APA News

  • EU Definition of "Gluten Free" conflicts with standards applicable to Australian imports



    Melbourne Public Analyst Len Davies

    Australian Public Analyst Len Davies has highlighted a conflict between EU Definition of “Gluten Free” and standard applicable in Australia. Len who is the Public Analyst at DTS Food Laboratories in Melbourne, is a specialist in labeling and legislation.

    Len has noted that the EU definition of Gluten free is that the food as sold to the final consumer should contain no more than 20mg/kg of gluten.and that this conflicts with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code Standard 1.2.7 which states one of the the conditions for a gluten free claim ” the food must not contain detectable gluten “.

    Len comments that the method used in his Laboratory allows Gluten to be detected down to a level of 5 mg/kg and that there could be an issue with imported foods from the UK / EU claiming ” gluten free ”  .