Moran Applauds FDA "Gluten-Free" Designation

Press Release

Congressman Jim Moran, Northern Virginia Democrat, today applauded the Food and Drug Administration's issuance of a final rule defining the requirements that must be met to allow a food to be labeled "gluten-free." Moran sent a letter in 2011 urging the FDA to move forward with the rule making process which was at the time three years behind schedule.

"Today's announcement is important to millions of families and individuals allergic to gluten. Shopping at the grocery store should not be an anxiety producing experience for parents with children who require gluten-free food. Today's announcement should bring greater peace of mind for millions of Americans," said Rep. Moran. "When more than three million people in the U.S. have celiac disease and another 17 million are gluten sensitive, it is past time for the FDA to definitively determine the standards foods must meet to be labeled gluten-free. I look forward to a year from today when the shelves of grocery stores will have clear, accurate labels."

The FDA rule limits "gluten-free" foods to less than 20 parts per million of gluten. FDA will also allow manufacturers to label a food "gluten-free" if the food does not contain any type of wheat, rye, barley, or crossbreeds of these grains or ingredients derived from these grains and that has not been processed to remove gluten. Manufacturers have one year to bring their labels into compliance.

The "Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act," signed into law in 2004, gave the FDA a 2008 deadline to designate a federal standard for the term "gluten-free" product. Moran joined six members of Congress and the American Celiac Disease Alliance to push for completion of the rule making process.

To read the FDA's announcement, please visit: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm363069.htm
To read Moran's 2011 letter, please visit: http://moran.house.gov/press-release/moran-democrats-urge-fda-define-quotgluten-freequot-labeling

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