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Celiac.com 10/02/2023 - The European Union's (EU) ban on single-use plastics has triggered significant interest in plant-based alternatives to conventional plastics. Many alternatives are made from renewable resources like plants, in contrast to traditional plastics derived from fossil fuels. They are used to create various products, including tableware, packaging, and food coatings, all of which come into direct contact with food. However, there are concerns about the potential risks for people with celiac disease and allergies. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, and which affects about 1.3% of the population. Celiac disease can trigger to a range of symptoms, from mild discomfort to severe conditions like severe anemia. Currently, the only effective treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. To assess the potential risk of food contact materials for celiacs, some members of the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) conducted independent studies. AOECS is a non-profit umbrella organization made of national celiac societies in Europe and beyond. Together with their members they serve as a voice for celiac patients and their relatives in over 40 countries. Their studies revealed that gluten can migrate from biodegradable food contact materials to food, potentially contaminating food that was originally gluten-free. While EU regulations address the issue of migration in materials in contact with food, there are currently no regulations requiring mandatory information about allergens that may be present in food contact materials. In response to these concerns, AOECS is developing an advocacy strategy to raise awareness among various stakeholders, including the food industry and policymakers. They aim to establish clearer guidelines, and better protection, for not only celiacs, but also individuals with other allergies. AOECS welcomes collaboration with interested organizations to work together on achieving greater clarity and improved protection for individuals with dietary restrictions, ensuring that the growing use of plant-based food contact materials does not pose health risks for those with allergies or celiac disease. Certainly cross-contamination potential in next generation food packaging is a valid area of concern for people with celiac disease. Stay tuned for more on this and related stories. Read more at epha.org.

Celiac.com 03/15/2022 - A lawsuit filed in Missouri accuses food retailer Frickenschmidt Foods of mislabeling products as gluten-free, when they actually contain gluten. The suit accuses Frickenschmidt of labeling its Wicked Cutz Teriyaki Beef Stick as gluten-free, despite the fact that, according to plaintiff Oluwakemi Adewol, the product does contain gluten. The plaintiff seeks declaratory, injunctive and monetary relief, including punitive damages and “restitution and disgorgement,” herself and “all others similarly situated," on behalf of three separate classes of product purchasers: a “Multi-State Consumer Class” that includes California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Washington; a specific Maryland Class; and a Nationwide Class. The suit comes in the wake of a finding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), on February 22, 2022, which determined that Frickenschmidt's Wicked Cutz Teriyaki Beef Stick contains wheat and thus is not ‘gluten free,’” and accordingly, that the FSIS “ordered a recall for approximately 6,000 pounds of the Product that remained in the marketplace.” In the complaint, the plaintiffs claim that consumers would not have purchased the product, or have paid a premium for the product, had they known the product contained gluten. The complaint alleges five causes of action: Violation of State Consumer Protection Statutes (On Behalf of the Multi-State Consumer Class); Violation of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act; and Breach of Express Warranty, Breach of the Implied Warranty of Merchantability and Unjust Enrichment, all on behalf of the Nationwide Class. We'll keep you posted if this suit moves forward. Stay tuned for more on this and related stories. Read more at LawStreetMedia.com

Celiac.com 03/06/2013 - The hallmark of a healthy gluten-free diet is a grocery cart filled with mostly unprocessed, single-ingredient foods such as fresh produce, nuts, and meat. This is the easiest way to avoid gluten, as well as the healthiest way to eat. When you do venture into the central aisles of the grocery store, look for gluten warning signs on packaging to help you identify foods that contain gluten. Looking for those warning signs is more important than ever because companies are catching on to the growing popularity of gluten-free diets and many are labeling their products gluten-free. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not regulate how or when the designation of gluten-free can be added to food labels. This clouds the decision-making process for people with gluten intolerance that rely on gluten warning signs on packaging to guide them. Without USDA regulation, even products labeled gluten-free may still be processed on equipment that also processes gluten. While this is not a problem for people eating gluten-free as a dietary choice, it can cause issues for people who are gluten intolerant. Ingredient Keywords Look for warning signs at three places on the ingredient label. The first is underneath the ingredients list, where common allergens such as soy and milk are listed in bold. If wheat is listed there, the product contains gluten. The second place to look is the ingredients list itself. The following words may be signs of gluten due to its nature or to cross-contamination: Wheat Malt Wheat starch Barley Oats Soy sauce (made with wheat) Even seemingly innocuous products may still contain gluten, so it's important to look at all product labels. For example, yogurt and other dairy products sometimes have gluten-containing thickening agents, many sauces and soups contain gluten, and beer is made with barley hops. The third place to look for gluten warning signs on packaging is at the bottom of the ingredients list. In bold, the packaging will declare whether or not the food was processed on equipment that also processes common allergens, including wheat. Cross-contamination can still cause flare-ups, so these foods should be avoided. Safest Foods The best way to avoid gluten is to stick to unprocessed, fresh produce and meat. With grains and processed foods, the best way to stay safe generally is to opt for minimally processed foods with few ingredients, or specialized foods. Strategies for gluten-free shopping include: Foods in the health aisle or in a natural food store are most often accurately marked as gluten-free. Cook what you can at home and take the mystery out of ingredients. Gluten-free bread, for example, can be made at home using the flour of your choice. Do research before shopping - it can save you time and trouble in the long run. While reading food labels may seem intimidating at first, after a few shopping trips, you will be a pro at identifying problem foods and cooking gluten-free, while still eating a healthy range of foods.

Celiac.com 02/06/2012 - Coeliac UK, Britain's leading celiac disease organization has finalized an agreement for all European countries to use a single universal gluten-free symbol on the front of all packaging for gluten-free products. Under the agreement, the Association of European Coeliac Societies will adopt Coeliac UK’s ‘cross-grain’ symbol as the standard for gluten-free labeling across Europe. The agreement simplifies what was a confusing web of individual logos on branded and local bakery food packaging. The overall goal is to establish the logo as the universal quality assurance symbol for gluten-free products. Coeliac UK's chief executive, Sarah Sleet, told British Baker that the “…European-wide agreement to share the symbol and its quality assurance measures…has huge potential as the commonly-used symbol on packs, because all coeliac consumers recognize it." She noted that, in the UK, while her organization has licensed the symbol to grocery chains like Warburtons, many supermarkets have simply created their own symbols. This has left many consumers confused about standards of quality and reliability regarding gluten-free products. Sleet feels that the agreement to establish a standard European labeling symbol for gluten-free products may help to end that confusion. “My colleagues in Europe are getting a lot of interest from big players like Carrefour and the German discounters, who are looking to take up that symbol license," she says. "That may put pressure on supermarkets in the UK to adopt it too.” Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, editor of gluten-free information website Foodmatters, agrees. “I think it would be hugely beneficial for consumers if there could be some agreement about logos," she says. "The current situation is both confusing and potentially dangerous for those with health issues.” Per capita, the UK has the highest percentage of consumers who avoid gluten. According to data from Kantar Worldpanel data (52 w/e 4 September, 2011), the total UK gluten and wheat-free market is now worth £135.9m, with sales soaring 15.5% annually into the foreseeable future. Gluten-free consumers, surveyed by McCallum Layton in 2011, voiced strong support for a universal industry-wide symbol. In that survey, many interviewees complained of varied and confusing symbols, and of product labels that required careful study. A survey of attendees at The Allergy & Gluten-Free Show 2011 revealed that 80% of people found ‘free-from’ symbols to be helpful, while 85% preferred to see specific logos, such as 'gluten-free,' placed on the front of product packages. How will European progress toward uniform labeling symbols for gluten-free products impact us here in America? Could we benefit from standards for 'gluten-free' Source: Bakeryinfo.co.uk