"Gluten-free" labeled products can be misleading and may not be gluten free or healthier for you.

Gluten-free labels can be seen on many food packaging that line our grocery stores. Products that are labeled gluten-free may not be totally gluten free. This can become a problem for consumers who are gluten sensitive. To combat this problem, The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is now working on setting a standard for food companies in order for them to be able to label their products gluten-free. Due to misconceptions on the health benefits of gluten, food companies are also moving to use gluten-free as a model to attract health conscious consumers.

Gluten-free products are essential for people who suffer from celiac disease.

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, and various other food products. This list includes anything made from flour. Foods such as bread, crackers, pastries, and pasta, all contain gluten. The problem with gluten is that many people are finding out they are sensitive to gluten. Many suffer from celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, in which if they consume gluten they will have an inflammatory reaction in their digestive tract. And so a gluten-free diet is essential. Many will purchase products from the grocery store that are labeled “gluten-free,” in hopes these products contain no gluten. What they may not know is cross contamination with gluten products may have occurred and there is a possibility that there is a quantifiable amount of gluten in the gluten-free product.

The FDA is looking to regulate the gluten-free industry by setting a standard in order for a product to be labeled gluten-free. 

A recurring issue with food labels claiming to be “gluten-free” is that some are showing positive for gluten when tested in the lab. The FDA is currently working on testing products from grocery stores labeled gluten-free. They are working on setting a standard for companies to be able to label their products gluten-free. Marion Pereira, a FDA Biologist Researcher says, “currently there is no FDA regulation” on gluten-free products. She says the primary goal of the FDA is to protect the consumers, and in order to do so, the agency is trying to figure out a possible way to regulate the gluten-free industry.

Mislabeling gluten-free can be dangerous to those who are sensitive to gluten. 

Without strict regulation, there only exists a recommendation. It is up to the companies to produce products that are gluten-free to have quality assurance and make sure the products are gluten free. Many do follow the recommendation, but the problem is many companies do not have protocols in place that would prevent cross contamination of the different products that they produce in which some contain gluten. Products then, that are not suppose to contain gluten end up with a significant amount of gluten that can cause an inflammatory response from people who are sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease. Pereira says, consumers who are gluten sensitive should have the ability to look at the label and decide for themselves if they are able to consume this product because their health is at risk.

Gluten-free does not translate to healthier, but rather can be unhealthy for people who aren't gluten sensitive. 

In addition to the related health issues that can come with products being mislabeled, there has also been some misconceptions about gluten-free diets and their benefits for the rest of the population who don’t have celiac disease. Many people are purchasing “gluten-free” products believing they are healthier. But the truth is, gluten-free isn’t actually healthier. In fact, Pereira says, a gluten-free diet can lack essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and in the end be detrimental to a person’s health rather than helpful. However, companies are banking on these misconceptions and are labeling their products gluten-free to draw in consumers. They are spending money on promoting the products as more healthy and spending huge amounts money on advertisements. It is hard to not go down an aisle without seeing a product labeled in big letters “gluten-free,” as many grocery stores are stocking their shelves with these “gluten-free” products.

Food companies will take advantage of the fact that there is the misconception out there that gluten-free means healthier. 

Gluten-free is a big business because many people believe it is more healthy for you. The U.S. gluten-free foods industry is a $5 billion industry. The companies are mainly appealing to the growing number of people who have celiac disease or who are gluten intolerant, but they too are marketing it to the average consumer as well. Food companies taking advantage of the fact that 1.6 million people in the U.S. are on a gluten-free diet even though they don’t have celiac disease. The food companies will have you believing that if their products are gluten-free, it is therefore healthier for you.

New FDA regulation on the labeling of gluten-free is essential to protect consumers. 

The gluten-free industry is fairly new and what consumers know about the industry is very minimal. This is an important consumer concern because companies can mislead people. Regulating the gluten-free industry is an important matter for those who suffer from celiac disease or who are gluten sensitive, but overall education on the benefits of a gluten-free diet is also important. A smart consumer shouldn’t always believe what the food companies are putting out there or what is on their labels.

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Gluten-Free Video Clip

I recorded a summary of our interview in one clip. But because the clip is over a minute long, I can edit and cut the clip in half so that I have two clips for my post.

The "healthier", "Gluten-free" products may not actually be gluten free or healthier for you

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, and various other food products. Many suffer from celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, in which if they consume gluten they will have an inflammatory reaction in their digestive tract. And so a gluten-free diet is essential. Many will purchase products from the grocery store that are labeled “gluten-free,” in hopes these products contain no gluten.However, a recurring issue with food labels claiming to be “gluten-free” is that some are showing positive for gluten when tested in the lab. 

Currently there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation on products in order for them to be labeled “gluten-free.” 

There only exists a recommendation. It is up to the companies to produce products that are gluten free to have quality assurance and make sure the products are gluten free. Many do follow the recommendation, but the problem is many companies do not have protocols in place that would prevent cross contamination of the different products that they might produce that may contain gluten. Products then, that are label gluten free or are not suppose to contain gluten end up with a significant amount of gluten that can cause an inflammatory response from people who are sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease.  So currently the FDA is working on regulation to regulate that market, in order to prevent companies from labeling their products “gluten-free” if they are not in fact gluten free.

Many people are purchasing “gluten-free” products believing they are healthier.

In addition, there has been some misconceptions about gluten-free diets and their benefits for the rest of the population who don’t have celiac disease. To many they believe it is healthier.  But the truth is, gluten-free isn’t actually healthier. In fact, Peter Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University says, “unless people are very careful, a gluten-free diet can lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber." However, companies are banking on these misconceptions and are labeling their products gluten-free to draw in consumers. They are spending money on promoting the products as more healthy and spending huge amounts money on advertisements. It is hard to not go down an aisle without seeing a product labeled in big letters “gluten-free,” as many grocery stores are stocking their shelves with these “gluten-free” products.

Questions for Expert:

-With these products that are labeled “gluten-free” by the companies and testing positive for gluten, are these companies acting ethically when it comes to a person’s health?

- What are the potential harms for a person who is gluten sensitive to mislabeling?

- What are future regulation do you see the FDA imposing on these products in order for them to be labeled “gluten-free?” 

Summary of the importance of this topic on AudioBoo 

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