By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Several milling, baking and grain organizations hope the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will change its mind regarding the proposed labeling of gluten-free foods that would include the phrase “prohibited grain.”

The FDA proposed the wording for gluten-free food in 2007, but has yet to make a final decision. Even though the deadline to comment on the proposal was in April 2007, 11 organizations recently wrote a letter to FDA urging it to accept the phrase “gluten-containing grains” instead.

The term “prohibited grain” feeds the negative image of these grains, the letter noted: “There are numerous misperceptions about gluten and we do not want to fuel those unjustified claims that going gluten-free can help with weight loss, autism, ADD, MS, etc.”

A label with the phrase “prohibited grain” could confuse the public rather than act as a clarifier, said Judi Adams, president of the Grain Foods Foundation and the Wheat Foods Council, two of the organizations signing the letter.
“People who need to be concerned about gluten in their food are educated enough to know what ‘prohibited grains’ means and what they are,” she explained. “But for the general public, they won’t know what the labels are talking about.

“There are enough old wives’ tales and urban legends about gluten and that could be derogatory to their health. Gluten is good for people who are healthy and don’t need to be on special diets.”

Gluten refers to specific proteins formed when wheat flour is mixed with a liquid and then physically manipulated, such as in the kneading of bread, according to the FDA. People with celiac disease or sensitivity to gluten are usually urged to avoid consuming products containing gluten.

Under the FDA proposal, prohibited grains are defined as wheat, rye and barley. Also included in the definition are crossbred hybrids of the three, such as triticale, which is a cross between wheat and rye.

There is currently no definition for what constitutes a gluten-free product. The FDA must define the term to comply with the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, according to the proposal.
Attempts by Farm World to reach FDA officials for further comment were unsuccessful.

The FDA proposal states that in order for a food to have the phrase “gluten-free” on its label, the food must not contain an ingredient that is a prohibited grain or an ingredient derived from a prohibited grain that hasn’t been processed to remove gluten. Foods with gluten levels at or above 20 parts per million wouldn’t be allowed to be labeled as gluten-free.

Defining the term gluten-free and labeling such products would benefit the public, the FDA said in its proposal: “A standardized definition for the term ‘gluten-free’ can serve to protect the public health by providing consumers with celiac disease, and others who must avoid gluten in their diet, the assurance that foods bearing this labeling meet a clear standard established and enforced by FDA as to the meaning of ‘gluten-free.’”

While the labeling of gluten-free foods would be voluntary under the FDA proposal, Adams said she hopes for more than that.

“We don’t want this to be just voluntary,” she noted. “We’re pushing for gluten-free labeling. We’re hoping the letter will give FDA another nudge to get this done.”