Changes to the Labelling of Gluten Free Foods - An Update for Dietitans May 2010

The importance of clear labelling of food products suitable for individuals intolerant to gluten, such as those with coeliac disease is well recognised. 

Key to clear labelling of foods has been the agreement and implementation of internationally agreed standards and testing methods for defining 'gluten free'.  The first standards were developed in 1981 and revised again in 1998.  In 2008, following debate around threshold levels, testing methods and a review of scientific evidence, a new dual Codex standard was adopted with two labelling categories of foods suitable for gluten intolerant individuals:

1) Foods not exceeding 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten will be labelled as gluten free

2) Foods containing between 21 and 100 ppm of gluten will be labelled as very low gluten.

Further information on these changes can be found in the following article:  Changes to the labelling of gluten-free foods - an update for dietitans (pdf, 124KB)