Allergen labelling

EU wide allergen labelling directive 2003/89/EC became mandatory on 25th November 2005 and applies to all pre-packaged foods. This directive is a major step forward for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.

Gluten containing cereals (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridised strains) are one of the 12 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 the new labelling regulations, whereas before these did not have to be listed (1).

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 (EFSA) 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 disease: 

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

Other gluten-free 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 the new allergen legislation are prohibited from sale.

What your patients need to know:

• All ingredients derived from a gluten containing cereal (regardless of the amount used) will have to be listed on food packaging in the ingredients list.
• Manufacturers can also highlight a gluten-containing ingredient in an allergy advice or 'CONTAINS' box which is recommended by the Food Standard Agency. However 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 gluten-containing ingredients.
• If gluten is not present the product 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 symbol - this can be regarded as a safety net as it is only licensed to manufacturers who can guarantee their foods are gluten-free.

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.