FSA News Item, 16 May 2011
The Food Standards Agency has launched a new factsheet to help caterers understand when to label food ‘gluten free’ when the rules change next year. It has been published to coincide with National Coeliac Awareness Week.
The key change, after 1 January next year, will be that the term ‘gluten free’ can only be used on foods that contain less than 20 parts of gluten in a million. Recent evidence has shown that using this extremely low level will offer better protection for people with an intolerance to gluten. Previously, there was no limit set in law for foods described as ‘gluten-free’ and so levels could vary.
With an easy to use flow chart, the factsheet will assist caterers and those in the hospitality industry train their staff so that they can understand the new descriptions and exactly what they mean so that they can explain to customers what the foods contain and how they are made.
Later this year, the Agency will be providing specific information for consumers to help raise awareness of the new rules.
A copy of the factsheet is avialable on this site. See: 'Gluten-free' factsheet