Can You Label Your Food Gluten-Free? The FDA Rule
Gluten-free sells, so it is tempting to put it on the label. But gluten-free is a defined claim, not a marketing word, and the FDA holds it to a hard number. Here is what you are promising when you print it, and how to know if your food qualifies.
Gluten-free means under 20 ppm
The FDA sets a single standard for the words gluten-free: the food must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. That threshold is the lowest level that can be reliably detected. It applies whether you write gluten-free, no gluten, free of gluten, or without gluten. All of them mean the same 20 ppm limit.
Naturally gluten-free still has to be clean
A food can be gluten-free three ways: it never had gluten, it is made from gluten-free ingredients, or any gluten-containing grain in it was processed to remove the gluten below the limit. Even a naturally gluten-free food, like a flourless cookie, cannot carry the claim if cross-contact in your kitchen pushes it over 20 ppm.
- Watch shared equipment, bowls, and surfaces that also touch wheat flour
- Watch ingredients that can hide gluten, like some oats, soy sauce, and malt
- A dusting of flour in the air of a home kitchen can be enough to matter
The claim is yours to back up
When you print gluten-free, you are the one responsible for the food meeting the limit. The FDA does not pre-approve the claim; it holds you to it. Sellers who make the claim often test finished products or source certified gluten-free ingredients and control cross-contact carefully. If you cannot stand behind the 20 ppm limit, leave the words off.
What Nutripane does and does not do
Nutripane formats your label: the panel, the ingredient list, the allergen line, and the required elements. It does not test your food for gluten and it cannot certify a gluten-free claim, because that depends on your ingredients and your kitchen, not the layout. Make the claim only when you can support it, and confirm the current rule with the FDA.
Questions
Can I put gluten-free on my food label?
Only if the food contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten, the FDA's defined limit for the claim, and that includes controlling cross-contact in your kitchen. You are responsible for the food meeting the limit, since the FDA does not pre-approve the claim.
Does a naturally gluten-free food need testing to say gluten-free?
The FDA does not require testing, but you are responsible for the claim being true, including that cross-contact has not pushed the food over 20 ppm. Many sellers test finished products or use certified ingredients and strict separation to be confident before printing the words.
Keep reading
This page is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food and food labeling rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm current requirements with your state's cottage food program and the FDA before you sell. See your state's rules or how to label your product.