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  • Scott Adams
    Scott Adams

    FDA Rules All Distilled Alcohol is Gluten-Free

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Manufacturers of distilled foods and beverages can now label their products as gluten-free, even if made from gluten ingredients.

    FDA Rules All Distilled Alcohol is Gluten-Free - Image: CC BY-SA 2.0--theowoo
    Caption: Image: CC BY-SA 2.0--theowoo

    Celiac.com 08/19/2020 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled that distilled foods and spirits made from gluten-containing grains can be labelled as ‘gluten-free.’ The FDA ruling covers fermented and distilled foods, or foods that contain fermented or distilled ingredients, which are made using gluten-containing grains such as rye, barley and wheat. The ruling changes the previous FDA requirement that distilled products labeled "gluten-free" must contain no gluten ingredients from start to finish.

    The change was hailed by Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (Discus), who said: “We commend FDA for this consumer-friendly ruling that will allow ‘gluten-free’ labelling claims to be included on distilled foods made from gluten-containing grains, and urge TTB to act swiftly to align policies allowing the same for distilled spirits products."

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    Text of the new FDA ruling reads, in part:

    "[D]istillation is a process capable of separating gluten and other proteins from the remaining compounds...distillation must remove all protein (and thus gluten), regardless if the product has been distilled from gluten-containing grains.

    [Distillation] removes gluten because gluten does not vaporize. Therefore, there should not be any gluten remaining in the final distilled product. For this reason, a distilled product labeling may bear a “gluten-free” claim and should be safe for people with celiac disease to consume."

    The change means that manufacturers of distilled foods and beverages can now label their products as gluten-free without explanations about their gluten removal process.

    Gluten-free marketing has long been an issue of contention among regulatory bodies, people with celiac disease, and experts, with most scientists agreeing that the distillation process removes gluten from the final product. Health professionals and celiac support groups, like Celiac.com, and Coeliac UK, have long advised that distilled spirits are gluten-free and safe for celiacs on a gluten-free diet.

    Swonger said that “Allowing distillers to include a "gluten-free" statement on products made from gluten-containing grains will provide additional clarity for consumers to make informed choices about which products meet their dietary needs.”

    The rule will take effect on September 14, 2020.

    Resources:

    Edited by Scott Adams



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    docaz

    This is a big step forward from the FDA, removing scientifically unsubstantiated uncertainty regarding gluten content which is not detectable in distilled beverages.

     

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    Guest FDA stay the same

    Posted

    The FDA changed nothing. The rules from 2003 still apply. The FDA still acknowledges that there is no valid testing methods for such foods. It still demands that manufacturers adhere to the 2003 rules.  

    Here is there statement, "The records need to provide adequate assurance that the food or ingredients used in the food are “gluten-free” before fermentation or hydrolysis. Once we identify that a scientifically valid method has been developed that can accurately detect and quantify gluten in fermented or hydrolyzed foods or ingredients, it would no longer be necessary for the manufacturer of foods bearing the “gluten-free” claim to make and keep these records."

    "Likewise, the final rule requires manufacturers of foods that contain fermented or hydrolyzed ingredients and bear the “gluten-free” claim to make and keep records that demonstrate with adequate assurance that the fermented or hydrolyzed ingredients are “gluten-free” in compliance with the 2013 gluten-free food labeling final rule."

    Open Original Shared Link

    "The rule requires manufacturers of these food products to make and keep records providing adequate assurance that: the food meets the definition of “gluten-free” before fermentation or hydrolysis; the manufacturer has adequately evaluated the potential for cross-contact with gluten during the manufacturing process; and if necessary, measures are in place to prevent the introduction of gluten into the food during the manufacturing process. The rule also discusses how FDA will verify compliance for distilled products. The definition of “gluten-free,” established in 2013, is not changed by this new final rule."

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    GFinDC
    On 8/23/2020 at 5:31 AM, Guest FDA stay the same said:

    The FDA changed nothing. The rules from 2003 still apply. The FDA still acknowledges that there is no valid testing methods for such foods. It still demands that manufacturers adhere to the 2003 rules.  

    Here is there statement, "The records need to provide adequate assurance that the food or ingredients used in the food are “gluten-free” before fermentation or hydrolysis. Once we identify that a scientifically valid method has been developed that can accurately detect and quantify gluten in fermented or hydrolyzed foods or ingredients, it would no longer be necessary for the manufacturer of foods bearing the “gluten-free” claim to make and keep these records."

    "Likewise, the final rule requires manufacturers of foods that contain fermented or hydrolyzed ingredients and bear the “gluten-free” claim to make and keep records that demonstrate with adequate assurance that the fermented or hydrolyzed ingredients are “gluten-free” in compliance with the 2013 gluten-free food labeling final rule."

    Open Original Shared Link

    "The rule requires manufacturers of these food products to make and keep records providing adequate assurance that: the food meets the definition of “gluten-free” before fermentation or hydrolysis; the manufacturer has adequately evaluated the potential for cross-contact with gluten during the manufacturing process; and if necessary, measures are in place to prevent the introduction of gluten into the food during the manufacturing process. The rule also discusses how FDA will verify compliance for distilled products. The definition of “gluten-free,” established in 2013, is not changed by this new final rule."

    Open Original Shared Link

    Seems pretty clear.  The distillers have to keep records showing they used gluten free ingredients to make the spirits because there is no test to prove distilled spirits are gluten free.

    Edited by GFinDC
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    trents

    There has been some concern that some distilleries use a wheat containing paste to seal the barrels used for storage after the distillation has taken place.

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    Guest Davis
    35 minutes ago, trents said:

    There has been some concern that some distilleries use a wheat containing paste to seal the barrels used for storage after the distillation has taken place.

    Distillers use beeswax or heavy paper shims to seal leaky barrels.

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    Guest Davis

    This doesn't change much, if anything right now (though it opens a door). Distillers still have to adhere to TTB guidelines for labeling which currently only allow spirits made from non-gluten products be labeled gluten-free, e.g. rum, brandy, vodka made from potatoes or grapes.

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    Lucille Cholerton

    This ruling makes me very suspicious. In the support service for celiacs that I run in Durban, South Africa, I have always advised sufferers that they may have TRIPLE distilled alcoholic products. These may be LITE beers, or triple distilled whiskies. There is a fairly new machine that will test the presence of gluten in foods. 3 major supermarkets in UK tested all their so-called gluten free oats products and found they were not gluten free after all. These products had to be re-labelled "Low Gluten" . I will be interested to see how this new debate pans out.

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    trents

    Distillation is one thing. Fermentation is another.

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    Guest MyBodyIsTheBestGlutenDetec

    Posted

    I drink whiskey, I get sick. I drink beer, I might as well eat bread. It's political not health driven. It's not gluten free if it's made from gluten grains. As usual the non sensitive celiac mafia try to make out people are unreasonable or crazy if the question the gluten content of things people want to eat and drink but should not.

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    trents
    2 hours ago, Lucille Cholerton said:

    This ruling makes me very suspicious. In the support service for celiacs that I run in Durban, South Africa, I have always advised sufferers that they may have TRIPLE distilled alcoholic products. These may be LITE beers, or triple distilled whiskies. There is a fairly new machine that will test the presence of gluten in foods. 3 major supermarkets in UK tested all their so-called gluten free oats products and found they were not gluten free after all. These products had to be re-labelled "Low Gluten" . I will be interested to see how this new debate pans out.

    What is this new machine you speak of? Can you be more specific and do you have any links?

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    Guest EDubs
    1 hour ago, Guest MyBodyIsTheBestGlutenDetec said:

    I drink whiskey, I get sick. I drink beer, I might as well eat bread. It's political not health driven. It's not gluten free if it's made from gluten grains. As usual the non sensitive celiac mafia try to make out people are unreasonable or crazy if the question the gluten content of things people want to eat and drink but should not.

    Maybe read a book or two. Obviously don't drink beer. Whiskey is fine. You clearly have other issues going on that make you sick, not the 'grains' that the whiskey is made of. 

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    Guest Vars
    49 minutes ago, Guest EDubs said:

    Maybe read a book or two. Obviously don't drink beer. Whiskey is fine. You clearly have other issues going on that make you sick, not the 'grains' that the whiskey is made of. 

    Why would they need to "read a book"? They know what makes them sick, and I don't doubt they are telling the truth because they are correct. You are the one who might need to educate yourself on the varying sensitivities and diseases involving gluten. It's definitely possible that the grains in the whiskey they've drunk have made them sick.

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    Scott Adams was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1994, and, due to the nearly total lack of information available at that time, was forced to become an expert on the disease in order to recover. In 1995 he launched the site that later became Celiac.com to help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed so they can begin to live happy, healthy gluten-free lives.  He is co-author of the book Cereal Killers, and founder and publisher of the (formerly paper) newsletter Journal of Gluten Sensitivity. In 1998 he founded The Gluten-Free Mall which he sold in 2014. Celiac.com does not sell any products, and is 100% advertiser supported.


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