With the holiday season in full swing, I thought I should clear up a few things about eating out.
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| Eating out during the holiday's |
The FDA added supplemental ruling to the August 5, 2014
gluten-free labeling ruling by including restaurants and bakeries. Though this is
a guideline and not a law for restaurants and bakeries, it is a 1st
step towards gluten-free regulations.
Below I have posted the FDA rules. What is clear by reading these rules and talking directly with bakery and restaurant owners is that there has been no education to teach them how to be gluten-free safe and no one is monitoring the restaurants. It is still up to you to talk to the chefs/owners to be sure it is a safe place to eat.Be sure that there is a dedicated place in the kitchen to prepare your gluten-free food if you have Celiac.
Many restaurants that serve gluten-free food are putting disclaimers on their menus that states that though they serve gluten-free food is not meant for people with Celiac or severe gluten issues.I believe most of these places are trying to avoid potential lawsuits.
From the FDA website: www.fda.com
Given
the public health significance of “gluten-free” labeling, we encourage the restaurant industry to
move quickly to ensure that its use of “gluten-free” labeling is consistent with
the federal definition and look forward to working with the industry to support
their education and outreach to restaurants.
In
addition, state and local governments play an important role in oversight of
restaurants. We expect to work with our state and local government partners
with respect to gluten-free labeling in restaurants. We will consider
enforcement action as needed, alone or with other agencies, to protect
consumers.
Currently
there are no inspections or reviews of this policy in restaurants and bakeries.
Reporting Adverse Effects and
Misuse of Labeling: The FDA has set up a reporting system for misuse of
gluten-free labeling.
Health
Effects: Anyone who becomes ill or experiences adverse health effects that
they believe are associated with having eaten a particular food, including
individuals with food allergies and those with celiac disease, should first
seek appropriate medical care.
Afterward,
FDA encourages individuals to report the incident to the Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition’s Adverse Event Reporting System by calling 240-402-2405.
Labeling
Issues: Consumers and manufacturers can report any complaint they may have,
such as potential misuse of gluten-free claims on food labels, to an FDA
Consumer Complaint Coordinator in the state where the food was purchased.
A
list of FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators is posted at FDA’s website: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm074201.htm
A
list of FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators is posted at FDA’s website: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm074201.htm
Blog post by ezglutenfreelife.blogspot.com / Marian Z
Geringer
I used the photo of Pancho's in Mahattan Beach, CA for the image not because it is gluten-free. I am not endorsing it or reviewing it.
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