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Regarding this post, just a couple of comments:

>  2.  From what I have read,  The FDA does not clearly address the issues
> of the Celiac Community.

It's not the FDAs job to address the issues of the celiac community. Among
its myriad tasks, the FDA is charged with ensuring the safety of American
food and drugs -- not any one group's interests in those foods and drugs.

> Who, if any, are  giving GF certification or status to a product?

Only companies that manufacture specifically GF foods.

>Where does the FDA set there standards for GF tolerance?

Again, that's not the FDAs job. It sets American dietary standards and
recommendations, but it's not charged with setting standards for a
particular health group -- and I wouldn't want it to be. That would be an
awful lot of standards to create.

Do they allow the potential for Cross contamation

> in certified products?   Who inspects the machines that manufacture these
> products? What if any measures are required between batches of different GF
> products being made and non GF products being made.

Why would such measures be required?  Companies can and should be able to
produce their products any way they like, as long as they don't endanger the
health of the general public through inadequate hygiene and the like.
Celiacs may indeed number 1 in 300 in the US, but that means 299 out of 300
can eat pretty much what they like.  Majority rule.

>     3.   Just because a company claims a product is GF free.....does that
> mean it was certified or are they just telling you that there are no
> ingredients in the product that contain known Gluten?

They're telling you there's no gluten in the product. No one "certifies"
food to be gluten-free unless it's a gluten-free manufacturer.

I agree completely that we need more empathy all the way around. But I don't
think it's the FDAs job to set standards for one particular medical
community.  Clarifying labeling requirements is the job they do best, the
job they should continue to focus on -- and the job that would ultimately
help ensure the health and well-being of all citizens, whatever their
medical conditions -- or lack of them.

Terri