The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration released a new definition of "gluten free" for food labels to promote uniform standards.
According to a Celiac Central report, approximately 1 in 133 Americans or about 1% of the population has celiac disease and 83 percent of these patients are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions. Consuming gluten free food is a must for such patients.
Gluten is a protein that is naturally present in wheat, rye, barley and cross-bred hybrids of these grains. The protein is known to trigger production of antibodies that attack and damage the lining of the small intestine when consumed by patients with celiac disease.
Hence, the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration released a new definition of "gluten free" for food labels, to provide a uniform standard definition of the term.
"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, in a press release. "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."
According to the new regulation, only if a manufacturer meets all the requirements of the definition can it use the term "gluten-free" on its label. The new definition states that a food must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten to be termed as "gluten free."
The FDA also stated that all manufacturers labeling their food as no gluten," "free of gluten," and "without gluten," should comply by the new regulations. All manufactures will have a year's time after the regulation is made official to comply with the new standards.
"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.
