Mandatory Gluten Labeling in the USA: What It Means for People with Celiac Disease

Celiac.com 09/16/2025 - Food labels are more than just marketing—they are lifelines for people who must manage chronic health conditions through their diet. A recent federal proposal has brought new attention to the possibility of requiring U.S. food companies to clearly disclose when products contain gluten. For the millions of Americans living with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, this change could be transformative.

The Current Landscape of Food Labeling

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires companies to identify nine major allergens, such as peanuts, milk, and shellfish. Wheat is on the list, but gluten itself—found in wheat, barley, rye, and most oats—is not. This leaves a major gap. A product may disclose wheat but remain silent about other sources of gluten, leaving consumers at risk of accidental exposure.

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Other nations, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and members of the European Union, already mandate full disclosure of gluten. Their systems recognize that gluten is not just another ingredient—it is a medically significant trigger that can harm millions of people. U.S. policy, by contrast, still treats gluten as optional information unless a company chooses to label a product as “gluten-free.”

What Is Being Proposed

The new policy conversation suggests that packaged food labels may soon need to identify gluten when present. This step would not redefine gluten as one of the nine major allergens but would create a separate category for disclosure. It could also broaden the list of ingredients flagged as medically relevant, improving transparency for people with food-related autoimmune conditions and allergies.

Supporters argue that this would end the “gluten guessing game” that so many families currently face. Critics in the food industry point to the potential costs of redesigning packaging and updating supply chain processes. Still, for patients and their families, the value of peace of mind far outweighs the expense.

Celiac Disease: More Than Just a Diet

Celiac disease is not a lifestyle choice. It is a serious autoimmune condition in which gluten triggers the immune system to attack the small intestine. This reaction leads to inflammation, malabsorption of nutrients, and long-term complications ranging from anemia and osteoporosis to neurological issues and infertility. Even tiny amounts of gluten—crumbs from cross-contamination—can cause harm.

According to estimates, about 2 million Americans live with diagnosed celiac disease, though many more remain undiagnosed. In addition, millions of others have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, experiencing real physical symptoms when exposed to gluten. For all of these individuals, labeling is not about preference. It is about survival.

The Human Side: Families and Children at Risk

For parents raising children with celiac disease, every grocery trip can feel like a minefield. Ingredient lists often hide gluten behind unfamiliar names or vague terms. Barley malt may appear in cereals, rye may be used in flavorings, and oats are frequently contaminated unless certified gluten-free. Without clear disclosure, families live in constant uncertainty.

Children like Jax Bari and Jude Leibson, young advocates for mandatory gluten labeling, represent the lived reality of this issue. They have shared personal experiences of being “glutened”—accidentally exposed—and the days of illness that follow. Their voices remind policymakers that this debate is not theoretical. It affects real lives, every day, with every meal.

Why Gluten Disclosure Is Different From Other Labeling

Some may argue that current allergen labeling is enough, since wheat must already be declared. But this misses the point. Gluten is present in multiple grains beyond wheat, and the absence of disclosure for barley, rye, and oats leaves dangerous blind spots. Unlike many food intolerances, celiac disease has no treatment other than total dietary exclusion. There is no pill, no therapy—only vigilance.

This is why clear gluten disclosure is so critical. It gives individuals the tools they need to avoid exposure, reduces accidental illness, and lessens the constant anxiety that shadows every meal. In short, it provides freedom: the ability to eat without fear.

What It Means for People with Celiac Disease

If enacted, mandatory gluten labeling could dramatically improve quality of life for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. It would:

• Reduce accidental exposure: Families could trust that gluten-containing ingredients would always be visible.
• Improve health outcomes: Fewer exposures mean less intestinal damage and fewer long-term complications.
• Ease daily stress: Shopping would no longer require detective work to decode hidden ingredients.
• Promote equality: People with celiac disease would enjoy the same level of protection as those with other food allergies.

For many, this would be the single most meaningful change in decades of policy. Until a cure or medical treatment is developed, safe eating depends entirely on labeling and vigilance. Mandatory disclosure would lift some of that burden.

Challenges Ahead

While the benefits are clear, challenges remain. Food companies may resist due to cost or logistical concerns. Regulators must decide how to handle cross-contamination risks and whether disclosure applies only to intentional ingredients or to trace amounts. There is also the question of enforcement: will violations carry penalties, or will compliance rely on voluntary good faith?

Still, the momentum is building. Advocacy groups, families, and children themselves are speaking out with a unified message: transparency is not optional—it is necessary.

Conclusion: Toward a Safer Food Future

Mandatory gluten labeling is more than a policy idea. It is a step toward safety, dignity, and inclusion for millions of Americans. For people with celiac disease, it means being able to participate in everyday life—school lunches, birthday parties, holiday meals—without fear. For parents, it means less anxiety and more confidence. For society, it represents a commitment to fairness, honesty, and health.

Clear, honest labels are not too much to ask. They are the key to making sure everyone can sit at the table safely. For those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, that change cannot come soon enough.

Read more at: whitehouse.gov and fooddive.com and businesswire.com