Steps Taken to Define Gluten-Free
for Food Labels
FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
has published a draft report "Approaches to
Establish Thresholds for Major Food Allergens
and for Gluten in Food." The report summarizes
the current state of scientific knowledge
regarding food allergy and celiac disease, and
identifies and analyzes approaches that can be
used to establish threshold levels below which
it is unlikely that a food allergic or gluten
sensitive individual would experience an adverse
effect.
In the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer
Protection Act (FALCP) of 2004, Congress
required that FDA prepare a report on allergen
information and make recommendations for further
research. FALCP also required that FDA establish
a proposed rule to define and permit the use of
the term "gluten free" on food labels by August
2, 2006, and a final rule by August 2, 2008. The
report and the establishment of a gluten
threshold are necessary steps to this end.
FDA's Food Advisory Committee will evaluate the
report at a public meeting scheduled July 13
through 15.
Read report:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgn.html
Read Federal Register announcement:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/05-12041.htm
Commentary: The allergen threshold study
does not in any way affect January 1, 2006,
requirements for allergen labeling. Companies
must continue to move forward to produce January
1, 2006-compliant labels without fear that
additional changes will be required before
January 1, 2006. See quick tips on January 1,
2006, requirements at
http://www.foodlabels.com/2006.htm.
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