Fda Finally Defines Gluten Free

[killernj13]

Open Original Shared Link

[w8in4dave]

Yay!! Great news! Thanks for posting this!

[apislaeta]

Hmm. So it sounds like "gluten free" means "there's some gluten, but a miniscule amount." Would that affect anyone? I feel like some people might react to even that amount of gluten, but I'm not sure.

 

Thanks for the link!

[bartfull]

20PPM is standard for the industry. It's really hard to test for less than that so most certified gluten-free foods are labled 20PPM or less. (MOST celiacs are fine with that amount but there are some super sensitives who can't tolerate it.)

 

So what this law will be doing is essentially making all companies who claim to have gluten-free products either drop the claim or start testing the way the good guys (products that are certified gluten-free) do. It's great because places like Domino's Pizza will no longer be able to call their pizza gluten-free. And places that also process wheat in the same facility as their "gluten-free" foods will either drop the gluten-free label altogether, or if they want to stay on the gluten-free bandwagon, test their foods.  

[kareng]

20PPM is standard for the industry. It's really hard to test for less than that so most certified gluten-free foods are labled 20PPM or less. (MOST celiacs are fine with that amount but there are some super sensitives who can't tolerate it.)

 

So what this law will be doing is essentially making all companies who claim to have gluten-free products either drop the claim or start testing the way the good guys (products that are certified gluten-free) do. It's great because places like Domino's Pizza will no longer be able to call their pizza gluten-free. And places that also process wheat in the same facility as their "gluten-free" foods will either drop the gluten-free label altogether, or if they want to stay on the gluten-free bandwagon, test their foods.

Not sure if this law will apply to restaurants.

[bartfull]

Yeah, you're probably right. They'll make companies do it, but they'll probably let restaurants continue poisoning people.

[psawyer]

So it sounds like "gluten free" means "there's some gluten, but a minuscule amount."

No, that is not the right interpretation. The rule is complicated, and 20 ppm is easy to grab onto. It is only part of the picture. There may be trace gluten from unavoidable contamination, but in no case may the amount exceed 20 ppm. To consistently achieve that, manufacturers must aim far lower due to test and batch variances. Remember, 20 is an upper limit. Zero is less than 20.

Open Original Shared Link It is 95 pages long.

[GottaSki]

Here is a link to the FAQs of today's announcement:

Open Original Shared Link

Number 9 addresses implications for restaurants.

Hope the link works....on the dreaded kindle

[Rebekka]

I am a Celiac living in Europe where we have the same law regarding gluten free labeling; this law is not strict enough. 20 parts per million gluten may not seem like it could be very harmful, but it is. Many sensitive Celiacs will get sick if they eat a "gluten free" product with 20 ppm gluten, myself included. In Europe, purified wheat starch is legally put into food labeled gluten free. I am saddened by the fact that the FDA mimicked Europe´s incredebly poor gluten free labeling laws.

[bartfull]

So if a restaurant wants to claim something as gluten-free they have to have ingredients that are gluten-free according to the new rules. BUT, once they have cross contaminated it with their unsafe practices, all bets are off. Kind of like now - oh yeah, the fries are gluten-free, but with no dedicated fryer, they become contaminated.

 

Oh well.

[dilettantesteph]

I just hope that this doesn't make companies with more strict practices lighten up their standards.  I agree with Rebekka that many have issues with 20 ppm.  I am another one of these more sensitive celiacs.   I am also surprised how much is said about 20 ppm being the lowest level of testing available.  Here is a place that tests to 5 ppm or 10 ppm gluten: Open Original Shared Link  There are others.  I think that more sensitive standards would drive the developments of more sensitive tests.  Why spend a lot of money developing and validating a more sensitive test if no one will be using it?

[kareng]

Looks like, depending on how the rule is interpreted but.....there will be no more gluten free menus in restaurants . They can't test every food they serve, so this may mess things up for the good gluten-free menus.

However, the FDA doesn't exactly regulate them...so who knows.

[bartfull]

Steph, I'm not sure but I think it costs a lot more to test down to 5 PPM. If they made that their standard the prices would go through the roof and many companies would probably stop doing gluten-free altogether.

 

Karen, I hope that's not the case. I would think from what I read that the only ingredients they would be allowed to serve have to be gluten-free according to the new standards, but how they prepare the food does not fall under the rules. I guess we'll just have to wait to find out.

 

In the meantime, I have a choice I need to make tomorrow. I'm going to Rapid with a friend. Since it's his gas, I will be buying dinner. Should I go for the gluten-free pizza at Lintz Brothers, or go to Outback? I'm kind of leaning toward Outback because they have so many more choices. Maybe stop at Lintz Bros on the way back and get one to go?

[w8in4dave]

I think it is a great idea!! I think they need to be strict !! I love the link GottaSki posted!! Great one!! I don't think I am as sensitive as some. But I def. am Celiac!!

[dilettantesteph]

Steph, I'm not sure but I think it costs a lot more to test down to 5 PPM. If they made that their standard the prices would go through the roof and many companies would probably stop doing gluten-free altogether.

 

I have seen that stated a lot, but I haven't ever seen any evidence for it.  When I have checked prices with testing companies, it was not the case.