Ferré & Consulting Blog (English Version)

A new US gluten-free certification aims to meet consumer demand for genuine products that carry the claim, say the groups behind the programme.

The Quality Assurance International (QAI) and the healthcare nonprofit National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) claim their “Certified Gluten-Free” label is independent and science-based, verified through inspections and product testing.

“Nationally, food allergies and the diagnosis of Celiac Disease are on the rise and we want to help eliminate confusion for consumers by providing them with a label they can trust based on sound science,” said QAI general manager Jaclyn Bowen.

“QAI’s 20-year focus in organic certification has made us experts in the prevention of contamination and co-mingling of ingredients; two skills sets that are critical in verifying and assuring gluten-free status.”

Sensitive testing and stringent auditing

According to QAI and NFCA, the new gluten-free certification programme requires sensitive testing procedures, a stringent auditing and an independent application review process.

This programme will involve an annual inspection that will evaluate feedback from consumers, manufacturers and retailers. This will include product reviews, ingredient verifications and onsite inspections.

Ongoing compliance with the scheme is also monitored, including random product testing, they said.

All companies are required to produce products at less than 10 parts per million (ppm) of gluten to receive certification.

“Widespread cross-contamination of source ingredients means that even manufacturers who singularly produce gluten-free products must incorporate adequate testing and verification protocols into their operating procedures,” said the QAI and NFCA.

“The stringent nature of the QAI certification protocols ensures prevention of contamination and co-mingling, critically important for those with allergies to gluten and gluten-intolerance.”

Source: Bakery and Snacks

packaging gluten-free products, labeling regulations

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that consumers in Italy are being misled by local legislation that allows confectioners to use the phrase “pure chocolate” on labels to describe chocolate made with 100% cocoa butter.

Italy was taken to court in 2008 after it failed to change its rules to meet EU laws that standardise sales names for cocoa and chocolate. Under EU law, products that contain up to 5% of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter can be labelled as chocolate.
The EU changed its chocolate labelling rules in 2000 after manufacturers’ use of non-vegetable fats – especially in the UK – triggered a row in the EU and prompted the directive.

The ECJ says, “According to the Commission, the consumer must be informed whether or not substitute vegetable fats are present in the chocolate through the labelling and not through the use of a separate sales name.”

Italy faces a fine if it fails to amend its law.

Chocolate labeling regulations, pure chocolate

A new range of cold swelling starches are designed to deliver texture and stability to baked goods without the need to declare them on an ingredient label.

The flagship product in the range, developed by Ulrick & Short, is a starch derived from wheat, which can be declared on a product label as ‘wheat flour’.

“We’ve got the right level of proteins in there so you can call it a flour, but equally we’ve retained all the properties of starch,” explained Adrian Short of Ulrick & Short.

Friendly starch

The ingredients, part of the firm’s Synergie range, work like any other starch to deliver body, texture, stability and mouthfeel to a range of food products.

However, because they are ‘cold swelling’ they do not require heat in order to deliver their functionality. This in itself is not uncommon in starch ingredients, but Short said the ingredients are also “process-friendly” in that they do not require high-speed mixing or high water content.

“Many cold starches on the market require a lot of mixing as they get quite hungry for water, and this often results in lumping issues. The way we dry our starches means they are easily dispersed, so they can work just as well with varying water levels or mixing speeds,” Short told FoodNavigator.com.

The firm uses a combination of three drying methods: spray drying, extrusion and a process called ‘fluculation’, which is a gentle drying method on starch that has not been too finely milled.

Shelf-life extension

The company’s wheat-derived starch ingredient is particularly suited for breads and other bakery products made with wheat flour, as this would allow for a cleaner label, said Short. Usage levels would vary between 2-5 per cent.

As well as delivering desired texture and stability, the starch could also help extend shelf-life by up to 1.5 days on a loaf of bread, explained Short. Together with its clean label status, this results in a slight price premium over modified starches, but prices remain “very competitive” compared to other clean label products, he said.

Other cold-swelling starches in the range are derived from maize and tapioca, which can be declared on labels as ‘cornflour’ and ‘tapioca starch’ respectively. These ingredients can be used in applications such as dairy, condiments, dips and sweets.

The new range is being rolled out in the UK market.

Source:  Bakeryandsnacks

Ingredients Ingredients, labeling regulations

The number of gluten-free products introduced continues to rise globally, and further double-digit growth recorded in 2009 will take the total number of products recorded in the Innova Market Insights database to more than double the level it was in 2007. The increase is due in part to improved labeling regulations, awareness of gluten intolerance in the diet and a desire for more mainstream and good-tasting gluten-free products across a range of food and beverage categories.

Innova Market Insights said more than 5% of the food and beverage launches in 2009 were marketed as gluten-free, with the level at more than 10% in Australia and New Zealand and at less than 1% in Asia. While there were higher launch figures in the US and Europe, this mainly reflects higher levels of food and beverage new product activity as a whole.

Sales of gluten-free foods in the US were estimated at more than US$1.5 billion a year, according to Innova Market Insights. Many of the US new products reflect value-added products offering additional benefits, and the products are no longer simply relying on a specialist gluten-free image. Innova noted it was especially significant the Betty Crocker brand from General Mills, Inc. has introduced the first nationally branded gluten-free bakery mixes in the US.

Ingredients gluten intolerance, gluten-free, labeling regulations