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Showing results for tags 'consumers'.
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Celiac.com 01/21/2015 - Congratulations, shoppers with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivy, you are among the world's best informed and most loyal consumers, according to Paul Valder, President and CEO of the Allergen Control Group. The Allergen Control Group, with the endorsement of the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA), operates the Gluten Free Certification Program (GFCP). Speaking of these consumers, Valder says that they are not only the best ingredient label readers in the world, but "[o]nce they've identified a brand as safe, they'll stick with it, even if that means visiting multiple stores on a weekly basis." The Gluten-Free Certification Program has certified over 100 facilities in 12 countries, and over 2,500 products. Currently, over 130 GFCP-approved and trained auditors provide global coverage to accommodate today's multi-national supply chains. Brand loyalty among gluten-free consumers can be encouraged with a certified gluten-free product label. Such a label, says Mr. Valder, "…creates a distinction from other products that are advertised as gluten-free." Does this sound like you? Do you read every ingredient on every label? Will you travel to multiple stores to find your trusted gluten-free brand? Share your comments below. Read more at Global Food Safety Resource.
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Celiac.com 11/01/2017 - Recent product testing by the FDA shows overwhelming compliance with FDA's requirement that foods labeled "gluten-free" have less than 20 parts per million detectable gluten. According to the FDA, more than 99.5 percent of "gluten-free" food products met the agency's gluten-free standard, according to Carol D'Lima, a food technologist in FDA's Office of Nutrition and Food Labeling. The FDA collected and analyzed 702 samples from more than 250 products labeled "gluten free." So far, D'Lima noted, only one product labeled as gluten-free tested positive for gluten levels above 20 ppm. The FDA does not name the products that were tested, but does note that the failed product was "recalled and subsequent sampling by the FDA did not find levels of gluten that violated the regulation." Also, the FDA testing very likely includes products by major manufacturers. That's likely good news for manufacturers like General Mills, which made news recently when they announced that they will voluntarily remove the "Gluten-Free" label from their Cheerios products in Canada. The company says that it did not make the move due to any concerns about gluten levels, but due to a technicality over oat testing protocols under which oat products can be labeled "Gluten-Free." A statement from the company's website reads in part: "Each serving of Cheerios products in Canada are gluten free, as defined by the current regulatory standard of containing less than 20 ppm of gluten. General Mills Canada has made the decision to voluntarily remove the gluten-free label from our Cheerios products in Canada until Health Canada and The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) publish a consistent testing protocol for products containing oats. At this time the product is not changing, just the label on the box." Absent any product recalls in the face of the FDA product testing, it's safe to assume that the consumers can take General Mills and other companies at their word, and trust that products labeled gluten-free meet FDA gluten-free standards, and are safe for people with celiac disease. Such high compliance levels by food manufacturers mean that the FDA may now put more of their resources into other enforcement measure, including ensuring that the supply chain remains free from cross-contamination. Even in the face of such encouraging test results, look for the FDA to remain diligent in validating "Gluten-Free" and other labeling claims. The FDA maintains "an ongoing compliance program," says D'Lima. Under that program, field staff in FDA district offices conduct inspections that include products labeled as gluten-free. If any products are found to be out of compliance for gluten standards, the FDA notifies the company to make appropriate corrections, and works with the company to recall any mislabeled products on the market. Source: foodnavigator-usa.com
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Are Gluten-Free Foods Misleading Consumers?
Jefferson Adams posted an article in Additional Concerns
Celiac.com 06/13/2017 - Are consumers wrongly assuming gluten-free foods to be nutritionally equivalent to their gluten-containing counterparts? Are they being mislead? That's the subject of a recent talk presented at the 50th Annual Congress of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN). Among the evidence cited was that gluten-free items have a significantly higher energy content and a different nutritional composition to their gluten-containing counterparts. The presentation also notes that many gluten-containing products, especially breads, pastas, pizzas and wheat-based flours, contain up to three times more protein than their gluten-free counterparts. In all, the study assessed 654 gluten-free products, and compared them against 655 gluten-containing products. Among the group's key findings were that gluten-free breads had significantly higher content of lipids and saturated fatty acids; gluten-free pasta had significantly lower content of sugar and protein; and gluten-free biscuits had significantly lower content of protein and significantly higher content of lipids. These differences can have adverse effects on children's growth, and increase the risk of childhood obesity. The gist of the presentation is that gluten-free products cannot be considered as substitutes for their gluten-containing counterparts, and that numerous gluten-free items should reformulated using healthier ingredients to help promote healthy nutrition in children. Not only are gluten-free products generally poorer in their nutritional composition, but consumers may not be unaware of the crucial differences, due to poor nutritional labelling. Dr Sandra Martínez -Barona, fellow lead researcher, states that "labelling needs to clearly indicate this so that patients, parents and carers can make informed decisions. Consumers should also be provided with guidance to enhance their understanding of the nutritional compositions of products, in both gluten-free and gluten-containing products, to allow them to make more informed purchases and ensure a healthier diet is followed." ESPGHAN expert and lead researcher, Dr Joaquim Calvo Lerma, adds that "…it is imperative that foods marketed as substitutes are reformulated to ensure that they truly do have similar nutritional values. This is especially important for children, as a well-balanced diet is essential to healthy growth and development." Stay tuned to see how the gluten-free food industry responds to efforts by ESPGHAN to improve both gluten-free product formulation, and gluten-free labeling to help people make better nutritional choices. Source: European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition- 4 comments
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Celiac.com 02/03/2016 - Gluten-free foods are more popular than ever, higher in quality, and increasingly seen as worth premium prices paid by consumers, according to a new research report by Mintel. The report shows that, despite widespread skepticism of gluten-free diets, more people are consuming gluten-free foods than ever before; with an increasingly positive attitude toward such foods. Mintel's latest numbers show that 25 percent of consumers surveyed report that they consume gluten-free foods regularly, a whopping 67 percent increase from 2013. At the same time, the report also suggests that nearly 50 percent of consumers surveyed feel that the explosion of gluten-free foods is basically a fad, compared with just 31 percent in 2013. Mintel's report also shows that the vast majority of those who do consume gluten-free food are happy with existing gluten-free options, and that 35 percent feel that gluten-free foods quality are of higher than in the past. The greater availability and higher quality of gluten-free foods has resulted in a greater willingness on the part of consumers to pay premium prices for gluten-free products. The survey reflects this, with 26 percent of consumers who reporting that gluten-free foods are worth their higher prices. All of these figures are higher than those reported in a similar 2013 survey by Mintel. For those seeking to keep tabs on the gluten-free food industry, both in the US and beyond, Mintel compiles a wide variety of market reports.
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