Food Label Law

[parker]

I would appreciate thoughts on the thread below. I have to get this straight so I can make sure I'm a smart shopper for my son. Thanks! Patrick

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I just looked at the following document, and have a question about

interpretation. ("American Celiac Disease Alliance Food Labeling

(FALCPA) Fact Sheet, November 2005")

I understand that manufacturers are required to list any of the 8 most

common food allergens, which of course includes wheat.  However, as I

understand the language at least, manufacturers are not required to

list other gluten-containing grains (such as barley or rye) if they

are part of one of the listed ingredients.  If my understanding is

correct, then Step 2 below (taken from the cited document above) is

not correct.

In other words, could barley or rye be part of one of the dreaded

generic terms (natural flavors, spices, coloring, vegetable protein,

modified food starch, vegetable gum, etc.), and not have to be listed

on the label?

Or, more specifically, do all gluten-containing grains now have to be

listed in their common name form? (barley, rye, etc.)

Someone please enlighten me!

Patrick

- - - - - - - - -

How Can I Determine if A Product Is Gluten-Free?

Step 1

Is wheat in the ingredients list or is it listed in an allergen

statement beneath the ingredients list?

If Yes, Stop! This product is not gluten-free.

If No, Proceed to Step 2.

Step 2:

Read the ingredients list. Is there Barley, Rye or Malt listed?*

If Yes, Stop! This product is not gluten-free.

If No, This product is gluten- free and safe to eat.

* People with celiac disease are advised to consult with their

physician about including oats in their diet.

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Patrick,

This is my understanding and you may want to do your own research. 

The Food labeling act only applies to wheat and not any other gluten containing grains.

As far as your step 2 issue is concerned, the answer is yes and no.  I do not know if you were at the Dana Korn presentation at Sun Harvest that Alamo Celiac sponsored last year.  At that meeting Dana talked about hidden gluten.  Her explanation is that while it is technically possible for natural flavors, spices etc. to contain a gluten source other than wheat, it is unlikely.  She knew of no instance where this had occurred.  Plus she spoke to a number of food manufacturers who said that barley, rye and oats do not work well in these situations and they are expensive.

So technically speaking it is possible for those other grains to be hidden, but it is unlikely.  So, if it is not listed the food should be safe.

If I were writing that step 2, I think I would have worded it differently.

I hope this helps.

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To follow up, is it the case that since the new food labeling law went

into effect, the old advice no longer applies?  For example, advice on

the celiac.com site suggests this below (I only typed in a subset of

their suggestions):

"

<https://www.celiac.com/st_prod .html?p_prodid=185 >

Forbidden List - Foods and Ingredients Not Safe for a Gluten-Free Diet

Cereal Binding

Edible Starch

Filler Hydrolyzed Plant Protein

The following items may or may not contain gluten depending on where

and how they are made,          and it is sometimes necessary to check

with the manufacturer to find out:

Artificial Color

Artificial Flavoring

Caramel Color

Coloring

Flavoring

Food Starch

Maltodextrin

Modified Food Starch

Modified Starch

Mono and Diglycerides

Monosodium Glutimate (MSG)

Mustard Powder

Natural Flavoring

Smoke Flavoring

Starch"

In other words, wheat is on the list of 8 allergens that must be

disclosed.  So, if wheat is in any of the above food items,

manufacturers must list wheat as an ingredient.

And further, although it's technically possible for another gluten

source to be in the above food items, in practice this doesn't tend to

happen.  Other gluten-containing grains simply do not have wheat's

"sticky" and perhaps other good properties from a food-manufacturing

standpoint, and they are also more expensive than wheat.

If this is true, I've been driving myself unnecessarily crazy in the

grocery store, and the advice "out there" really needs to be updated

(in light of the new labeling law).

Thanks!

Patrick

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[penguin]

Somebody is on the alamo celiac listserv

Thanks for posting that, you beat me to it!

[bklynceliac]

wait, i'm not totally following. So does this mean that any products made recently enough to follow the new labeling laws will almost certainly have no hidden wheat sources? If what the above states, it's possible for non-wheat glutens to be used but very unlikely, is correct, then does that mean we can look for "allergens: wheat" and be safe if we don't see it?

I must be misreading that.

[mrparker]

Yeah, I was the one that started the post. I'm just trying to make sure I understand the situation!

Patrick

[CarlaB]

Isn't it possible for malt to be listed as a natural flavoring? Or would it always be listed as malt?

[mrparker]

wait, i'm not totally following. So does this mean that any products made recently enough to follow the new labeling laws will almost certainly have no hidden wheat sources? If what the above states, it's possible for non-wheat glutens to be used but very unlikely, is correct, then does that mean we can look for "allergens: wheat" and be safe if we don't see it?

I must be misreading that.

I think it does mean that products following the new labeling law DO have to have wheat listed, either in the ingredient list itself, or at the bottom in the "allergens" section. As I read the law, they have the option of doing it either way. What they can not do is list something like soy sauce that is made using wheat, and not list wheat anywhere.

As for the other gluten sources (barley, rye, etc.), I believe you would see those listed in the ingredient list. And they aren't generally used in things like "natural flavorings." To quote what I was told by an informed member:

"At that meeting Dana talked about hidden gluten. Her explanation is that while it is technically possible for natural flavors, spices etc. to contain a gluten source other than wheat, it is unlikely. She knew of no instance where this had occurred. Plus she spoke to a number of food manufacturers who said that barley, rye and oats do not work well in these situations and they are expensive.

So technically speaking it is possible for those other grains to be hidden, but it is unlikely. So, if it is not listed the food should be safe. "

[celiacgirls]

I read on this board somewhere that barley malt is listed under natural flavors by Pinnacle Foods in some syrups. I have e-mailed them to get an update. I'll post it when I get it.

[Nic]

I never knew that the ingredient "malt" may not be from barley but from corn. So if you see "malt" and it is the only "bad" ingredient, call and ask what it is derived from.