Global Food Gluten Free Certification

[cvernon]

I have purchased Roastery Coast nuts in the past and just went to purchase some and noticed a different gluten free certification on their packages (used to have GFCO certification) that I've never heard of before. Anyone have info on this certification company Global Food and what their requirements are for companies to be certified (ppm limit, audits, testing, etc)?  Thx.

 

https://www.globalfoodcert.org/

[trents]

Never heard of them. They give an email address so if I were you I would contact them and ask those questions. It would be wonderful if they had tighter requirements than GFCO in the sense of more frequent batch testing and even random testing. Recent news articles on this forum from back in this summer have revealed that GFCO is letting us down.

[cvernon]

Agreed, I am disappointed in the recent GFCO findings as well and definitely don't hold them in as high of a regard as I used to. I did find on the Global Foods website after posting that their required ppm limit is 20ppm, which isn't as low as I had hoped. I'll email and report back. Thx.

[trents]

So it sounds like Global Foods has adopted the FDA standard for "gluten free" advertising.

[cvernon]

So this is the response I received from Global Foods regarding their gluten free certification.

"Our certification only certifies products that has low risk, meaning products are inherently gluten free and being produced at a gluten free facility. Also, they submit a gluten free test results for the possible gluten residue." 

I then followed up with a second email asking who they meant by "they" regarding testing, and just like GFCO they are only having the product manufacturer perform and submit those tests (conflict of interest), not a third party. Sigh...

In my original email to Global Foods, I asked for specifics regarding auditing, ingredient tracing, etc and received no information on my queries. I am assuming that is because those things are not taking place since they assume they don't have to since the products they are certifying are "inherently" gluten free. 

Yet another watered down certification that is really no better than basic FDA gluten free labeling.

 

 

[trents]

"Yet another watered down certification that is really no better than basic FDA gluten free labeling." 

My thoughts exactly. And the staff person responding to you needs to take a refresher course in English grammar: "products that has low risk" and "Also, they submit a gluten free test results for the possible gluten residue." I'm not impressed with this outfit's competence.

 

 

 

[cvernon]

Agreed on grammar. I'm not the best in that department, but their response quality definitely raised some red flags. Below is my response to them, not that it'll do any good.

 

"It seems your certification is basically a general gluten free statement with FDA 20ppm limit masked behind the word "certified". Manufacturers should not be the ones doing the testing of their own products, that is a conflict of interest. If your company truly wants a certification that sets a high quality standard, a 3rd party would be doing that testing, as well as setting a stricter ppm. Just because a food is naturally gluten free, does not mean it is inherently low risk for gluten cross contact (oats are an example)."

[trents]

Yeah, it's just a marketing ploy.

[RMJ]

The only good part I see in their response is the gluten free facility.

[cvernon]

So I got curious and looked up the address of Global Food and found that their listed address is the EXACT same as the Roastery Coast nuts, the original product that I found the Global Food Gluten Free Certification on. Global Food and Roastery Coast are the same company. I'm seriously cracking up at how sketchy it is. 

ROASTERY COAST OFFICE

40222 La Quinta LN B102 

Palmdale, CA 93551

 

Global Food Office Address:

40222 La Quinta LN, STE B-102Palmdale, CA 93551

 

Business Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm

 

Telephone:

661-977-2300

 

Email:

info@globalfoodcert.org

[RMJ]

Great investigation! 

[Beverage]

I'd like to suggest nuts.com. They have a gluten-free section. I've never had an issue  and their nuts are super fresh tasting. I eat them every day as afternoon snack.  They label the packages as gluten-free, and more and more as Certified gluten-free. Here's their statement on gluten free:

 

Gluten-Free

The FDA is the only regulatory agency that oversees all claims about food, including the use of gluten-free. A product can be labeled "gluten-free" if it contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

Other third-party certification programs have developed processes and standards for their “Certified Gluten-Free” labels. Some of our gluten-free products are certified by the Gluten-Free Food Program (GFFP), the most comprehensive certification program endorsed by the National Celiac Association. Our certified products contain less than five parts per million (ppm) of gluten. 

[Jsingh]

On 12/31/2024 at 11:54 AM, Beverage said:

I'd like to suggest nuts.com. They have a gluten-free section. I've never had an issue  and their nuts are super fresh tasting. I eat them every day as afternoon snack.  They label the packages as gluten-free, and more and more as Certified gluten-free. Here's their statement on gluten free:

 

Gluten-Free

The FDA is the only regulatory agency that oversees all claims about food, including the use of gluten-free. A product can be labeled "gluten-free" if it contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

Other third-party certification programs have developed processes and standards for their “Certified Gluten-Free” labels. Some of our gluten-free products are certified by the Gluten-Free Food Program (GFFP), the most comprehensive certification program endorsed by the National Celiac Association. Our certified products contain less than five parts per million (ppm) of gluten. 

I second Nuts.com. Theirs seems to be good. My daughter can have their certified items without any problem.

On 12/23/2024 at 3:58 PM, cvernon said:

So I got curious and looked up the address of Global Food and found that their listed address is the EXACT same as the Roastery Coast nuts, the original product that I found the Global Food Gluten Free Certification on. Global Food and Roastery Coast are the same company. I'm seriously cracking up at how sketchy it is. 

ROASTERY COAST OFFICE

40222 La Quinta LN B102 

Palmdale, CA 93551

 

Global Food Office Address:

40222 La Quinta LN, STE B-102Palmdale, CA 93551

 

Business Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm

 

Telephone:

661-977-2300

 

Email:

info@globalfoodcert.org

I don't even know how to process this!!

[cvernon]

Thanks for the info on Nuts.com! Looks like they are certified by GFFP which has a 5ppm limit, which is awesome.

I was looking on the GFFP website ( https://glutenfreefoodprogram.com/gluten-free-certification-manufacturing/ ) as I was curious about what their certification requirements are, and stumbled on an odd statement. On a page where they're explaining the benefits of getting a certification through them, it says "No mandatory gluten testing requirements." Ummm, what?! I've included screenshots and a link below to where that information is. I've also emailed GFFP to try and get additional info on what that statement actually means, and what requirements (testing, audits, ingredient tracing) if any manufacturers have to go through to obtain/retain a certification through them. They're endorsed by The National Celiac Association so you'd sure think that GFFP would be requiring 3rd party testing for their certification, but at this point not much would surprise me with these gluten-free certifying companies.

https://glutenfreefoodprogram.com/gluten-free-certification-manufacturing/

[RMJ]

That is strange.  Other pages talk about testing.

The one thing I like about GFCO is that the handbook for their certification process is available on their website.  I may not agree with the whole process, especially the reduced testing, but at least I can see what the process is. I wish the other certifying organizations would publish their processes.

GFCO 2024 manual

[Jsingh]

On 1/4/2025 at 3:27 PM, cvernon said:

Thanks for the info on Nuts.com! Looks like they are certified by GFFP which has a 5ppm limit, which is awesome.

I was looking on the GFFP website ( https://glutenfreefoodprogram.com/gluten-free-certification-manufacturing/ ) as I was curious about what their certification requirements are, and stumbled on an odd statement. On a page where they're explaining the benefits of getting a certification through them, it says "No mandatory gluten testing requirements." Ummm, what?! I've included screenshots and a link below to where that information is. I've also emailed GFFP to try and get additional info on what that statement actually means, and what requirements (testing, audits, ingredient tracing) if any manufacturers have to go through to obtain/retain a certification through them. They're endorsed by The National Celiac Association so you'd sure think that GFFP would be requiring 3rd party testing for their certification, but at this point not much would surprise me with these gluten-free certifying companies.

https://glutenfreefoodprogram.com/gluten-free-certification-manufacturing/

 

On 1/4/2025 at 3:27 PM, cvernon said:

Thanks for the info on Nuts.com! Looks like they are certified by GFFP which has a 5ppm limit, which is awesome.

I was looking on the GFFP website ( https://glutenfreefoodprogram.com/gluten-free-certification-manufacturing/ ) as I was curious about what their certification requirements are, and stumbled on an odd statement. On a page where they're explaining the benefits of getting a certification through them, it says "No mandatory gluten testing requirements." Ummm, what?! I've included screenshots and a link below to where that information is. I've also emailed GFFP to try and get additional info on what that statement actually means, and what requirements (testing, audits, ingredient tracing) if any manufacturers have to go through to obtain/retain a certification through them. They're endorsed by The National Celiac Association so you'd sure think that GFFP would be requiring 3rd party testing for their certification, but at this point not much would surprise me with these gluten-free certifying companies.

https://glutenfreefoodprogram.com/gluten-free-certification-manufacturing/

Hi,

Were you able to get a response from them? I have written to Nuts.com asking info. om how to they test, etc. I am awaiting a reply.

And, my daughter is allergic to tree nuts, so we only buy their straightforward organic dried fruits sans any preservative/additives.

[cvernon]

Jsingh, I have not. I emailed over the weekend, so I assume I'll get a response this week hopefully. I'll post as soon as I hear back.

[cvernon]

Well, I just got a response and it's not good.

1 - GFFP only requires a manufacturer to submit one test result upon their application for certification showing their product is 5ppm or lower. They do not require any additional testing once that first test is submitted to maintain GFFP certified status (sigh

..). So many questions about how they don't require periodic audits. How does GFFP know the manufacturer hasn't changed an ingredient source that could potentially introduce gluten, or if lines are now shared with gluten containing products?

2 - That test can be conducted by the manufacturer themselves (double sigh...). Huge conflict of interest letting the manufacturer conduct the test.

I honestly feel less comfortable with GFFP criteria than I do with GFCO. 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2025 by cvernon
Removed personal identifier

[cvernon]

It does look like the GFFP certification is valid for only one year, so a manufacturer would need to submit a test yearly. Man I sure wish the certifying organizations would require a third party to do the testing, though.

[RMJ]

Wow.  Thanks for following up on this.  Paperwork and one test?  I used to think that gluten free certification meant something.

[cvernon]

One thing that I do consider a strong positive with GFFP is they do not certify any products that contain oats. I've always been baffled that GFCO certified oat containing products with how high risk oats are for cross contact. I guess another positive is the 5ppm GFFP limit. A company could easily just go with one of the less restrictive 10ppm or 20ppm certifications. Just wish they'd all require third party testing.

[trents]

9 minutes ago, cvernon said:

One thing that I do consider a strong positive with GFFP is they do not certify any products that contain oats. I've always been baffled that GFCO certified oat containing products with how high risk oats are for cross contact. I guess another positive is the 5ppm GFFP limit. A company could easily just go with one of the less restrictive 10ppm or 20ppm certifications. Just wish they'd all require third party testing.

Do you mean cross contact or cross reactivity?

[cvernon]

Cross contact. Cross reactivity has no valid scientific evidence. 

[trents]

I would disagree with your assessment of the scientific validity of cross reactivity. It has been established in such things a CMP and meat glue. And it may be more difficult to confirm with regard to "gluten free" oats because of recent question marks about the reliability of certification protocols, the celiac community is pretty well convinced that cross reactivity applies for some with regard to oats. But even putting that aside,  I do not see your point about cross contact in this instance. If the total product checks out to have not greater than 5 ppm of gluten, what does it matter if the oat component has experienced some cross contact with gluten? The same concern would exist with a myriad of other ingredients found in the product. Why focus on oats?

[Jsingh]

I just wanted to share that my daughter reacts to quinoa and corn, certified gluten-free. Who is to say if her threshold for handling contamination is lower than 10ppm or it's cross reaction. I never bothered with oats for the same reason.