This came out on August 2nd, 2013...nice to know they are finally doing something about this issue...too bad it only takes effect after about year. (technically a year and 30 days after August 2nd).
Let's hope they do something about restaurants and companies that knowingly cross contaminate their products, but still advertise them as being gluten-free.
If you have questions: 1-888-INFO-FDA
You may find the original news release on the FDA website through this link.
I have copied the information below.
FDA defines “gluten-free” for food labeling
New rule provides
standard definition to protect the health of Americans with celiac disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today published a new regulation defining the term "gluten-free" for voluntary food labeling. This will provide a uniform standard definition to help the up to 3 million Americans who have celiac disease, an autoimmune digestive condition that can be effectively managed only by eating a gluten free diet.
“Adherence to a gluten-free diet is the key to treating celiac disease, which can be very disruptive to everyday life,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “The FDA’s new ‘gluten-free’ definition will help people with this condition make food choices with confidence and allow them to better manage their health.”
This new
federal definition standardizes the meaning of “gluten-free” claims across the
food industry. It requires that, in order to use the term "gluten-free" on its
label, a food must meet all of the requirements of the definition, including
that the food must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. The rule
also requires foods with the claims “no gluten,” “free of gluten,” and “without
gluten” to meet the definition for “gluten-free.”
The FDA recognizes that many foods currently labeled
as “gluten-free” may be able to meet the new federal definition already. Food
manufacturers will have a year after the rule is published to bring their labels
into compliance with the new requirements.
“We encourage the food
industry to come into compliance with the new definition as soon as possible and
help us make it as easy as possible for people with celiac disease to identify
foods that meet the federal definition of ‘gluten-free’” said Michael R. Taylor,
the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine.
The term
"gluten" refers to proteins that occur naturally in wheat, rye, barley and
cross-bred hybrids of these grains. In people with celiac disease, foods that
contain gluten trigger production of antibodies that attack and damage the
lining of the small intestine. Such damage limits the ability of celiac disease
patients to absorb nutrients and puts them at risk of other very serious health
problems, including nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis, growth retardation,
infertility, miscarriages, short stature, and intestinal cancers.
The
FDA was directed to issue the new regulation by the Food Allergen Labeling and
Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which directed FDA to set guidelines for the
use of the term “gluten-free” to help people with celiac disease maintain a
gluten-free diet.
The regulation was published today in the
Federal
Register.
For more
information:
