Gfreely Supports New FDA Standards for Gluten-Free Food Labeling

NEW YORK - Aug. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- Consumers with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity will soon have more clarity when choosing foods to meet their dietary needs thanks to new federal guidelines. For gfreely, a company that strives to make the gluten-free lifestyle simple and accessible, the FDA ruling is a big step forward for consumer empowerment.

“The FDA’s ruling is in line with our mission to take the frustration and confusion out of going gluten-free,” said Dan Schiffman, gfreely’s founder and CEO. “We hope that this is the first in a series of steps to help regulate this growing segment of the food industry and give customers a clearer representation of the products being offered.”

On Friday, the FDA announced that food manufacturers have a year to comply with a list of federal guidelines that must be met for foods to use the terms “gluten-free,” “no gluten,” “free of gluten,” or “without gluten.” The guidelines include ingredient restrictions and a gluten limit of less than 20 parts per million (ppm), a level which the FDA says is a safe and consistent with the rulings of other bodies that set standards for food safety.

“This decision will help gluten-free consumers make safer choices, and we’re glad the FDA has taken action. Before this ruling, the decision to label a product as gluten-free was solely up to the manufacturer – no clear, FDA standard was set,” said Schiffman. “However, some people with celiac disease may not be able to tolerate 20 ppm. Eventually, we would like to see the classification go even further and include specific labels for foods that are below the 20 ppm limit.”

Since 2012, gfreely has partnered with the makers of healthy, certified gluten-free foods to introduce consumers to new products and recipes. The FDA decision will allow gfreely and other providers to continue to help consumers make informed dietary choices.

About gfreely: Individuals with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance can find it particularly difficult to find new foods while maintaining a strict gluten-free diet. Gfreely’s subscription service enables individuals and families to discover new gluten-free snacks and recipes every month at an affordable price. Gfreely boxes and ships the art of surprise, discovery and simplicity for the gluten free community. A gluten-free diet is adhered to by over six million Americans, and gfreely is the only service that matches people with the products and recipes to make their gluten-free diet simple, healthy and fun. For more information, visit http://www.gfreely.com.