New 20ppm Codex Alimentarius

[Lan]

New 20ppm Codex Alimentarius

I have been reading that the New Codex Alimentarius was finally approved this year and the limit for the "Gluten Free" Label was changed from 200 ppm to 20 ppm. Is there any way to tell if what you are buying "Gluten Free" is 20 ppm or 200 ppm?

[kbtoyssni]

When this labeling takes effect, a product must test below 20ppm to have a gluten free label. You will not be able to label a product that's above 20ppm but below 200ppm gluten free. So this change is much better for us!

If you're talking about what amount of gluten a product that's currently labeled gluten-free contains, who knows. It's up to the company to decide what the criteria are.

[Lan]

When this labeling takes effect

I guess I was really wondering how I will know when the new labeling will take effect?

[munchkinette]

Is this something that has been approved by the FDA? I just did a google search and couldn't find that. Who actually approved what?

[home-based-mom]

Is this something that has been approved by the FDA? I just did a google search and couldn't find that. Who actually approved what?

I don't think it has been finalized yet. I think everyone is just assuming that's what the FDA is going to do. Basically it will mean that products will be like Rice Dream milk - labeled "gluten free" but not really "gluten free."

[gfp]

I don't think it has been finalized yet. I think everyone is just assuming that's what the FDA is going to do. Basically it will mean that products will be like Rice Dream milk - labeled "gluten free" but not really "gluten free."

Actually it's a little worse than this...

To sum up the several pages:

If a product is naturally gluten free it cannot be labelled gluten free unless:

It has a substance usually containing gluten but rendered "gluten free below 20ppm" added.

I fully realise this does not make sense ... please don't blame the messenger. Read the document and decide for yourself.

btw CODEX is a FAO/WHO standard who's adoption by any nation or state is completely optional.

However the gluten part's biggest contributers are the US and Canada represented by the wheat farmers and food producers.

[kbtoyssni]

To sum up the several pages:

If a product is naturally gluten free it cannot be labelled gluten free unless:

It has a substance usually containing gluten but rendered "gluten free below 20ppm" added.

I fully realise this does not make sense ... please don't blame the messenger. Read the document and decide for yourself.

I think this is how it is in the UK. So something like fruit and veggies would not be labeled gluten-free, but something with wheat starch could be if it's less than 20ppm. I don't mind that fruits and veggies won't be labeled, but what about things like cheese or chicken? I don't usually think of them as gluten containing, but we all know that it's possible to have gluten in them. Will plain chicken breast be labeled? Do I need to read the label, see if there's gluten in it, then check for a gluten-free logo? Am I still going to have to do research on the possibility of CC - i.e. if plain chicken doesn't have any other ingredients but is manufactured right next to wheat flour? (Silly example, but I've got chicken on the brain!)

[gfp]

I think this is how it is in the UK. So something like fruit and veggies would not be labeled gluten-free, but something with wheat starch could be if it's less than 20ppm. I don't mind that fruits and veggies won't be labeled, but what about things like cheese or chicken? I don't usually think of them as gluten containing, but we all know that it's possible to have gluten in them. Will plain chicken breast be labeled? Do I need to read the label, see if there's gluten in it, then check for a gluten-free logo? Am I still going to have to do research on the possibility of CC - i.e. if plain chicken doesn't have any other ingredients but is manufactured right next to wheat flour? (Silly example, but I've got chicken on the brain!)

Nope you are spot on ...

Sainsburys plain cooked chicken breasts contain gluten ??? (really)

And your spot on .... its not the apples and oranges nor pasta and bread but things that regularly do have gluten ... cooked ham for instance. Its literally thousands of products from stick cubes to grated cheese and rice krispies.

In each case the Gluten Free label is pointless, the CUK directory worse than pointless and the small print all that helps but this itself is written in oft obscure language ...

To be honest, regardless of celiac disease isn't it about time boiled ham was cooked ham? Roast chicken was roast chicken? and roast chicken with herbs and garlic ... exactly that!

I really fail to see how hard it is that foods are labelled as their title. If this is "Roast Chicken with preservatives, gluten binder and injected water" then that should be the label...

Why do we have the "no added preservatives" .... surely this should be the case and all other foods should be labelled as "ham with preservatives" ???

[gfp]

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[Gwen B]

Nope you are spot on ...

Sainsburys plain cooked chicken breasts contain gluten ??? (really)

And your spot on .... its not the apples and oranges nor pasta and bread but things that regularly do have gluten ... cooked ham for instance. Its literally thousands of products from stick cubes to grated cheese and rice krispies.

In each case the Gluten Free label is pointless, the CUK directory worse than pointless and the small print all that helps but this itself is written in oft obscure language ...

To be honest, regardless of celiac disease isn't it about time boiled ham was cooked ham? Roast chicken was roast chicken? and roast chicken with herbs and garlic ... exactly that!

I really fail to see how hard it is that foods are labelled as their title. If this is "Roast Chicken with preservatives, gluten binder and injected water" then that should be the label...

Why do we have the "no added preservatives" .... surely this should be the case and all other foods should be labelled as "ham with preservatives" ???

I totally agree. When will the marketing execs realise that 1% of the population is a sizeable market segment, who are not buying these products and therefore the food companies are loosing money?

[Lan]

Open Original Shared Link

That is the old Codex - www.codexalimentarius.net is very slow about updating their website.

This just was finalized, if the information is correct, in July 2008.

[Lan]

The New 20 ppm Codex Alimentarius Gluten Standard

This is the draft which was accepted without modification on July 1, 2008.

Open Original Shared Link

This is the whole codex for 2008 (not just Gluten!) You can down load.

Open Original Shared Link

You can read more about it...

Open Original Shared Link

FDA Set to Adopt New Gluten-Free Labeling Standards In-Line with New Codex Alimentarius Standards

https://www.celiac.com/articles/21617/1/-FD...ards/Page1.html

The new standard allows food that would not normally contain gluten to still bear a label that says..

"This food is by its nature gluten-free."

"gluten-free" would only be allowed on food with a finished product that was no more than 20 ppm (20 ppm or less).

Food with more than 20 ppm could NOT carry a "gluten-free" label.

Food from above 20 ppm - 100 ppm could carry a different label, like "reduced gluten" or "gluten modified" but may NOT carry a gluten-free label.

This is good news in the Philippines who is now adopting this standard.

[gfp]

That is the old Codex - www.codexalimentarius.net is very slow about updating their website.

This just was finalized, if the information is correct, in July 2008.

They are very slow .... (website and updating the actual codex)