Call to Action Regarding Barley Malt Ingredients in Foods Labeled Gluten-Free

The FDA recently published a proposed rule for the Gluten-Free Labeling of Fermented or Hydrolyzed Foods. The comment period for this proposed rule is open until February 16, 2016.

Please take the time to comment on the proposed rule. Let FDA know that you would like the Agency to state as clearly as possible in a Q&A to manufacturers that barley malt and barley malt extract as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations are not allowed in foods labeled gluten-free.

As you know, there are products available on store shelves labeled gluten-free yet containing barley malt ingredients. We will be maintaining a list of such products on Gluten Free Watchdog. To the view the list click HERE. Addressing malt ingredients with manufacturers and FDA is becoming a broken record and taking up way too many hours of valuable time. To help stop this labeling practice, FDA must clearly address malt in a Q&A for manufacturers on their website.

Gluten Free Watchdog’s comment to FDA on the proposed rule for gluten-free labeling of fermented or hydrolyzed foods has been posted. It is available at HERE. At the top of page 4 in the attachment, I have asked FDA to clarify their position on barley malt. Based on conversations with FDA, the Agency appears to believe their message on barley malt is clear. This obviously is not the case or manufacturers would not continue to use these ingredients in foods labeled gluten-free.

Please take the time to post a comment about malt to the docket. You can access the docket HERE. You can reference the comment submitted by Gluten Free Watchdog by referring to FDA-2014-N-1021-0067.

Johanna of In Johnna’s Kitchen has posted a nice sample letter HERE.