Act Now! Send Feedback to the Food and Drug Administration Regarding the Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods (Docket No. 2005N-0279)

Celiac.com 09/01/2005 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a public meeting to obtain expert comment and consultation from the public to help them define and permit the voluntary use on food labeling of the term ``gluten-free. The meeting will focus on food manufacturing, analytical methods, and consumer issues related to reduced levels of gluten in food. Celiac.com needs your help to speak out to make sure that this regulation will be written in such a way as to provide the greatest benefit to the gluten-free community, and to make sure that the new regulation will not create an undue burden on any exiting and future gluten-free food manufacturers.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
To have an influence on this process please Open Original Shared Link and send your comments no later than September 19, 2005. If you feel the same way as us feel free to cut and paste the following letter into the comments area of this form:

Dear FDA:

We encourage you to adopt a regulation on the use of gluten-free on product labels that is in line with that which has been used in Europe and other countries (including the USA via the Codex Alimentarius) for many years--20 PPM for products that contain naturally gluten-free ingredients, and 200 PPM for products that have been rendered gluten-free such as those that may contain Codex Alimentarius quality wheat starch. The formal adoption of these existing regulations will allow for the continued importation of excellent, safe European products that are labeled gluten-free.

It is very important that you do not adopt a zero tolerance regulation in this matter because doing so will cause many gluten-free food companies to discontinue their use of the term gluten-free on their labels out of fear of litigation--which is counterproductive for all people with this disease (most, if not all, gluten-free food companies do not grow, transport or mill the gluten-free grains that they use as ingredients--a fact that will make them vulnerable to litigation if a zero tolerance level is adopted). Last, the inclusion of trace levels of gluten in the diets of those with celiac disease have been shown to be safe in many scientific studies, for more details please see:
https://www.celiac.com

Thank you,
Your Name