22
Jan
2026
16
Jan
2026
Is the FDA enforcing the gluten-free labeling rule: You be the judge!
On October 1, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration updated the way in which consumers must go about reporting food-related issues to the agency. Instead of contacting an FDA consumer complaint coordinator, reports are now filed with the Human Foods Program either by phone or through the online safety reporting portal. Gluten Free Watchdog also was asked to use the portal. According to an email sent out by the FDA, “This streamlined process will expedite delivery of inquiries and complaints to...
08
Jan
2026
Gluten Free Watchdog 2025 Summary Report
Testing: Testing was commissioned by GFWD and done by Bia Diagnostics, LLC. The sandwich R5 ELISA and cocktail extraction were used. When appropriate, the competitive R5 ELISA also was used. Most samples were tested in duplicate; oat samples were tested in triplicate due to the heterogeneous (uneven) distribution of potential gluten cross contact. Findings: 104 unique products were tested and released in 2025—almost all of them subscriber requests. 75 unique products were labeled/represented as gluten-free. 6 unique products labeled gluten free contained quantifiable gluten...
20
Oct
2025
Traditionally brewed soy sauce: Is it actually free of gluten peptides?
You may have read recently on social media that the Norwegian Celiac Association stated that traditionally brewed, wheat-based soy sauce is free of gluten and gluten residues. They joined Sweden and Finland in this assessment. For more information on what led to this conclusion, see https://ncf.no/glutenfri-mat/kosthold-og-ernering/vanlig-soyasaus-er-glutenfri-og-kan-brukes-av-de-med-coliaki Believe it or not, the FDA arrived at a somewhat similar but more conservative conclusion in the health hazard assessment they conducted on Chef Myron’s sauces containing wheat-based soy sauce. Gluten Free Watchdog asked...
16
Oct
2025
Heartfelt Thanks and Gluten-Free Tidbits from FNCE
The honor of a lifetime: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference 2025 recently wrapped. As some of you know, my main reason for attending the conference this year was to accept an excellence in practice award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for entrepreneurship (i.e., the work we do through Gluten Free Watchdog). It is thanks to all of you that this work gets done. As I said pretty much verbatim at the ceremony, receiving this...
06
Oct
2025
Kirkland Signature Roasted Turkey Breast and Yeast Extract
Product warning for Kirkland Signature Roasted Turkey Breast. This product is labeled gluten-free and it contains yeast extract. Based on email correspondence with Costco, the yeast extract in this product may be brewer’s yeast sourced from the beer brewing process. (Brewer’s yeast from the beer brewing process is known as spent brewer’s yeast-- what’s left of yeast once it has been used to make beer. Consequently, spent brewer’s yeast may include gluten from malt and grain.) Correspondence from Costco: “Our supplier uses PHR-YL...
20
Aug
2025
Manufacturers of Labeled Gluten-Free Food, Please Read
Dear manufacturers of packaged gluten-free foods… Ingredients the FDA designates as processed to remove gluten, such as wheat starch and glucose syrup (wheat), may be used in foods labeled gluten-free. BUT if wheat is declared in the ingredients list or a separate Contains statement as required under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act... The word “wheat” must be “followed immediately by an asterisk (or other symbol) that refers to another asterisk (or other symbol) in close proximity to the ingredient statement...
31
Jul
2025
Facts to keep in mind about FDA labeling
Facts to keep in mind about FDA labeling: Just a bit of a refresher. Not all of the labeling nuances are included, so if you have any questions, please ask. Screenshot
30
Jan
2024
Yeast extract confusion redux
In 2019, we wrote about a consumer complaint we received for a labeled gluten-free soup. The product includes the ingredient “flavors (including yeast extract).” Long story short, the consumer who contacted us was told by customer service representatives that brewer’s yeast is the source of the yeast extract. However, she did not receive a definitive answer regarding whether the brewer’s yeast is spent brewer’s yeast. Fast forward to 2024. Gluten Free Watchdog received a consumer inquiry about the autolyzed yeast extract...
21
Jan
2024