What is Gluten Free?

Gluten Free @ The GF Lolly Co.

Hello! I’m Nadine - The owner and sole operator of The GF Lolly Co.; a fully Gluten Free online lolly shop here in Brisbane, Australia!

I began catering to Coeliacs since February 2022 and haven’t looked back! Earning the trust of thousands of Coeliacs has been an absolute honour.

Not just Coeliacs are safe here, everyone is! There's is absolutely no cross-contamination here so that means anyone with allergies can safely shop here (just make sure you use the allergen filters or read the ingredient list from each product page!)

Although I am not the manufacturer of the products I offer, I 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.

(Did you know, to test your products at a Coeliac Australia referred laboratory, it costs $70 per item - as of 2022 - this isn't feasible for small businesses).

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 GF Lolly Co. I 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 manufacturer to label their products '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, as we have the world's strictest Gluten Free labelling guidelines. 
  • Internationally owned products that are labelled 'Gluten Free' are still sold here, and are labelled as 'GLUTEN FREE [NIL DETECTED]' in the description box. If the product wasn't tested for gluten presence, but the ingredient list or manufacturer have confirmed there is no 'may contain', those products will be labelled as '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 gluten free if the production method can successfully remove the gluten. However, this cannot be proven without testing. 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 have discussed this numerous occasions between 2022-2025.

    I have been selling their products since September 2022, and these have been hugely popular by the Coeliac Community, due to their similarities to Allen's products. 

 

4. Manufacturer has confirmed that they test for gluten in their products.

  • The GF Lolly Co. has contacted (if possible) all manufacturers of the brands I stock to find out if they can confirm gluten testing or manufacturing processes. This includes brands who DO NOT label their products as 'Gluten Free', but ARE Gluten Free by ingredient. 
  • All ingredient and testing information (if applicable) is given for each lolly in the description box. [GLUTEN FREE: NIL DETECTED], [GLUTEN FREE: BY INGREDIENT].
     

Australian & New Zealand Guidelines

Gluten Free labelling guidelines in AUS and NZ:

  1. Gluten Free: Contains no detectable gluten (2ppm or less).
    [2ppm = 0.0002% = 2mg/kg]
  2. Low Gluten: Contains 3ppm or more, but 200ppm or less of gluten.
    [3ppm = 0.0003% = 3mg/kg] | [200ppm = 0.02% = 200mg/kg]
  3. 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 I include whether the product is Gluten Free by Ingredient, or Gluten Free - NIL Detected, so that the customer can make their own personal decision.

 

United States, United Kingdom & European Guidelines

Gluten Free labelling guidelines in US, UK and EU:

  1. Gluten Free: Contains less than [20ppm] or [0.002%] or [20mg/kg] of gluten.
  2. 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." (BeyondCeliac.org)

In Defense of 20 Parts Per Million: A Letter from Dr. Alessio Fasano of the Center for Celiac Research at Massachusetts General Hospital

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 confirm if they have tested, or how cross-contamination is prevented in the manufacturing process. 

The above information (ingredients and/or gluten test result) is available in the description box of each product.

If you have any questions regarding gluten free ingredients, please contact the owner (Nadine) at info@thegflollyco.com.au