The Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) urges the Codex Committee on Food Labelling to include gluten in its new Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL) guidelines. AOECS warns that excluding gluten risks both safety and choice for coeliac patients. The call comes ahead of the Codex meeting in Québec City starting on 27 October 2024.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich have confirmed that gluten can migrate from certain biodegradable food contact materials (FCMs) into gluten-free foods, posing a risk to individuals with coeliac disease. The study found gluten levels as high as 203 mg/L in liquids exposed to wheat bran-based plates, significantly exceeding safe limits. Caution is advised for coeliacs.
For consumers with celiac disease, it is important to be able to detect if food contains gluten. Precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) is a voluntary labelling practice used by food manufacturers to communicate the potential presence of allergens in food products that are not intentionally added as ingredients. AOECS advocates for further clarity and consistency for consumer-friendly labelling.
AOECS seeks clarification from the European Commission on a proposed change in Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. This is a key piece of legislation within the European Union that governs the use of food additives (e.g. that can replace gluten). AOECS accepts the suggested change, but the main concern is if the current rules remain unchanged despite a new categorization.
Three independent studies from Coeliac Societies revealed gluten can migrate from food contact materials into gluten-free food. European Commission now assures ongoing preparatory efforts toward revising European Food Contact Material regulations to enhance consumer information, including labeling requirements and stricter rules on substance migration into food.
There is a belief that gluten-free products are healthier than gluten-containing thereby leading people to eat a gluten-free diet despite not having to. However, research presented in the new AOECS Scientific Research eBook shows that gluten-free food gives no added nutritional value and in some cases even is less healthy than equivalent gluten-containing products.
The Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) successfully held its Celiac Annual Conference and 35th General Assembly in Athens, Greece on September 2-5. Two celiac societies from Georgia and Israel have been accepted as AOECS affiliate members. The event was elegantly hosted by the Hellenic Coeliac Society and over 130 participants met over two days in Athens.
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Make sure to get a seat on AOECS coeliac awareness day webinars that run all through May, 2023. The webinars are free, but there are a limited number of seats. Register today!
Can biodegradeable food packages contaminate gluten free food? Three studies conducted by three different national coeliac societies indicate this. For the time being, coeliacs should avoid packages derived from gluten-containing cereals. AOECS invites to a webinar on this topic on February 7th, 2023. Follow link to save a seat.
AOECS is an international non-profit organisation representing national coeliac societies from 34 different countries to strengthen and make our voice heard to raise awareness of coeliac disease, promote research into the diagnosis and management of this illness and to facilitate easy access to safe gluten free food.
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