The Important Bill That Changes Gluten-Free Food Labels

On August 4, 2021, the Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2021 (FLMA) was introduced to update retail packaged food labeling requirements, particularly the ingredient list on packaged foods. A major goal of the bill is to make food labels more consumer-friendly by providing clear nutritional information.  

Join us in sending a message to your congress members about your support for the FLMA! Go to Action Network.

What does this bill mean for your daily efforts to eat safely gluten-free? 

The FLMA 2021 will be a big help to people who are living gluten-free and reading food labels.  

Manufacturers will be required to identify any gluten-containing grains used to produce every ingredient on a product’s ingredient list. That means that in addition to wheat, an allergen, barley and rye – grains that contain gluten but are not considered “allergens” by the FDA – must appear on food labels. 

If this bill passes, new food labels will clearly state if any flavorings, extracts, or other added ingredients are derived from wheat, barley, or rye. This clarity is much needed to help avoid “hidden” gluten where sources of manufactured ingredients are not identified. 

See our article 38 Foods Where Gluten May Be “Hidden” for an idea of the many foods where gluten-containing grains may not be currently identified clearly as the source of specific ingredients. 

See our article 3 Tips for Gluten-Free Label Reading to get a better sense of the complex and confusing information gluten-free individuals currently see when trying to decipher vague ingredient list. 

In the United States, the FLMA will require ingredient labeling such as: 

Natural Flavors (barley) 

Yeast Extract (barley) 

Important to Note: The changes proposed by the FLMA, specifically for gluten-containing grains, DOES NOT change the presence of “May Contain” statements.  

If you are eating gluten-free, remember that “May Contain” statements are there to specifically address allergens – so in the case of grains, that currently means wheat allergies. They are also voluntary statements that are often added as a small protection for food manufacturers against legal liability. 

“May Contain Wheat” statements DO NOT apply to gluten intolerances, including celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, when a product is labeled gluten-free following the FDA’s regulations. We can only vouch for the gluten-free status of GFCO-certified products. 

If you are in Canada, you could see “May Contains” statements with all three gluten-containing grains: wheat, barley, and rye – because the Canadian government put barley and rye into their list of allergens. 

How has GIG and GFCO already addressed gluten-free labeling and “hidden” gluten? 

For over four decades, Gluten Intolerance Group has advocated for people living gluten-free. For the past 15 years, our program, Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) has provided a trusted symbol that immediately tells you that the packaged food you are considering is safely gluten-free. 

GFCO uses a stringent, 80-step process that includes testing, auditing, training, and following up with manufacturers to ensure they are using safe processes and ingredients in their gluten-free products. When you see the GFCO certification mark on food packaging, this tells you that there are no hidden gluten-containing ingredients. 

In fact, GFCO goes beyond looking at a food manufacturer’s plant or facility. Every ingredient listed by manufacturers going through the GFCO certification process is carefully reviewed. Manufacturers must know that their suppliers are providing them with ingredients that are also gluten-free. If a manufacturer is uncertain that the ingredients they’ve sourced from vendors are gluten-free, GFCO requires that they double-check down their supply chain to verify. 

The FLMA will put into law a major change that will reinforce the GFCO certification standards, backing it up by ensuring consumers have access to more transparent ingredient lists. 

What can YOU do to help get this bill passed into law? 

Remember: This is only a bill and not yet a law. In order to get the bill passed, legislators need to hear from their constituents – YOU – to know that the issues covered in the bill are important enough to garner their vote. If you are living gluten-free, particularly due to a medical condition, the passage of this bill should be of great personal interest.  

Make sure your voice is heard by the people who will be voting on this bill: 

Call or email your senators and representatives.

Action Network makes it easy for you to do this! Join us in sending a message to your congress members about your support for the FLMA! Go to Action Network.

Or see the sample script and email below.
 

Additional background and facts on the FLMA 

• The bill was introduced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ed Markey (D-MA).
   
• The bill only addresses retail packaged goods meaning the finished product you’ll find on store shelves but does not address potential gluten sources along the food supply chain. The responsibility is with the manufacturer to not only be honest about the ingredients and state them on the food label but also to know and understand where other sources of gluten may be present – such as from one of their suppliers.
   
• For years, Center Science and Public Interest (CSPI) has been instrumental in pushing for clearer food labeling in general.
   
• The CSPI heard input from five gluten-free and celiac disease entities on the gluten-free portion of the proposed bill, found on pages 21 and 22: Beyond Celiac, Celiac Disease Foundation, Gluten Free Watchdog, National Celiac Association and Gluten Intolerance Group.
   

Sample Script 

Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP]. 

I’m calling to urge [REP/SEN NAME] to support the Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2021 to update retail packaged food labeling requirements, particularly the ingredient list on packaged foods.

I am living gluten-free, so making food labels easier for me to identify gluten-containing grains is critical to my health and the health of my loved ones. This Bill is also critical to ensuring the health and safety of people living with gluten intolerances including celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. 

Thank you. 

NOTE: IF YOU ARE LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: Make sure to include your complete street address so your voicemail counts. If your call is answered, they may ask you questions, including your address. 

Sample Email 

Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].  

I am living gluten-free, so making food labels easier for me to identify gluten-containing grains is critical to my health and the health of my loved ones. This Bill is also critical to ensuring the health and safety of people living with gluten intolerances including celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. 

That is why I join the Gluten Intolerance Group in urging [REP/SEN NAME] to support the Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2021 to update retail packaged food labeling requirements, particularly the ingredient list on packaged foods, namely gluten-containing grains. 

I appreciate your support and ask that you please send me a response letting me know if you are willing to pass a Bill that would make food labels more consumer friendly. 

Thank you. 

Your Name 
Your Complete Mailing Address 
City, State and Zip Code
Phone number
Email address 

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. Consult your healthcare team when considering this information.  

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