What is Gluten Free?
Gluten Free @ The GF Lolly Co.
Did you know, The GF Lolly Co. (formally Lolly & Co.) is the first and only 'Pick n Mix' lollies & international candy shop to become educated and aware of Coeliac Disease and cross-contamination of allergens (specifically Gluten), in order to create a safe environment for those on a strictly gluten free diet?
At The GF Lolly Co. we offer a safe shopping experience for those with Gluten Intolerance, Gluten Allergy and Coeliac Disease.
Although we are not manufacturers of the products we offer, I (owner) thoroughly read all product ingredient lists prior to determining whether it is suitable for those on a strictly gluten free diet, or not. I do my best to ensure the ingredient lists are readily available for all customers who visit the website.
Those on a Gluten Free diet make up the majority of my customer base, and I am forever grateful to you all, you are the reason The GF Lolly Co. is where it is at today!
Gluten Free Guidelines in Australia
Did you know, standards set by Coeliac Australia are very strict around 'Gluten Free' claims? For example, we all know Skittles at the supermarket are 'Gluten Free', but have you ever wondered why they don't just print 'GLUTEN FREE' on the packaging, to make it easier to identify?
Well, this is because in order for Australian and New Zealand companies to label that product 'Gluten Free', it MUST be tested with equipment and show less than 3 parts per million of gluten.
But - not many companies will, or have the ability to, extensively test for tiny gluten amounts. However, internationally, such as the US, UK and EU, 'Gluten Free' labelling is much more feasible, hence why you will find 'Gluten Free' labelled products are extremely common over there, unlike Australia.
At The LGF Lolly Co. we only include products that are gluten free and are either:
1. Australian and New Zealand owned products labelled Gluten Free.
- For an Australian or New Zealand owned company to label their products as 'Gluten Free', they must test their products and the result must show fewer than 3ppm (parts per million) of gluten detected.
- [3 parts per million] = [0.0003%] = [3mg per kilogram]
- Did you know, Australia and New Zealand have the strictest guidelines surrounding Gluten Free labelling?
2. Internationally owned products labelled Gluten Free.
- In the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, for a company to label their products 'Gluten Free', they must test their products and the result must show fewer than 20ppm (parts per million) of gluten detected.
- [20 parts per million] = [0.002%] = [20mg per kilogram]
- At The GF Lolly Co., many of our products are sourced from overseas, which means the Gluten Free guidelines will not line up with Australia's and New Zealand's, as we have the world's strictest Gluten Free labelling guidelines.
- So, internationally owned products that are labelled 'Gluten Free' cannot be advertised as 'Gluten Free' here, so at www.lollyandco.com.au, all products that are considered gluten free, will have a badge that prints 'GF*', where the Asterisk (*) indicates that this dietary claim is elaborated in the description box of that product, where relevant gluten testing information will be provided if applicable. [Gluten Free Tested: XYZ PPM], [Gluten Free by Ingredient].
3. Gluten Free by Ingredient.
- Products that are labelled 'GF*' means that the product DOES NOT include ingredients that contain gluten. These ingredients include: GLUTEN, WHEAT*, OATS, BARLEY, MALT & RYE.
- *Wheat in the form of Glucose, Glucose Syrup, Dextrose, Maltose, Maltodextrin, Caramel Colour and Monosodium Glutamate are Gluten Free. The production methods of these ingredients involve a high level of hydrolysation, which means that there is no gluten present in the final product. Wheat Starch can be considered gluten free if the production method can successfully remove the gluten. However, the manufacturer of a particular product that contains Wheat Starch MUST CONFIRM if they've tested it for gluten or not, and what the result was, in parts per million. Otherwise, Wheat Starch should be avoided if not confirmed, or else the risk of gluten presence is too high, which is unsafe for Coeliac consumption.
- Please note; we offer products (all from the same manufacturer based in Victoria, Australia) that use Wheat Starch in their production. This company TEST their product for gluten. The strength of their equipment can detect as low as 5 PPM (parts per million). This company have never had a positive gluten count since they begun routine testing in 2015 - lines are routinely swabbed for gluten presence and have never had a positive swab. [Gordon Kerr: Head of Food Technology].
Email communications by myself (Owner) and the Head of Food Technology; Gordon Kerr, from this company to discuss this matter.
We have been selling their products since September 2022, and has been hugely popular by the Coeliac Community, due to their similarities to Allen's gummy products. We have received no complaints from those who cannot consume gluten, which proves the accuracy of this product brand's testing!
4. Manufacturer has confirmed that they test for gluten in their products.
- The GF Lolly Co. has contacted (if possible) with all manufacturers of the brands we stock to find out if they can give us the Gluten levels detected from their testing. This includes Australian and New Zealand brands who DO NOT label their products as 'Gluten Free', but ARE Gluten Free by ingredient. This also includes International brands who label their products as 'Gluten Free', to see at how many parts per million of gluten that their products contain, between 0ppm-19ppm.
- In the 'Pick n Mix' lolly section, all ingredient and testing information (if applicable) is given for each lolly in the description box. [Gluten Free Tested: XYZ PPM], [Gluten Free by Ingredient].
Australian & New Zealand Guidelines
Gluten Free labelling guidelines in AUS and NZ:
- Gluten Free: Contains no detectable gluten ([2ppm] or less).
[2ppm = 0.0002% = 2mg/kg] -
Low Gluten: Contains 3ppm or more, but 200ppm or less of gluten.
[3ppm = 0.0003% = 3mg/kg] | [200ppm = 0.02% = 200mg/kg]
- Contains Gluten: Contains more than 200ppm of gluten.
Coeliac Australia.
In Australia and New Zealand, if a food product is tested for gluten, and it shows that it contains between 3ppm and 200ppm, that product is considered 'Low Gluten' and cannot be labelled 'Gluten Free'. If the product tested results in gluten levels higher than 200ppm, it is considered 'High in Gluten' and must include 'Contains: Gluten' on the packaging.
However, if the product contains no gluten-containing ingredients, but is not tested for gluten levels, it still cannot be labelled as 'Gluten Free'. This is what is called; Gluten Free by Ingredient - as long as there are no 'May Contain' statements regarding gluten-containing ingredients (such as unprocessed wheat, rye, oats, barley and malt).
So this is why we use an asterisk in our product badging [GF*] so that the customer can refer to the description area of each product of interest. On the invoice and packing sheets, a [GF] stamp will be below the product title, for customers to refer to when unpacking their order.
United States, United Kingdom & European Guidelines
Gluten Free labelling guidelines in US, UK and EU:
- Gluten Free: Contains less than [20ppm] or [0.002%] or [20mg/kg] of gluten.
- Low Gluten: Contains less than [100ppm] or [0.01%] or [100mg/kg] of gluten.
"10 milligrams of gluten per day is generally considered by experts to be a safe amount for individuals with celiac disease." Gluten Free Watchdog.
Understanding Less Than 20 Parts Per Million (PPM)
"It is a common misconception that foods labelled “gluten-free” can or do contain zero parts per million (ppm) of gluten. At this time, no validated tests are able to accurately detect gluten at zero. Less than 20 ppm is an amount that has been deemed safe by celiac disease experts for most people living with the genetic autoimmune disease."
In 2011, Beyond Celiac Scientific/Medical Advisory Council Member Dr. Alessio Fasano of the Center for Celiac Research at Massachusetts General Hospital (formerly at the University of Maryland), wrote a letter called “In Defense of 20 Parts Per Million.” In this letter, Dr. Fasano explains why this amount has been deemed safe for most people with celiac disease.
Summary
At The GF Lolly Co., for a product to be labelled 'GF*', it is either made with gluten free ingredients, and does not mention any cross-contamination or the manufacturer was able to provide us with the result (in parts per million) when they've tested their products for gluten. The results are typically given to us as '< 20ppm', '< 10ppm', '< 5ppm', '< 3ppm', '< 2.5ppm'.
The above information (ingredients and/or gluten test result) is available in the description box of each product, including the 'Pick n Mix' lollies.
Different results are given, depending on the manufacturer, because the advancement of gluten testing technology varies between manufacturer, and there are also different guidelines to follow for gluten free labelling in different countries. For example, Australian products must test under 3 parts per million.
If you have any questions regarding gluten free ingredients, please contact the owner (Nadine) at info@thegflollyco.com.au