FDA aims to improve gluten ingredient disclosure in foods

The org intends to improve transparency in disclosures of bakery products.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) regarding labeling and preventing cross-contact of gluten in packaged food. The FDA is taking this action as a first step to improve transparency in disclosures of ingredients that impact certain health conditions, such as gluten for those with celiac disease, and other established food allergens.

The agency is seeking information on adverse reactions due to “ingredients of interest” (i.e., non-wheat gluten containing grains [GCGs] which are rye and barley, and oats due to cross-contact with GCGs) and on labeling issues or concerns with identifying these “ingredients of interest” on packaged food products in the U.S.

“People with celiac disease or gluten sensitives have had to tiptoe around food, and are often forced to guess about their food options,” says FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “We encourage all stakeholders to share their experiences and data to help us develop policies that will better protect Americans and support healthy food choices.”

The agency has received a citizen petition on this matter and has reviewed available data and reports including the most recent reports by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations expert consultation. The FDA’s review of this information indicates that there are several serious data gaps limiting its ability to fully evaluate the public health importance of these ingredients, which includes limited U.S. data on adverse reactions to the “ingredients of interest.”

The FDA is seeking detailed information such as the prevalence of products where rye or barley are not currently disclosed; information on the severity of and potency of immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy to rye and barley; concerns around the gluten content of oats due to cross-contact; and other questions related to these issues.

The organization is taking this action to help enhance transparency for consumers and inform the agency’s gluten-related labeling priorities and next steps, it says. It intends to use the information to support a determination on what type(s) of future regulatory actions it should take to better protect consumers with celiac disease.