FDA labeling law for gluten-free items begin in August

The labeling changes are intended to help individuals with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, who must eat gluten-free products.

Currently, U.S. food-labeling laws require that the eight most allergenic foods (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans) be listed by their commonly recognized name on ingredient labels of packaged foods sold in the United States. The labeling requirement, which took effect in 2006 under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, helped consumers identify ingredients they needed to avoid as a result of various allergies and intolerances; however, for individuals with celiac disease, the labeling requirement was only partly helpful. A definition of "gluten-free" has been developed for voluntary use on product labels. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs and highly refined oils are not included, but any other processed food may put "gluten-free" on its label if it contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

There will also be new retail labeling guidelines in the fall regarding the country of origin of beef, lamb, pork, fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables and peanuts. The information must state whether a product comes from the United States only, foreign sources only or is of mixed origin. Restaurants, cafeterias, food stands, and a few other small entities are exempt from this regulation.