Gluten Free Labels

[mebrown5]

Someone was telling me today there is a difference between certified gluten free labels and just gluten free labels? 

 

I thought this was the same thing. I live in Canada and from what i understood if something is labelled gluten free then it is 100% safe.

 

Am i wrong in thinking this? Is there a difference between certified gluten free and just gluten free? (I dont think i have even seen anything that says certified gluten free)

 

Sorry i was just diagnosed a week ago and am still a huge noob!

 

Thanks

[Gemini]

A certified gluten-free label means that the company in question has tested their product down to a certain level.  Usually it's less than 5 or 10 ppm's.  You can call them to find out, if you wish. 

 

Straight gluten-free labeling, without the certification, used to mean that a company may not have tested their product but they use no gluten ingredients or the product is basically gluten-free but no testing has been done to find the actual gluten content.  The labeling laws here in the States changed and, someone correct me if I am wrong, in order to label a product gluten-free, it has to be tested to be under 20 ppm's...the level that is considered safe for the vast majority of Celiac's.  To be honest, I generally refer to the label of ingredients on products that are not certified.  If there is a concern about shared equipment, you can always call the company to find out what their process is for dealing with that. Some companies do a great job and others do not but you will learn that as time goes on.  When in doubt, ask the forum! 

 

Welcome to the club!  Make sure to read the newbie section on here for great pointers on getting started.

[bartfull]

Actually the regular gluten-free labeled foods are NOT tested, but they are supposed to be gluten-free anyway. I believe they only have to test if someone complains. The thing is, most companies want to preserve their reputation so they won't put gluten-free on the label unless they are reasonably sure the stuff would pass the test.

 

It is because testing is so expensive that a lot of good companies (like Kraft) don't test. They would have to charge more and they want to keep their prices down. But they KNOW their stuff is gluten-free if there are no gluten ingredients and they are not made on the same line or facility as gluteny foods. Many companies won't tell you about shared lines because they don't have to. Kraft is one of the good guys who do.

 

That's why, like Gemini, I always read the ingredients instead of relying on "gluten-free" on the label. I know with companies like Kraft, Con Agra, and several others if there are no gluten ingredients or shared line/facility warnings, I can eat to my heart's content.

[psawyer]

You were asking about Canada.

 

Here is the applicable Canadian regulation. It applies to all food sold in Canada, regardless of where it comes from.

 

Food and Drug Regulation B.24.018

 

It is prohibited to label, package, sell or advertise a food in a manner likely to create an impression that it is a gluten-free food if the food contains any gluten protein or modified gluten protein, including any gluten protein fraction, referred to in the definition "gluten" in subsection B.01.010.1(1).

 

Subsection B.01.010.1(1) reads:

 

"gluten"

 

(a) any gluten protein from the grain of any of the following cereals or the grain of a hybridized strain created from at least one of the following cereals:

 

(i) barley,

(ii) oats,

(iii) rye,

(iv) triticale, or

(v) wheat, kamut or spelt; or

 

(b) any modified gluten protein, including any gluten protein fraction, that is derived from the grain of any of the cereals referred to in subparagraphs (a)(i) to (v) or the grain of a hybridized strain referred to in paragraph (a). (gluten)

 

In Canada, the gluten grains are "priority allergens" and must be clearly disclosed on the label of a food containng them.

 

Open Original Shared Link.

 

Note that testing is not required by the government.

 

"Certified" means an independent party has and continues to test to verify compliance. Certification in Canada is usually by the Open Original Shared Link.