The Gluten Free Designation Doesn't Really Mean Gluten Free

The current FDA gluten-free rule does not require food to be 100% free of gluten.

For a food to be considered gluten-free under the rule, it must not contain an ingredient that is “derived from a gluten-containing grain that has been processed to remove gluten (e.g., wheat starch), if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten in the food. Also, any unavoidable presence of gluten in the food must be less than 20 ppm.”[i]

This rule loophole allows trace amounts of gluten to be present in foods labeled gluten-free. This can cause problems for people suffering from celiac disease or DH and cause others trying to avoid gluten for health reasons to unknowingly consume it.

We would like the FDA to change the rule so that food and beverages labeled gluten-free must contain 0% gluten. Or, if this is impossible, require food labeling to identify when ingredients are derived from gluten-containing sources. 

[i]http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Allergens/ucm36280.htm General 3.