<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I contacted the publication to ask about the quotes. Here is the reply and updated story. They sent me the full text in their email. -Michael Thorn Dear M. Thorn, Thank you for your feedback on the FDA Week article. The author contacted the person quoted and clarified the intent of the quote in the version of the story we posted today on www.InsideHealthPolicy.com. The revised article is attached. Regards, Donna Haseley Publisher, Inside Washington Publishers health group Gluten Food Standards Draw Criticism By Consumer Group, Industry Although FDA is trying to restrict the use of "gluten-free" label claims, a group representing consumers who cannot digest gluten says the claim should not be allowed at all. Industry on the other hand opposes FDA's proposed regulation because it sets a standard for gluten-free that is unachievable. Gluten is a protein combination that forms when wheat flour is mixed with a liquid and physically manipulated, such as the kneading of bread. Some people cannot digest gluten and get sick when they consume it, making the "gluten-free" claim a potential marketing scheme. "Establishing a definition of the term "gluten-free" and uniform conditions for its use in the labeling of foods is needed to ensure that individuals with celiac disease are not misled and are provided with truthful and accurate information with respect to foods so labeled," FDA states in its proposed rule. FDA wants to misbrand products with "gluten-free" label claims if the food is inherently free of gluten and it does not state that all food of the same type does not contain gluten. The agency offers examples of foods that do not inherently contain gluten: milk not flavored with ingredients that contain gluten, 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices, and single ingredient food like butter or eggs. FDA proposes defining "gluten-free" as food that does not contain any wheat, rye, barley, or a crossbred hybrid of these grains or food that contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten. FDA is taking comments as to whether oats should be included in the definition. However, it is impossible to detect gluten at 20 ppm, says the International Wheat Gluten Association. In comments filed to FDA, the group requests that the threshold for wheat starch-based gluten-free foods be set at 200 ppm, as is already commonly used by manufacturers and is the standard in Europe. The group stresses setting standards below 100 ppm is unreasonable. FDA states in its docket "a food may contain 20 ppm or more gluten even though the food does not contain an ingredient derived from a prohibited grain. For example, a food that derives from oats may contain 20 ppm or more gluten if the oats were commingled with a prohibited grain during their harvest, transport or storage." Mary Schluckebier, executive director of the Celiac Sprue Association, agrees that for large manufacturers or producers, 20 ppm or less of gluten in their yields is difficult to determine through current batch testing procedures. But the 20 ppm level can be easily determined in small batch testing, as evident by the association's own testing for "gluten-free" products. She said even a 20 ppm may be too high for sensitive celiacs. "We need to find testing that is meaningful, verifiable and consistent no matter what the product is and something that is durable during the entire manufacturing process," she said. "I haven't seen any proposals [by FDA] on good ways to absolutely ensure there is no cross-contamination." Schluckebier doubts "gluten-free" claims should be allowed because celiacs know to look at the ingredient list to determine if gluten is present. Sukh Bassi, vice president of research and development at MGP Ingredients, which is a member of the International Wheat Gluten Association, says the gluten free claim sends the wrong message. "It just scares people, makes them think gluten is bad thing," he said. Date: February 2, 2007 (c) Inside Washington Publishers *Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List* ******* To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[log in to unmask] *******