How much gluten is gluten-free?

Since 1980, for a product to be called gluten-free, it had to have less than 200 parts per million of gluten. Recently, there have been international discussions though to decide whether the levels of gluten permitted in ‘gluten-free’ products are safe for people with coeliac disease. A new Codex standard has been provisionally accepted, it has two levels, with foods being labelled according to the amount of gluten they contain.

The first category says that for a product to be called gluten-free it must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. The second category applies to products which contain Codex wheat starch (a special type of wheat, which has had its gluten content reduced) to have between 21 parts per million and 100 parts per million of gluten. The labelling for this second category has not yet been decided. The timetable of when this new law will be introduced is still being discussed.

Currently, Codex Standards are not legal standards, although the EU is intending to produce a new law, which will reflect this newly agreed Codex Standard. Once this law has been brought in, manufacturers selling gluten-free food will need to comply with it.

Nutritional Value of a gluten-free diet?

At the end of 2007, the FSA called for research into the nutritional adequacy of a gluten free diet. Research will be starting shortly, but highlights from their research requirements are:

'Not only is a gluten-free diet not easy to achieve, but the absence of such gluten containing cereals may result in deficiencies of nutrients usually obtained from these sources. Currently, all non-wholemeal wheat flour in the UK has to be fortified with iron, calcium and the B vitamins niacin (B6) and thiamine (B1).  Recently the Agency’s Board agreed to introduce mandatory fortification of either bread or flour with folic acid, together with controls on voluntary fortification and guidance on the use of supplements. Such fortifications will not benefit coeliac consumers who cannot consume wheat flour.

There is therefore a need to understand whether a typical diet for coeliac consumers who are successfully avoiding gluten is adequate, particularly in relation to the nutrients with which wheat flour is/will be fortified (iron, calcium, folate, and the B Vitamins). This will help to establish whether there is a case for specific dietary advice or other strategies to ensure that these consumers can maintain a nutritionally adequate and balanced diet whilst avoiding gluten containing cereals.' back to research made simple

Click here to visit the Food Standards Agency website. Click here to view current food allergy and intolerance research projects.