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"Gluten-Free" According to the FDA(Link)
The Food and Drug Administration recently proposed a definition of “gluten-free” for voluntary use in the labeling of food. This will come as a welcome addition to food labels by those in the United States who suffer from celiac disease (CD). CD mixed with a gluten-laden diet can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, as well as lead to a variety of serious health issues. The only known treatment is a diet that is completely gluten-free.
The FDA is defining ‘gluten’ as the proteins – the prolamins and the glutelins – that naturally occur in a prohibited grain that may cause negative health effects for sufferers of CD. But what is a ‘prohibited grain’?
The FDA is defining this term, with respect to those suffering CD, to mean any of the following grains, or their hybrids:
- Wheat, or any species of wheat belonging to the genus Triticum;
- Rye, or any species of rye belonging to the genus Secale; and
- Barley, or any species of barley belonging to genus Hordeum.
It should be noted that the FDA is not including oats in the definition of prohibited grain as current research on the negative effects of oats on people with CD are conflicting and inconclusive.
With regard to the voluntary inclusion in food labeling, the FDA proposes that “gluten-free” appearing on a food’s label can apply as long as the food does not contain:
- An ingredient that is a prohibited grain.
- An ingredient that is derived from a prohibited grain not processed to remove gluten.
- An ingredient derived from a prohibited grain and has been processed to remove gluten, if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20ppm (parts per million) or more gluten in the food.
- 20ppm or more of gluten.
Some examples of ingredients derived from a prohibitive grain and not processed to remove gluten are: farina, flour made from any of the proposed prohibited grains, graham and semolina; hydrolyzed wheat protein, vital gluten, wheat bran and wheat germ and barley malt extract or flavoring and malt vinegar. Since the aforementioned ingredients are derived from a prohibited ingredient and not processed to remove gluten, it is assumed that they contain gluten.
References
Esquivel, Teresa. FDA Defines Gluten-Free.
Food Product Design. March 2007. Pg. 24
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