Gluten free

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and some other cereals. If you have gluten intolerance (also known as coeliac disease) you need to know if the foods you buy have gluten in them. So what manufacturers put on their food labels is very important.

Gluten labelling

Legally, manufacturers do not have to say how much gluten is present in the food on the label. However new rules were published on 21 January 2009 that will control the phrases used on foods to show they are suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

Special foods for people with coeliac disease made from substitute ingredients such as rice or maize, (which naturally do not contain gluten), or from wheat that has almost all the gluten taken, out will have to claim to be 'gluten free' or 'very low gluten', depending on the gluten level in the food. Also, normal foods which meet the standards set can also make a ‘gluten free’ claim. However, manufacturers can keep using their old labels until January 2012, so until this time you may find lots of different labelling terms used on these foods.

What levels of gluten are allowed in ‘gluten free’ and ‘very low gluten’ foods?

There are a number of reasons why it’s difficult to make foods that are completely free of gluten. One reason is possible cross contamination in factories. So, foods that claim to be 'gluten free' will still be able to have tiny amounts of gluten (less than 20 parts of gluten in a million). There are also ingredients such as wheat starch that has been treated to remove most of the gluten, that’s needed in substitute foods for people with coeliac disease, such as bread and cakes, to add consistency and texture. So manufacturers of these foods find it difficult to take all the gluten out because of the way is the product is made. For this reason, a second category of labelling ‘very low gluten’ has been introduced for foods for people with coeliac disease that contain this treated wheat starch. These products can have slightly higher levels of gluten in them than the ‘gluten free’ products, but it is still a very low level (no more that 100 parts of gluten in a million). For most people with coeliac disease, these products are safe when eaten as part of a healthy diet.

People with coeliac disease can safely eat small amounts of gluten, but sensitivities vary between individuals. The most recent research suggests that if you have coeliac disease and eat lots of products with levels up to 100 parts in a million of gluten in a day, this can damage the lining of the gut, but eating small amounts of these products is still thought to be safe.

Having two phrases will mean that people with different sensitivities can choose the foods that are most suitable for them. Foods labelled as ‘very low gluten’ will not be suitable for everyone, so people with coeliac disease should speak to their doctor or dietician before introducing them into their diet for the first time.

Is it safe for people with coeliac disease to eat the foods they already eat?

It’s important to know that although the labels on some foods may change from 'gluten free' to 'very low gluten', the level of gluten in the product may not have changed. So, if you have coeliac disease and have been eating these foods safely, they should still be suitable. However, some products, which were once labelled as ‘gluten free’ or 'suitable for coeliacs', may no longer be allowed to use these phrases if the amounts of gluten in them are not low enough to meet the new rules. As a result, manufacturers may change their recipes and/or processes. This may mean that although people with coeliac disease have been able to eat these foods in the past, they are no longer suitable. Anyone who is at all unsure about whether they can still eat a food, should contact the manufacturer. It is also possible to find out whether a food contains gluten or gluten-containing ingredients by checking the ingredients list.

Some baby foods have statements on their labels about whether they contain gluten - the law says that all foods for babies under six months old must have this information on the label. In addition, all baby formulas are gluten free.

This allows parents in families with a history of coeliac disease to avoid gluten-containing products. The Department of Health has recommended that to prevent coeliac disease, gluten should not be given to infants who are under six months old.

When will I start to see the changes to the labels?

Businesses can start to change their labels in February 2009. However, businesses will have nearly three years before they have to change their labels. So, until January 2012 you may find lots of different labels on food suggesting it’s suitable for people with coeliac disease – so you’ll need to check the ingredients list carefully.