The FDA has yet to publish the GF labeling rules mandated by the 2004 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA)

The American Celiac Disease Alliance has organized an effort to spur the Food and Drug Administration to finish the congress-mandated FALCPA  labeling rules that were due in 2008.

Excerpt from section 206 of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-282, Title II): 
SEC. 206. GLUTEN LABELING. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with appropriate experts and stakeholders, shall issue a proposed rule to define, and permit use of, the term ``gluten-free'' on the labeling of foods. Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a final rule to define, and permit use of, the term ``gluten-free'' on the labeling of foods.

Food allergy labeling guidelines are of absolute necessity for those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and other food allergies. The FDA's food allergy guidelines pertaining to gluten free labeling are now nearly three years overdue!

The American Celiac Disease Alliance urges everyone to contact the FDA and their congressional representatives to let them know how important proper food labeling is to everyone in the gluten free community. Visit the ACDA's Action Alert site today to contact your elected officials. Let them know you want the FDA to finish the FALCPA labeling rules!

From Gluten Free Durham: Evaulating your gluten free diet in the new year

Please see the post by Debbie Jongkind, RD, LDN from our sister site at Gluten Free Durham.

Gluten Free Durham: Evaluating Your Gluten Free Diet in the New Year

Special Medical Report on Celiac Disease Awareness from the College of American Pathologists (CAP)

Jan 17, 2011 09:00 ET  

SOURCE: Answers Media

Celiac Disease Awareness: "Is Gluten-Free for Me? Separating Food Facts From Fads"

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - January 17, 2011) - Cari Aschauer is one of the ever-growing number of sufferers of Celiac disease -- an auto-immune reaction in the intestine to eating gluten.
This story introduces the basics of this particular disease, including its wide-range of symptoms, physician testing, and suggested treatment.
Viewers will not only learn about Cari's personal story of combating severe gastrointestinal complications and depression. They'll also hear from a board-certified pathologist, who can speak about:

• who is affected by Celiac disease
• what gluten is, and how it exacerbates symptoms
• what to do if you are experiencing the symptoms
• description of the simple blood test that can confirm diagnosis
• how simple diet changes can help treatment

While Celiac disease is growing more and more common, pathologists agree that if you are tested early and can make the appropriate adjustments to your diet, the negative effects of Celiac disease can be off-set that much sooner, or in Cari's case, be completely avoided. Since going gluten-free with her diet, Cari's intestinal lining has repaired itself from the effects of Celiac disease.

Featuring Board-Certified Pathologist
David L. Booker, MD, FCAP
Trinity Hospital of Augusta
Augusta, Georgia

Video links

How much are food-allergic/intolerant diners worth?

Press release from AllergyEats.com:

AllergyEats Founder Calculates the Power of the “Veto Vote”
BOSTON, MA (January 4, 2011) – For the past year, AllergyEats founder Paul Antico has encouraged restaurants to better accommodate food allergic and intolerant diners because it’s the right thing to do. Now, the financial expert is demonstrating another benefit to catering to the food allergy community: it can significantly increase restaurants’ profits.

100 Delectable Recipes for Your Gluten-Free Kid (or Adult)

The folks at nursingschools.net want to announce that they have put together a list of 100 easy to make gluten-free recipes for kids, though many adults will appreciate these as well.  The recipes are grouped by meal type, which include snacks, desserts, classics, beverages, etc. in addition to the usual breakfast, lunch, main courses, and sides. Each recipe is linked to its original source, so you're likely to find several more recipes you'll want to try. The homemade gluten free pizza from GFmommy looks like a sure bet!

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Mall has 10% off everything until Friday, Jan. 14.

10% Off Everything - Order by 1/14/11 Coupon: 194f25
(10% off product total, offer not valid with other specials or promotions. Limit 1 use per customer)

www.GlutenFreeMall.com

AllergyEats: the online guide to allergy-friendly restaurants and more!

AllergyEats.com, an online service founded by Paul Antico in Feb. 2010, contains a comprehensive online database of over 600,000 eating establishments across the United States, with menus, allergy information, and ratings provided by customers with food allergies. The site has been endorsed by several organizations, including the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the Gluten Intolerance Group, Healthy Villi, Go Dairy Free, and Best Allergy Sites.

Membership is free and member diners are encouraged to submit as many restaurant reviews as possible to add to the value of the database for everyone with food allergies. In addition, the site contains extensive dining tips, resources, relevant news articles, a directory of allergy-friendly bakeries, and an active blog, as well as information targeted to restaurateurs:

"The primary goal of AllergyEats is to connect food allergic individuals with restaurants that are deemed allergy-friendly by fellow food allergic peers.  Besides diner ratings, AllergyEats includes other restaurant information that the food allergy community finds valuable and that helps allergy-friendly restaurants increase patronage.  While AllergyEats looks to incorporate as much free publicly-available restaurant information as possible, it is always looking to add more content and give restaurants a means to promote themselves.  AllergyEats also aims to see more restaurants take the initiative to increase their level of allergy-friendliness."

I encourage everyone to join and contribute information based on their experiences with local eating establishments. Please share what you know with others, as the collective knowledge can only help to promote a more positive and healthy eating experience for everyone with food allergies and gluten intolerance.

Sample screenshot from Winston Salem 27104 zip code: 

The NCPTGIG Meeting scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 has been postponed.

The meeting has been postponed due to inclement weather and will be rescheduled. 

Is it inconsiderate to eat GF when dining with non-GF friends and family?

Note: We seem to be experiencing a dearth of comments in response to this story. Is everyone now committed to the avoidance of social gatherings for fear of causing someone else to be inconvenienced, or worse still, endangering their health with dietary non-compliance just to fit in? 

A recent article by Michael Hastings, the Food Editor for the Winston Salem Journal, entitled "Predictions on top food issues of 2011" includes the following paragraph:

"Gluten-free. More people are avoiding wheat and other foods that contain gluten. It's not just people with celiac disease but also those with sensitivities to gluten. A gluten-free bakery called Lindy's Gluten-Free Goodies and More recently opened in Greensboro, Mellow Mushroom is selling gluten-free pizza, and stores such as Whole Foods Market have large gluten-free sections. Look for this category to expand even more (and cause headaches for anyone planning a party or other food gathering)."

When contacted by a member of the NCPTGIG about his closing statement regarding the headaches destined for those planning gatherings involving gluten free persons, Mr. Hastings replied with the suggestion that gluten free "dieters" are causing non-GF individuals to suffer by giving up their favorite foods to accommodate the special diet. Moreover, he also implies that we gluten free individuals are a rather inconsiderate bunch. While I strongly disagree with his assumptions, which demonstrate a significant lack of tact and respect for those dealing with food allergies, I encourage everyone to read the article written by Mr. Hastings, as well as the email exchange (see "read more" below) I have summarized herein, and form your own opinions. Any and all comments are welcome. If you would like to contact Mr. Hastings or Mr. Cronk, the Team Leader of the Lifestyles section of the WSJ:

Michael Hastings, Food Editor: (336) 727-7394
Alan Cronk, Team Leader: (336) 727-7339