ever be accurate to zero ppm. The best test available today has a sensitivity of 5 ppm, but it is too costly to use for mainstream products. A test for 20 ppm can be justified economically, and is more common, but still raises the end price of the product. Testing for 200 ppm is even less expensive.

Keep in mind that the test is for a sensitivity level. A totally gluten-free product will test as: less than 200 ppm; less than 20 ppm; and, less than 5 ppm. The words to focus on are less than.

[Konez]

I know what you mean.

The other day I got a box on Nut-Thins. On the box it said "Gluten Free!", but when I went to eat them