<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
In light of the ongoing discussion on this matter I would like to
repost something I sent last year on the topic with a few additions.
There are quite a few  new faces on the list since I wrote this so
forgive me those of you who have read it before.
 
In Australia food labelling for Gluten is now under control and
in 1994 our National Food Authority endorsed by the Coeliac Society
of Australia, the Australian Gastroenterology Institute and the
Dietitians Association of Australia published the mandatory
guidelines for food sold as Gluten Free. Prior to this ruling, food
could be sold as GF which contained less than 0.03%, which I gather is
the International standard. The lead-in period for the new guidelines
was one year. Incidentally, our National Food Authority is a federal
government organisation responsible for developing national food
standards.
 
Changes to the Australian Food Standards Code require that:
Food labelled as "gluten free' must not contain any detectable
gluten. Foods labelled as 'low gluten' must not contain more than 0.02%
gluten. A panel providing nutrition information is required if a food is
described as being a gluten free or low gluten food.(This includes
information on Energy, Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates, Gluten, Sodium and
Potassium, per serve and per 100grams).
 
Slowly but surely we are getting there. STARCH has to be the next
thing to be accurately defined, until then,we coeliacs are forced to
avoid any product sold here with starch as a listed ingredient,
unless it is more closely defined. At least in the US starch is corn
starch, that is one thing you have over us here and the Canadians too.
 
I hope this helps a little,
 
 
Richard Lockley,
Melbourne.