By August 2014, manufacturers must be in compliance with a new FDA ruling regarding labels that inform consumers products are gluten-free, according to recent news reports. Foods will be required to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten in order to include claims that the food are “gluten free,” according to Allergic Living. As of August 5th of this year, this standard will be in full effect, approximately one year after the Food and Drug Administration finalized the guidelines.
More and more individuals have become allergic to gluten in past years, and many suffer from celiac disease. This is the primary reason that manufacturers must now focus on products that are gluten-free in order to remain competitive. Going forward, manufacturers will work to ensure that the ingredients used in producing their food products are not in close contact with products that do contain gluten, in order to avoid cross-contamination. Because of this, a top priority for food manufacturers will be traceability of their products.
Products that are not included in the new FDA standard include prescription and non-prescription drugs, pet foods, cosmetics, beverages, and meat/poultry products that are regulated by the USDA, according to reports.
The obesity epidemic in America along with allergies to products containing gluten and diets developed to fight inflammation are a few of the reasons that consumers are trending toward purchasing products that are gluten-free. Consumers have begun buying food products that are gluten-free regardless of whether they have an auto-immune disease or are allergic to gluten, according to the latest food packaging news reports.
Food producers are becoming more and more concerned with high quality traceability solutions for their supply chains as the FDA continues to demand more informative labeling requirements, not only regarding gluten, but other allergens and ingredients that may affect consumers’ health.
At REA JET, we provide industrial coding and marking solutions that are not only effective for traceability in the supply chain, but for reducing the potential for counterfeiting as well. Whatever your industry, trust our professionals to provide quality, cost-effective solutions.