For most of us, choosing a meal is not a make or break
decision. Most people prepare a meal without fearing that it will endanger
their health. That’s not the case with people who suffer from celiac disease.
I’ve learned first-hand from talking with people with the disease how much it
means to them to be able to select gluten-free foods with confidence.
Celiac disease is a serious health issue
and there is no cure. The only choice for the more than 3 million Americans
living with the disease is adherence to a diet free of gluten — proteins that
occur naturally in wheat, rye, barley and cross-bred hybrids of these grains.
To do otherwise is to risk gradually damaging the intestines, preventing the
absorption of vitamins and minerals, and possibly leading to a host of other
health problems.
Last year FDA issued a rule on food labeling to improve
life for people with celiac disease. The rule ensures that “gluten-free” claims
on food packages are reliable and consistent. It provides a clear definition of
the term so that all packaged food products bearing the claim “gluten-free”
contain less than 20 parts per million of the protein.
And today is the compliance date for this rule. This is
important because it means that any packaged food product labeled with the
“gluten-free” claim, as of today, must meet the standard set by the FDA.
FDA gave companies a year to make the necessary changes
to their products if they used the “gluten-free” claim. This past year, we took
steps to educate industry about the rule and what it means to be gluten-free.
In June, we issued a guide to help small businesses comply with the rule.
The gluten-free final rule applies to packaged foods,
which may be sold in some retail and food-service establishments such as some
carry-out restaurants. However, given the public health significance of
“gluten-free” labeling, FDA says that restaurants making a gluten-free claim on
their menus should be consistent with FDA’s definition. I’m pleased to note
that the National Restaurant Association also advised operators offering
“gluten-free” items on their menus to make sure their claims are consistent
with the definition.
Honest and accurate “gluten-free” labeling will
strengthen consumers’ confidence in the products that carry it. One of the
rule’s requirements is that it establishes a threshold of 20 parts per million
— meaning that to be labeled as free of gluten, each kilogram of the product
must contain less than 20 milligrams of the protein. This is consistent with
the threshold established by other countries and international bodies that set
food safety standards.
I commend companies that have already stepped up to the
plate to meet the definition for “gluten-free” labeling. They make it possible
for consumers to have labels they can trust as they make well-informed food
choices.
Courtesy of Michael R. Taylor is FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods and
Veterinary Medicine
