U.S. Food and Drug Administration Issues Gluten-Free Labeling Final Rule

On August 5, 2013, the FDA released the final rule on voluntary labeling of gluten-free foods. The rule defines “gluten-free” as foods that do not include ingredients that contain gluten such as spelt wheat, or ingredients that are derived from a gluten-containing grain that has not been processed to remove gluten such as wheat flour. In addition, gluten-free can mean that the food ingredients contain gluten at less than 20 parts per million or that the food does not inherently contain gluten. Foods already labeled as gluten-free or with a similar label have one year to comply with the standards set by the rule. The FDA hopes to ensure that individuals with celiac disease are not misled by inaccurate labeling and are provided with truthful information in order to live without the adverse health effects caused by the disease.

The final rule was issued under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, 21 U.S.C. § 301 (2004). For the full text of the rule, please visit the Federal Register.

Written by Sarah L. Doyle - Research Assistant
The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center
@PSUAgLawCenter
August 6, 2013