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How to file a gluten-free food complaint with the FDA starting October 1, 2024: The process has changed

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. You will no longer contact an FDA consumer complaint coordinator. Reports should now be filed with the Human Foods Program either by phone or through the online safety reporting portal: Phone 1-888-723-3366 Online safety reporting portal https://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov/SRP2/en/Home.aspx?sid=94c7561c-d4de-4e38-9f87-3bb240d20776 The Human Foods Program will assess and evaluate complaints. The new Office of Inspections and Investigations will follow up...

Test result from Moms Across America for Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Almost Everything Bagels Possible False Positive

Gluten Free Watchdog tested Trader Joe’s Almost Everything Bagels due to consumer concerns over the results of testing commissioned by the group Moms Across America. This is a complex test report summary. Please bear with us as we try to explain the discrepancy between the Moms Across America test results and Gluten Free Watchdog test results. Bottom line: The test result from Moms Across America for Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Almost Everything Bagels may be a false positive, especially if the lab did...

Exciting update: Daniel and his family arrived safely in the US from Ukraine

Daniel and his mom and dad arrived safely in the US from Ukraine. This was a coordinated effort by so many, most especially the National Celiac Association, the Celiac Community Foundation of Northern California, and Mass General for Children Center for Celiac Research and Treatment. The family continues to need help with living expenses (e.g., food, rent, transportation). Donations are being coordinated through the National Celiac Association. Please consider making a donation--any amount helps. https://nationalceliac.org/support-daniel-and-his-family/ If you...

Does FDA ever intend to take public enforcement action against manufacturers misbranding products gluten-free that list malt ingredients?

As of May 23, 2022, FDA has not taken any public enforcement action on misbranded products labeled gluten-free yet listing malt, malt extract, malt syrup, or malt vinegar in the ingredients (all made from barley unless another source is declared, such as corn malt). On February 23, 2022, Gluten Free Watchdog sent a letter to Susan Mayne, PhD, Director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. The letter stated in part: "We are deeply concerned that the gluten-free labeling rule...

Audio Message from Gluten Free Watchdog Asking You to Comment on FDA’s Draft Guidance on Evaluating the Public Health Importance of Food Allergens

Please take 3 minutes to listen to my message and then head over to the docket and comment. https://youtu.be/c9IDEdDUGbY Comment here https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FDA-2021-N-0553-0005 Use any or all of the text from Gluten Free Watchdog's comment available here https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CommentGlutenFreeWatchdogFDA-2021-N-0553-0005.pdf

Grainful Purity Protocol Gluten-Free Lentils

Disclaimer: Gluten Free Watchdog provided feedback and encouragement to Grainful on their journey to bring purity protocol lentils to market. We are excited to see their efforts finally come to fruition. Gluten Free Watchdog does not formally endorse products. We recently purchased two, three-pound bags of Grainful Purity Protocol Whole Red Lentils from Amazon. We sorted one bag looking for errant grain and sent the other bag to Bia Diagnostics for testing. We did not find any foreign material and the lentils did not...

Dear Beloved Gluten Free Watchdog Community

Dear Beloved Gluten Free Watchdog community, During this very difficult time, here are some hopefully helpful tips. Please note that all recipes are my own from a book I wrote many, many years ago. If the photos don't come through in this email, please cut and paste links into browser.  Difficulty eating? During times of stress, I’m prone to slight nausea and no desire to eat. If you are like me, this is what I do to combat this feeling... I make what...

General Mills Proposed Gluten Friendly Line

UPDATE February 12, 2020: Thank you so much to everyone who emailed and posted comments. Comments were sent to General Mills today. Their response: "Thank you for sharing this information. I will be forwarding it on to the team that is working on the concept. I think it is also important for you to know that based on all of the feedback we received from the gluten free community, we removed the images from our website as we reevaluate the...

When a regulatory agency (USDA) actually enforces the gluten-free labeling rule and recalls a product containing wheat-based soy sauce

On August 30, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture announced the recall of Heatherfield Foods Inc. pork sausage products due to misbranding. The sausage is labeled gluten-free yet contains wheat. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2019/recall-088-2019-release?permalink=35A47FAFA869093A250D7843C3A55B6D5ADD2BFB5919576B6453B59930E6CE26 Why is this recall particularly significant? It took place because of a consumer complaint received by USDA.Based on consumer photographs sent to Gluten Free Watchdog, the source of wheat in the sausage is soy sauce.USDA doesn't have an agency defined gluten-free labeling rule. Instead they require manufacturers under their labeling jurisdiction to adhere to the gluten-free labeling rule...