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IN THIS ISSUE

GFCO Accredited to ISO

17065

GFCO & FSMA

GFFS Certification

Training Staff for Gluten

Free Manufacturing

A Unique Opportunity

The Celiac Response to

Gluten-Removed Beer

Certification Updates

GFCO Contact Information

Food

Safety

First

GFCO ACCREDITED TO ISO 17065

The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America is pleased to an-nounce that they have been granted ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), after a thorough assessment and review of its quality management system and competence to perform gluten-free product certifications. This achievement of A2LA accreditation demonstrates an organiza-tion’s competence to manage and perform the activities defined by its A2LA Scope of Accreditation (A2LA Certificate 4060.01). These ac-tivities include gluten-free certification of foods, beverages, nutrition-als/supplements and personal care items. ABOUT THE ISO 17065 STANDARD: The 17065 standard describes internationally-accepted best-practices for certifi-cation of products, and for assuring that any product bearing a certification logo meets the requirements for certification. Unlike the 17021 standard, which only covers a manufacturer’s management system and is assessed through a paper-work audit, the 17065 standard has requirements for product evaluation and ongoing product surveillance in order to maintain certification. ABOUT A2LA: A2LA is the largest U.S.-based, multi-discipline accreditation body with over 35

years of experience providing internationally recognized accreditation services

and quality training. A2LA’s world-class accreditation services encompass test-

ing and calibration laboratories, medical testing laboratories, inspection bodies,

proficiency testing providers, reference material producers and product certifica-

tion bodies. Organizations are accredited to international standards and field-

specific requirements developed with government and industry collaboration.

GFCO &

FSMA

The Food Safety Modernization Act

is now in effect for Medium and

Large businesses. The GFCO re-

quirements for certification fit within

the FSMA requirements for preven-

tive controls for allergens, and also

include documentation of supplier

verification and transport checks

that are part of FSMA and the Safe

Food for Canadians Act. GFCO re-

quirements are also in line with

FSMA in regards to: raw material,

equipment and finished product

testing that are risk-based; require-

ments for traceability and confirma-

tion of recall procedures; sanitation

requirements between gluten-

containing and gluten-free produc-

tion; the documentation of correc-

tive actions, and documented em-

ployee training.

GFCO regularly reviews its Stand-

ard requirements to ensure their

alignment with FSMA, and to make

sure that there is no duplication of

effort by the manufacturers of

GFCO-certified products. Contact

GFCO if you have any questions

about fitting gluten-free certification

into your FSMA program.

REMINDER: Testing Submissions for the fourth quarter of 2016 were due on Jan. 10th. Please make sure you have submitted your data to testing@gluten.org.

February 2017

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Proper training is essential for gluten-free manufacturing

Training Staff for Gluten-Free

Manufacturing GFCO gluten-free product certification

requires that all Company employees

involved in manufacturing, or that interact

with consumers, be trained on gluten-free

production practices. But what should

this training include, and where can a

manufacturer find training materials to

use for their employees?

Training Basics The exact training that you provide for

your employees will need to be tailored to

your facility and production practices. But

in general, staff training should include:

1) Information on the primary sources of

gluten (wheat, rye, barley and their relat-

ed grains and hybrids, such as triticale),

2) A discussion of the serious diseases

that can be caused or exacerbated by

gluten, including celiac disease and non-

celiac gluten intolerance. This training

should emphasize that gluten-free is a

medical diet and that ensuring the gluten-

free status of certified products is just as

important as allergen control, and 3) Spe-

cific instructions for avoiding gluten cross

-contact in your production facility. An

allergen program can be an excellent

start for training staff to handle gluten in

the facility, but it needs to be amended to

include all possible gluten sources, and

not just wheat.

Dedicated Facilities Companies that operate dedicated gluten

-free facilities should also make sure that

their employees are trained in the best

practices for maintaining gluten-free op-

erations. This would include training on:

1) Procedures for ordering raw materials

to ensure that only gluten-free items are

purchased, 2) Checking incoming ship-

ments to make sure no gluten-containing

items are accepted, and 3) the facility’s

policies regarding the foods that can en-

ter the employee break room, and any

requirements for clothing changes or the

use of coveralls or aprons in the manu-

facturing area.

Finding Information The Gluten Intolerance Group website,

www.gluten.org, has information on glu-

ten sources and the medical impact of

gluten, and can be a great resource for

general materials that can be used in any

facility. There are many sources for basic

allergen control plans that can be

amended to cover gluten and your specif-

ic manufacturing practices. One example

is the Food Allergy Research and Re-

source Program at the University of Ne-

braska, farrp.unl.edu/allergen-control-

food-industry.

GFFS Certification

for Food Service

In addition to the GFCO certifica-

tion for gluten-free packaged prod-

ucts, the Gluten Intolerance Group

offers an additional certification for

establishments such as restau-

rants, bakeries, hospitals, cafete-

rias and any other business that

provides Gluten-Free Food Service

(GFFS).

This process certification provides

consumers with the assurance that

your facility is operating under best

practices for providing gluten-free

meals.

If you are interested in learning

more about the GFFS certification

program, please contact Vaska

Wunsche or Lindsey Yeakle:

vaska.wunsche@gluten.org

lindsey.yeakle@gluten.org

(253) 833-6655

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The Celiac Patient Antibody Response to

Conventional and Gluten-Removed Beer

In December of 2016 the Gluten Intolerance Group published a study that looked at whether the se-

rum antibodies of symptomatic celiac patients (those still consuming gluten) would recognize the pro-

teins in traditional beer, gluten-free beer or gluten-removed beer. Gluten-removed beer has been

treated enzymatically to remove residual gluten proteins, and is intended for gluten-free consumers.

This study found that while none of the celiac patient sera reacted to the gluten-free beer, some re-

acted to a gluten-removed beer sample. This study may indicate that celiac patient sera can be used

to assess product safety. The full text of this article can be accessed free of charge at: http://

aoac.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/aoac/jaoac/pre-prints/content-jaoacint.160184

Be a Part of a Unique Event for Gluten-Free Teens

The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and our Generation GF program are proud to announce the inaugural Generation GF Teen Summit & Family Retreat. This educational event will be taking place at the Walt Disney World resort from June 27th - June 30th 2018 and is open to select gluten-free teens and their families. Our goal is provide the platform and resources for our gluten-free teens to discuss topics that are relevant to them as they go through the every day challenges of being a teenager following a restricted diet.

This dynamic, interactive event will help build the confidence in these youth and allow them to be-come the next leaders of our gluten-free community. We are currently seeking sponsors to collaborate with Generation GF in putting together this unique opportunity for these kids and fami-lies. Company sponsorship will allow for us to bring in the most sought-after speakers, host special "bonding events" such as welcome receptions and pool parties, and create the best environment for those in attendance. Your support will also show these special families that despite what they some-times feel, they are never alone in their journey.

If you have questions or want to find out more information about the 2018 Generation GF Teen Sum-mit & Family Retreat, please contact Chris Rich, VP of Development for the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) at 253-545-1826 or chris.rich@gluten.org. You can also visit the event site at www.gfteensummit.com.

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GFCO CONTACTS Customer Service For general certification questions and changes to your certification, including changes to Products, Ingredients and manufacturing facilties. customerservice@gluten.org 253-833-6655 Accounting For questions about payments for certification or audits. accounting@gluten.org 253-833-6655 Quality Control For questions about audit report findings and contract testing requirements. Jasmine Hagan jasmine.hagan@gluten.org 253-266-5422 Regulatory & Standards For questions about the GFCO Standard requirements, testing methods, and to report positive gluten test results > 10 ppm in finished product. Laura Allred laura.allred@gluten.org 253-455-0676 Vice President Channon Quinn channon.quinn@gluten.org 253-218-2956

Gluten Intolerance Group 31214 124th Ave SE Auburn, WA 98092 P: (253) 833-6655 F: (253) 833-6675 www.gluten.org Gluten Intolerance Group of North America® is a 501c3 nonprofit Washington State corporation. Tax ID 91-1458226.

Certification Updates GFCO began auditing to the 2016 revised Standard on July 1st, 2016.

Please contact your Customer Service Representative if you need a copy

of the Standard.

We are currently re-grouping audits regionally to save our clients on travel

costs, so your upcoming audit may not occur at the same time of year as

in the past. This will not affect your certification or your ability to receive an

updated certificate. GFCO will be performing one scheduled audit per year

for all facilities that are manufacturing certified products.

Several written policies and forms are available to the Brand Owners and

Plants that manufacture GFCO certified products. Please contact your

customer service representative if you would like a copy of any of these

documents:

The GFCO Approved Test Kit list, updated in January of 2017.

A testing log for recording all of the information we would like to

see with your testing submissions.

A policy on the types of vendor documents we need to see in order

to evaluate ingredient risks, including a vendor statement form ex-

ample.

A policy describing our ingredient risk levels and the testing need-

ed for each. Also includes methods for validating cleaning proce-

dures to meet equipment swabbing requirements.