Codex standard for gluten

The WHO/FAO international Codex Alimentarius standard for gluten-free was set at  200ppm or 200mg/kg gluten in 1983 (1).

In November 2007, there was agreement on a new revised Codex standard for foods for special dietary uses for persons intolerant to gluten, at the 29th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU).

The revised Codex standard for gluten has now been adopted. 

In effect, there are two standards for gluten-free foods:

• products with a gluten level of less than 20 ppm (parts per million) or 20 mg/kg
  
  This will apply to mainstream foods (such as crisps and soups), pure uncontaminated oat products and some specialist substitute products that contain Codex wheat starch. 
  
  Products within this category can be labelled as 'gluten-free'.
  
• products with a gluten level of between 20 and 100 ppm.
  
  This will apply to specialist substitute gluten-free products that contain Codex wheat starch.
  
  Products in this category will be labelled as 'very low gluten'.  

EC Regulation based on new Codex standard

The European Commission (EC) is developing legislation under Foods for Particular Nutritional Uses (PARNUTS) Directive 89/398/EEC based on this new Codex standard.

Once the regulation comes into force the term 'gluten-free' will only be able to be used for products with a level of gluten below 20mg/kg and 'very low gluten' for products with a level of between 20mg/kg and 100mg/kg.

Timescale

The legislation is expected to be adopted before the end of 2009. There will be a 3-year transitional period  to enable the manufacturers to make all necessary changes to product ranges and labels before the legislation becomes mandatory on 1st January 2012.

Coeliac UK has been involved in meetings with the food service sector in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency on this issue since the beginning of 2008 to represent the needs of people with coeliac disease.


Reference:

1. Codex Alimentarius Commission (1983) Codex Standard for
‘Gluten-Free Foods’. Codex stan 118-1981 (amended 1983).