Jezu Admin – 09/19/2010 4:16 PM
In Europe gluten-free oat is part of celiacs' everyday diet. But in the United States they don't recommend oat for celiacs. Why is that? Many studies show that gluten-free oat products are safe for celiacs.
Celiac Sprue Association: The Scoop on OatsKeliaakikko vm. -07 / Celiac since -07
c_lee 10 messages – 10/02/2010 12:51 PM
Gluten free oats is a myth. Oats have a different gluten structure. (Beta-gluten) Also many companies dust the oats with wheat to keep the flakes separate. In Australia, by government regulation. Anything that is gluten free must be tested and must come in at 5 part per million and less. The so called gluten free oats come in at 10 parts per million. Some countries 20 parts per million is considered gluten free.So if you are living in such a country, yes oats will be gluten free, by law only.
If oats are less in some countries, it could be genetically modified. That should be of some concern.You can always ask the suppliers for data and the results of testing. They shouldn't be making claims with evidence.
Ad
Jezu Admin – 10/03/2010 9:47 PM
Maybe a better name for gluten-free oat is pure oat which is not contaminated with other grains (yes, there is gluten in oat but it's harmless for most celiacs). It's true that countries have different definitions for gluten-freep products. In European Union (27 countries) have joint regulations for gluten-free products. There is two types of gluten-free products: gluten-free (20mg/kg) and very low gluten (100mg/kg). All products can contain pure oat and wheat starch if there is less gluten than 100mg/kg, so it's bit hard for them who follow naturally gluten-free diet. Scientific community has proven these gluten-levels and oat issue safe for celiacs.
Here is this quite new EU regulation:
Commission Regulation (EC) No 41/2009
of 20 January 2009
concerning the composition and labelling of foodstuffs suitable for people intolerant to gluten
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 89/398/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses [1], and in particular Article 2(3) and Article 4a thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Directive 89/398/EEC concerns foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses which owing to their special composition or manufacturing process are intended to satisfy the particular nutritional requirements of specific categories of the population. People with coeliac disease are such a specific group of the population suffering from a permanent intolerance to gluten.
(2) The food industry has developed a range of products presented as "gluten-free" or similar equivalent terms. Differences between national provisions concerning the conditions for the use of such product descriptions may impede the free movement of the concerned products and may fail to ensure the same high level of protection for consumers. For the sake of clarity and in order to avoid confusing consumers with different types of product descriptions at national level, the conditions for the use of the terms related to the absence of gluten should be laid down at Community level.
(3) Wheat (i.e. all Triticum species, such as durum wheat, spelt, and kamut), rye and barley, have been identified as grains that are scientifically reported to contain gluten. The gluten present in those grains can cause adverse health effects to persons intolerant to gluten and therefore should be avoided by them.
(4) The removal of gluten from gluten-containing grains presents considerable technical difficulties and economic constraints and therefore the manufacture of totally gluten-free food is difficult. Consequently, many foodstuffs for this particular nutritional use on the market may contain low residual amounts of gluten.
(5) Most but not all people with intolerance to gluten can include oats in their diet without adverse effect on their health. This is an issue of ongoing study and investigation by the scientific community. However, a major concern is the contamination of oats with wheat, rye or barley that can occur during grain harvesting, transport, storage and processing. Therefore, the risk of gluten contamination in products containing oats should be taken into consideration with regard to labelling of those products.
(6) Different people with intolerance to gluten may tolerate variable small amounts of gluten within a restricted range. In order to enable individuals to find on the market a variety of foodstuffs appropriate for their needs and for their level of sensitivity, a choice of products should be possible with different low levels of gluten within such a restricted range. It is important, however, that the different products should be properly labelled in order to ensure the correct use of those products by people intolerant to gluten with the support of information campaigns fostered in the Member States.
(7) Foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses which have been specially formulated, processed or prepared to meet the dietary needs of people intolerant to gluten and marketed as such should be labelled either as "very low gluten" or "gluten-free" in accordance with the provisions laid down in this Regulation. These provisions can be achieved by the use of foodstuffs which have been specially processed to reduce the gluten content of one or more gluten containing ingredients and/or foodstuffs where the gluten containing ingredients have been substituted by other ingredients naturally free of gluten.
(8) Article 2(3) of Directive 89/398/EEC provides for the possibility for foodstuffs for normal consumption which are suitable for a particular nutritional use to indicate such suitability. Therefore, it should be possible for a normal food which is suitable as part of a gluten-free diet because it does not contain ingredients derived from gluten containing grains or oats to bear terms indicating the absence of gluten. Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs [2], requires that such a statement does not mislead the consumer by suggesting that the food possesses special characteristics when in fact all similar foodstuffs possess such characteristics.
(9) Commission Directive 2006/141/EC of 22 December 2006 on infant formulae and follow-on formulae and amending Directive 1999/21/EC [3], prohibits the use of ingredients containing gluten in the manufacture of such foodstuffs. Therefore, the use of the terms "very low gluten" or "gluten-free" on the labelling of such products should be prohibited given that pursuant to the present Regulation, this labelling is used for indicating respectively a content of gluten not exceeding 100 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg.
(10) Commission Directive 2006/125/EC of 5 December 2006 on processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children [4] requires the indication of the presence or the absence of gluten when the product is intended for infants below six months of age. The absence of gluten in those products should be indicated in accordance with the requirements laid down in this Regulation.
(11) The Codex Standard for Foods for Special Dietary Use for Persons Intolerant to Gluten was adopted by the 31st session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in July 2008 [5], with a view to enabling those persons to find on the market a variety of food suitable to their needs and to their level of sensitivity to gluten. That standard should be taken appropriately into consideration for the purposes of this Regulation.
(12) In order to allow the economic operators to adapt their production process, the date of application of the present Regulation should allow the necessary transitional period. However products which at the date of entry into force of this Regulation already comply with it can be marketed in the Community as from the date of entry into force of the present Regulation.
(13) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Scope
This Regulation shall apply to foodstuffs other than the infant formulae and follow-on formulae covered by Directive 2006/141/EC.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) "foodstuffs for people intolerant to gluten" means foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses which are specially produced, prepared and/or processed to meet the special dietary needs of people intolerant to gluten;
(b) "gluten" means a protein fraction from wheat, rye, barley, oats or their crossbred varieties and derivatives thereof, to which some persons are intolerant and which is insoluble in water and 0,5 M sodium chloride solution;
(c) "wheat" means any Triticum species.
Article 3
Composition and labelling of foodstuffs for people intolerant to gluten
1. Foodstuffs for people intolerant to gluten, consisting of or containing one or more ingredients made from wheat, rye, barley, oats or their crossbred varieties which have been especially processed to reduce gluten, shall not contain a level of gluten exceeding 100 mg/kg in the food as sold to the final consumer.
2. The labelling, advertising and presentation of the products referred to in paragraph 1 shall bear the term "very low gluten". They may bear the term "gluten-free" if the gluten content does not exceed 20 mg/kg in the food as sold to the final consumer.
3. Oats contained in foodstuffs for people intolerant to gluten must have been specially produced, prepared and/or processed in a way to avoid contamination by wheat, rye, barley, or their crossbred varieties and the gluten content of such oats must not exceed 20 mg/kg.
4. Foodstuffs for people intolerant to gluten, consisting of or containing one or more ingredients which substitute wheat, rye, barley, oats or their crossbred varieties shall not contain a level of gluten exceeding 20 mg/kg in the food as sold to the final consumer. The labelling, presentation and advertising of those products shall bear the term "gluten-free".
5. Where foodstuffs for people intolerant to gluten contain both ingredients which substitute wheat, rye, barley, oats or their crossbred varieties and ingredients made from wheat, rye, barley, oats or their crossbred varieties which have been especially processed to reduce gluten, paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 shall apply and paragraph 4 shall not apply.
6. The terms "very low gluten" or "gluten-free" referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 shall appear in proximity to the name under which the food is sold.
Article 4
Composition and labelling of other foodstuffs suitable for people intolerant to gluten
1. Without prejudice to Article 2(1)(a)(iii) of Directive 2000/13/EC, the labelling, advertising and presentation of the following foodstuffs may bear the term "gluten-free" provided that the gluten content does not exceed 20 mg/kg in the food as sold to the final consumer:
(a) foodstuffs for normal consumption;
(b) foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses which are specially formulated, processed or prepared to meet special dietary needs other than those of people intolerant to gluten but which are nevertheless suitable, by virtue of their composition, to meet the special dietary needs of people intolerant to gluten.
2. The labelling, advertising and presentation of foodstuffs referred to in paragraph 1 shall not bear the term "very low gluten".
Article 5
Entry into force and application
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply as from 1 January 2012.
However, foodstuffs which at the date of entry into force of the present Regulation already comply with the provisions of the Regulation may be placed on the market in the Community.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 20 January 2009.
For the Commission
Androulla Vassiliou
Member of the Commission
Commission Regulation (EC) No 41/2009 of 20 January 2009 concerning the composition and labelling of foodstuffs suitable for people intolerant to gluten Text with EEA relevance Keliaakikko vm. -07 / Celiac since -07
c_lee 10 messages – 10/06/2010 8:39 AM
Thanks for the EU information. After reading it a few times it can be summmarised as: The food must be made under strict conditions, in a gluten free environment. Testing is to be regular to ensure quality and gluten control is of standards under the regulation. Labelling must be detailed and accurate.
That's no different to over her except the ratio of what constitutes gluten free. Aust. and New Zealand have exactly the same laws in every aspect when it comes to gluten free and general food manufacture. In our ratio to be gluten free is 5:1,000,000. Low is 6 to 20:1,000,000.
Thanks for the Eu information. I am sure my customers will appreciate that information before they go to Europe.
Fergus 3 messages – 08/19/2011 4:19 PM
Most oats are a concern for U.S. Celiacs due to cross contamination by the manufacturers. Some Celiacs even react to the the gluten-free oats, because of the genetic structure of the oats. There is no way currently to determine which celiac will react to oats. Celias, wishing to introduce oats to their diet are recommended to do so under the supervision of their physician.
Fergus 3 messages – 08/19/2011 4:44 PM
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is currently asking for public comment on it's proposed regulation requiring those foodstuffs labeled Gluten-Free, not exceed 20mg/ kg. The proposal can be found by going to the FDA web site, www.FDA.gov. Many U.S. Celiacs feel if a product is to be labeled, "gluten-free," it should contain 0mg/kg, similar to calling a product labeled "sugar free," for diabetics.
Fergus 3 messages – 08/19/2011 4:50 PM
Even.though some strains of oats are created to be "gluten-free," some Celiacs still have a reaction. Perhaps, it's the area the oats are grown in or the way they're harvested or processed. We may never know but it needs further investigation.
Ad
Jezu Admin – 08/19/2011 4:54 PM
It's interesting how country related these matters are. In Finland people have eaten low-gluten products (less than 100mg/kg) for years without any problems (of course some of the most sensitive celiacs have to be on naturally gluten-free diet without oats).
In Finland we have many gluten-free "pure oat" products. In these products it is made sure that there is no cross contamination in any phase of the manufacturing process from harvesting to end product.Keliaakikko vm. -07 / Celiac since -07
c_lee 10 messages – 01/28/2013 3:17 AM
Europeans travelling in Australia and new Zealand should be aware the two governments have decalred ALL oats are not gluten free as the testimng of "gluten free" oats falls outside the legal limit of 5 parts per million. The gluten free oats as evereyone is talking about comes in at 10 part per million. So travellers do not sak for gluten free oats in Australia. Above all, do not hold arguments with shop people about the issue. Yes some Europeans enter a debate with shop owners and assistance over gluten free oats.
Many people who have gluten issue may be able to consume the oats and shound not be discouraged. But in Australia and in New Zealand the laws of labelling are different and tough.
No company can advertise gluten free on their packaging unless it is government tested.
