Allergen labelling

Cereals which contain glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridised strains) are one of the 14 food allergens that must be declared on the ingredients list, regardless of the amount used.

All ingredients, including additives, flavourings, processing aids and solvents are included in these labelling regulations. Previously these did not have to be listed (1).

Exemptions

All allergens and ingredients derived from allergens will have to be specified unless they are on the exemptions list (1). The European Commission has worked with the European Food Safety Agency (EFSAEuropean Food Safety Authority - conducts risk assessments regarding food safety for the EU, and provides independent scientific advice.) to develop a list of ingredients that are exempt from labelling.

The following ingredients are exempt from allergen labelling as evidence has shown that processing has removed the allergenic factor (2). They are therefore suitable for people with coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. : 

• glucose syrups derived from wheat or barley including dextrose
• wheat based maltodextrins
• cereals used in distilled products like spirits (3).

Other gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. ingredients include textured vegetable protein, caramel, artificial sweetener, aspartame, dextrose, xanthan gum, maize starch, modified starch, modified maize starch, sorbitol, maltitol and isomalt.

Products that do not comply with this allergen legislation are prohibited from sale.

What your patients need to know:

All ingredients derived from a cereal that contains gluten (regardless of the amount used) will have to be listed on food packaging in the ingredients list.

Manufacturers can also highlight an ingredient which contains gluten in an allergy advice or 'CONTAINS' box which is recommended by the Food Standards Agency. The use of such a box is only a recommendation (not legal requirement), so it is important that those with coeliac disease check both the ingredient list and allergy advice box. See the ingredients list for gluten-free and ingredients which contain gluten.

If gluten is not present the product it will not necessarily be labelled as 'gluten-free', although some manufacturers are choosing to label in this way by choice rather than necessity.

Some manufacturers also use the Crossed Grain symbolOur licensed symbol which manufacturers buy to display on gluten-free food. - this can be regarded as a safety net as it is only licensed to manufacturers who can guarantee their foods are gluten-free.

You may want to direct your patients to our Reading Labels section.

Ingredients list

Gluten-free:

• aspartame
• artificial sweetener
• caramel
• citric acid
• corn malt
• dextrose
• glucose syrup
• isomalt
• magnesium stearate
• maize starch
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• modified maize starch
• modified starch
• monosodium glutamate
• rice malt
• rice rusk
• sorbitol
• textured vegetable protein
• xanthan gum.

Not gluten-free:

• wheat flour
• wheat starch
• modified wheat starch
• wheat rusk
• wheat bran
• barley malt
• barley flour
• oat bran
• rye flour.

References

1. The Food Labelling (Amendment) (England) (No.2) Regulations 2004.

2. Commission Directive 2005/26/EC of 21 March 2005.  Official Journal of the European Union. 22.3.2005.

3. Guidance notes on the Food Labelling (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2004.