How gluten-free is your gluten-free product? For celiac sufferers and gluten-sensitive individuals, that’s not a frivolous question.
Cereal scientists on the AACC International Protein and Enzyme Methods Committee released two new methods for determining and quantifying gluten in processed foods labeled gluten-free. Both observe the Codex Alimentarius guideline level of no more than 200 p.p.m. (20 mg per kg). In August 2013, the Food and Drug Administration announced the same threshold for labeling gluten-free foods. One method, No. 38-50.01, covers foods made from corn flour and corn-based ingredients; the other, No. 38-55.01, concerns fermented cereal-based products. Both employ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.
