New Laws In Uk = Stupid ?

[tennisman]

So it's 2012 in the UK the new labeling for gluten-free foods starts today . I really don't understand it but I think it's gonna be a mess . 0 - 20 ppm = gluten-free . 20 - 100 ppm = low gluten and safe :S How can a product containing low levels of gluten be gluten free ? It's stupid , also apparently many foods are being taken off prescription because they are luxury . How anyone can call gluten-free from the chemist luxury I will never know . I want to destroy the government :@

[beebs]

Ours are going to change to 0-20ppm, currently its <3ppm is considered gluten free. How is Low gluten helpful to anyone with coeliac disease anyways? Has the world gone mad!

[mushroom]

Ho boy, good luck tennisman Is there are provision for labelling something as containing less than 20 ppm, or saying "contains no gluten" or some other way to distinguish that you are getting less than 20? They have probably made that illegal, right?

[tennisman]

Ours are going to change to 0-20ppm, currently its <3ppm is considered gluten free. How is Low gluten helpful to anyone with coeliac disease anyways? Has the world gone mad!

I think it's ridiculous , I might as well just eat chinese as soy sauce is most probably low gluten . I think Fad diet has changed celiac disease and it's a big shame . Surely gluten-free has to be 100 % gluten free all this low and 20 ppm or 3 ppm just confuses me :S

[giggleburger]

Wow, this is one of those times where you can tell whoever devised that setup doesn't know enough about the issues relating to it.

Is there anyway to start some sort of awareness that this may not be the best way to handle the labeling?

[psawyer]

So it's 2012 in the UK the new labeling for gluten-free foods starts today . I really don't understand it but I think it's gonna be a mess . 0 - 20 ppm = gluten-free . 20 - 100 ppm = low gluten and safe :S How can a product containing low levels of gluten be gluten free ? It's stupid , also apparently many foods are being taken off prescription because they are luxury . How anyone can call gluten-free from the chemist luxury I will never know . I want to destroy the government :@

Under the "old" rules, up to 200 ppm could be labeled "gluten-free" in some cases. While not yet perfect, the EU is moving in the right direction.

[tennisman]

Ho boy, good luck tennisman Is there are provision for labelling something as containing less than 20 ppm, or saying "contains no gluten" or some other way to distinguish that you are getting less than 20? They have probably made that illegal, right?

Thanks mushroom Here is some info Open Original Shared Link it's very confusing . How can restaurants test 20 ppm :S

[Skylark]

Yeah, stupid. At least your country HAS laws, though. We have a useless congress who can't even manage to sort out a budget, let alone pass food labeling legislation.

[tennisman]

Wow, this is one of those times where you can tell whoever devised that setup doesn't know enough about the issues relating to it.

Is there anyway to start some sort of awareness that this may not be the best way to handle the labeling?

Lots of people on Coeliac UK Facebook said this isn't a good idea . The UK government is stupid though they think this is a good idea ..

[tennisman]

Under the "old" rules, up to 200 ppm could be labeled "gluten-free" in some cases. While not yet perfect, the EU is moving in the right direction.

I hope so But having 3 different labels , less than 20 ppm , 20 - 100 ppm and no containing gluten ingredients is strange . What's wrong with a symbol for gluten-free or a symbol to say it's not gluten-free .

[tennisman]

Yeah, stupid. At least your country HAS laws, though. We have a useless congress who can't even manage to sort out a budget, let alone pass food labeling legislation.

I find it ridiculous , vegetarian labeling is on everything yet the world can't sort gluten-free labeling properly . England is stupid they sell fake cheap dangerous alcohol , won't be long before these same people sell gluten free foods full of gluten

[Takala]

I believe we had some joker, er, "scientist," propose something like this (low gluten labels) for the United States, and they were serious. Wheeee! American Exceptionalism!

Yeah, stupid. At least your country HAS laws, though. We have a useless congress who can't even manage to sort out a budget, let alone pass food labeling legislation.

You so do not want this particular contemporary version of the U.S. House passing any food labeling legislation. Their version of a new and improved school lunch program under the USDA Ag commodities program was to attempt to replace carbohydrates such as beans and potatoes with grains, I swear to God. One of the Senators in the potato growing states stopped it. You could almost hear the GMO lobby crying in their barley beers over it.

[CR5442]

Yeah, stupid. At least your country HAS laws, though. We have a useless congress who can't even manage to sort out a budget, let alone pass food labeling legislation.

Hi Skylark, so true. We are getting better on the legislation thing, in many areas. And if I have been eating gluten-free food with 200ppm gluten in then no wonder I still feel like I'm getting glutened occasionally. Though it's usually ok if you eat clean unprocessed foods.

I thought the US had the 20ppm already in force?

[psawyer]

I thought the US had the 20ppm already in force?

No, there is no legal definition yet in the United States for "gluten-free."

[nora-n]

It is not the uk government, it is the new EU law from January 2009, and January 2012 was the last date for implementation.

The requirements for gluten free went down from 200ppm to below 20ppm (but now in the finished product)

Which makes it possible for people who have a celiac home test for food, to test for 5ppm or 20ppm right where they are out eating. Like the glutentox home test kit, or other test kits.

Otherwise they would have to go home and dry the foodstuff and then test it....

[auzzi]

Australia's definition of "gluten free" is no detectable gluten ie 3ppm, which the lowest that they can test for.. Above that, it is just "gluten".

It's stupid, also apparently many foods are being taken off prescription because they are luxury.

As for gluten-free on prescription: as far as I can work out, the UK and Italy are the only ones that subsidize gluten-free products .. so don't complain too loudly. We pay full price for bread, bread mix, flours, pasta, and xanthan gum, let alone everything else ..

[nora-n]

Sweden also has gluten-free products on prescription, for children and young adults, and probably other countries have too, possibly spain.

Other countries give money towards the increased cost.

[irish daveyboy]

I think it's ridiculous, Surely gluten-free has to be 100 % gluten free all this low and 20 ppm or 3 ppm just confuses me :S

What specially produced Gluten Free Products do you consume ??

Have you ever asked any manufacturer of Gluten Free products what level do the test to ??

Where the New Gluten Free level is <20PPM means an upper limit, in actual fact most of the Gluten Free products test to between 3PPM and 10PPM, the <20PPM was set to accomodate a small level of error in checking!

If it were possible to get 100% Gluten Free (it's not possible to check to such small amounts, 3PPM is the smallest at the moment that render reliable results)

The costs involved would mean that NO COMPANIES would produce Gluten Free products, for fear of litagation.

Even if it were possible then the average loaf of Gluten Free bread would cost in excess of $30 each.

We have to strike a happy midpoint where Gluten Free products are available and as safe as is possible comercially.

If you want to be 100% gluten Free then restrict yourself to a diet of meat, fish and well washed vegetables.

Cross Contamination is possible on everything else whether processed or raw (think about crop spraying, feed, nutrients etc)