The final rule covers not only beer and wine but also foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, cheese, green olives, and hydrolyzed plant proteins used to improve flavor or texture in processed foods such as soups, sauces, and seasonings.
The final rule adds compliance requirements for hydrolyzed or fermented foods that use the “gluten-free” labeling claim, since gluten breaks down during these processes and currently available analytical methods cannot be used to determine if these products meet the “gluten-free” definition. The rule requires manufacturers of these food products to make and keep records providing adequate assurance that: the food meets the definition of “gluten-free” before fermentation or hydrolysis; the manufacturer has adequately evaluated the potential for cross-contact with gluten during the manufacturing process; and if necessary, measures are in place to prevent the introduction of gluten into the food during the manufacturing process. The rule also discusses how FDA will verify compliance for distilled products. The definition of “gluten-free,” established in 2013, is not changed by this new final rule.
“The FDA continues to work to protect people with celiac disease, which impacts at least 3 million Americans,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. “The agency has taken a number of steps on this front by first establishing a standardized definition of ‘gluten-free,’ and now by continuing to work to ensure manufacturers are keeping the products that are labeled with this claim gluten-free.”
Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in wheat, rye and barley that may cause adverse health effects in people with celiac disease. For those with celiac disease, foods that contain gluten trigger production of antibodies that attack and damage the lining of the small intestine. Such damage limits the ability of people with celiac disease to absorb nutrients and puts them at risk of other serious health problems, including nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis, growth retardation, infertility, miscarriages, short stature and intestinal cancers.