FDA commissioner affirms importance of gluten-free labeling compliance

WASHINGTON — Michael Taylor, who currently serves as the Food and Drug Administration's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, outlined the importance for companies to adhere to gluten-free guidelines in a post on FDA Voice. The agency last year issued a rule that set criteria for what defines "gluten-free" and the characteristics of food products that carry the label. Tuesday marked the compliance date for the rule.



"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 mg of the protein," Taylor said. "This is consistent with the threshold established by other countries and international bodies that set food safety standards."



Taylor stressed the seriousness of celiac diesease and why it's critical that consumers be able to prepare meals without the fear of putting their health in danger: for 3 million Americans dealing with the disease, a gluten-free diet is the only choice.



"I commend companies that have already stepped up to the plate to meet the definition for 'gluten-free' labeling," he added. "They make it possible for consumers to have labels they can trust as they make well-informed food choices."