Gluten Free Labeling Vs. Manufacutured On Equipment That Processes Products Containing Wheat

[G-Free 4 Me]

I was diagnosed with Celiacs disease in April of 2008. My question is concerning the labeling of gluten free products. I am wondering if it is legal for a company to label a product "Gluten Free" if it is manufactured on equipment that processes products containing wheat? Can they label their product with both?

Thanks for your help.

Shari

[mushroom]

Apparently the label can currently contain both. I found this on a blog:

Open Original Shared Link

There are even foods labeled "gluten-free" that have fine print elsewhere on the package warning "manufactured in a plant that contains wheat."

That is one of the reasons we so desperately need new gluten free labeling laws.

[psawyer]

I was diagnosed with Celiacs disease in April of 2008. My question is concerning the labeling of gluten free products. I am wondering if it is legal for a company to label a product "Gluten Free" if it is manufactured on equipment that processes products containing wheat? Can they label their product with both?

Yes. In those jurisdictions where there is a legal definition of "gluten-free" in place, it only refers to ingredients intentionally added, and may imply a testing level of less than x parts per million. In the United States, there is still no legal definition for "gluten-free."

Disclosure of shared facilities is voluntary. Do you allow any gluten foods in your house? If so, do you have a separate kitchen for them and a totally separate set of utensils, with a dedicated dishwasher? If not, well...

[lpellegr]

You will probably come up with a set of rules for yourself, based on how your body reacts to different foods. For example, I'll eat things that say they are manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat, but I won't eat things that are made on the same equipment as wheat. But there are probably many times I eat something that has been made under one of these conditions and doesn't say anything on the packaging. That's one reason I eat as little processed food as I can.