“Gluten-Free” Now Legally Defined

For the first time in the US, the words “gluten-free” can only appear on food package labels if they meet governmentally mandated standards. Gluten is especially problematic for people with celiac disease, in which the digestive system cannot process this grain-based protein.

Under Food and Drug Administration rules in effect as of this week, packaged foods can only be labeled “gluten-free” if they inherently don’t contain gluten (foods that don’t use any grains at all, for example) or if they don’t contain ingredients that include either gluten-bearing grains themselves, such as wheat and rye, or extracts derived from such grains. Foods may use ingredients processed to remove gluten if use of such ingredients results in the presence of less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

According to the agency, “Restaurants and other establishments making a gluten-free claim on their menus should be consistent with FDA’s definition.”

The labeling rules were published in August 2013, but were not binding until now to give manufacturers time to implement changes.

As many as 3 million Americans have celiac disease, in which gluten consumption leads to destruction of tissue lining the small intestine, which in turn results in poor nutrient absorption. Other people have gluten sensitivity, in which there is no tissue destruction but symptoms such as abdominal bloating, diarrhea, joint pain and headaches may occur if gluten is consumed.