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21 Nov 2020

Lessons Learned from 16 Years of Testing Food for Gluten

This video presentation with audio is about 30 minutes long. The focus is on lessons learned from 16 years of testing food for gluten. The positive news is that the vast majority of the hundreds of foods tested through GFWD have tested below 20 parts per million of gluten. There have been a few unwelcome surprises over the years, including the level of cross contact in lentils and the number of products impacted by facial misbranding. We’ve also learned […]

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29 Oct 2020

TTB Updated Ruling: Gluten Content Statements in the Labeling and Advertising of Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax, and Trade Bureau recently updated its policy on gluten content statements on labels of wines, distilled spirits, and malt beverages (e.g., beers) in response to FDA’s 2020 rule on gluten-free labeling of fermented and hydrolyzed foods. To read the ruling in full see https://www.ttb.gov/rulings/r2020-2.

In brief:

1. TTB will allow gluten-free claims on spirits distilled from gluten-containing grains.

Details: “TTB will permit “gluten-free” claims on distilled spirits products distilled from gluten-containing grains as long as good manufacturing practices are […]

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26 Oct 2020

Gluten Cross Contact in a Shared Fryer: Poster Presented at AOAC International Meeting

View full size poster at HERE.

Abstract: Celiac disease patients are dissuaded from eating fried foods cooked in shared fryers at restaurants based on presumed gluten exposure versus evidence-based research that gluten cross contact occurs. Twenty orders of fries cooked in shared fryers with wheat were purchased from 10 different restaurants. Fries and oil were free of gluten-containing ingredients. Fries were sent to Bia Diagnostics and tested in 1-gram duplicates using the Ridascreen Gliadin R7001 sandwich R5 ELISA and the […]

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13 Oct 2020

Is beer made using malted barley and crafted to remove gluten safe for folks with celiac disease? FDA says it is not possible to know based on current testing methods

This post is part of a series covering the FDA’s Final Rule on Gluten-Free Labeling of Fermented or Hydrolyzed Foods. 

The rule is available at: 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/08/13/2020-17088/food-labeling-gluten-free-labeling-of-fermented-or-hydrolyzed-foods

Background (Important):

FDA regulates the following:Beer made without malted barley but with hopsBeer made without hops but with malted barleyBeer made without either malted barley or hopsTTB regulates malt beverages including traditional beers made with both malted barley and hops.

Bottom Line:

Beer under the labeling jurisdiction of FDA that is made from gluten-containing grains (including malted barley) cannot […]

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13 Oct 2020

Gluten Content of Distilled Alcohol: Gluten Free Watchdog Summary Report

October 13, 2020: This report was published in 2018. It is being released publicly due to discussion around FDA’s 2020 rule on gluten-free labeling of fermented and hydrolyzed foods and ingredients. Please address any questions to Tricia Thompson at info@glutenfreewatchdog.org.

The report is available at https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/AlcoholReportGFWD2.pdf

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18 Sep 2020

Product Warning: Pots & Co. Flourless Chocolate Cake

This product is made in the UK and sold in the US. It is labeled gluten-free yet contains the ingredient “gluten-free barley malt extract (barley malt, water).”

Gluten Free Watchdog reached out to the manufacturer and was advised: “Our Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe uses a gluten free barley malt extract. It undergoes a special treatment to reduce the gluten content.  We have certification showing that it has a less than 5ppm and therefore can be labelled as Gluten Free.” 

While gluten-free foods […]

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15 Sep 2020

Product Alert: Schiff Digestive Advantage Lactose Defense Formula labeled no added gluten contains an enzyme cultivated on growth media containing wheat

A concerned consumer reached out to Gluten Free Watchdog about this product. GFWD contacted the manufacturer asking about the source of wheat. The manufacturer reply stated: “The product does not contain any wheat or gluten. The enzyme used in our product is grown on fermented wheat so we are required to add it to our label.”

HOWEVER, under FDA’s newly released rule on gluten-free labeling of fermented and hydrolyzed ingredients, FDA has declined to exempt enzymes. This means that enzymes […]

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14 Sep 2020

What the FDA has to say about wheat starch and hydrolyzed gluten

This post is part of a series covering the FDA’s Final Rule on Gluten-Free Labeling of Fermented or Hydrolyzed Foods. 

The rule is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/08/13/2020-17088/food-labeling-gluten-free-labeling-of-fermented-or-hydrolyzed-foods

Bottom Line:

Under the FDA’s 2013 gluten-free labeling rule, wheat starch is considered “an ingredient processed to remove gluten.”It is an allowed ingredient in foods labeled gluten-free as long as its use does not result in the final food product containing 20 parts per million or more of gluten.Fermented foods and ingredients made using gluten-free wheat […]

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