The FDA has been taking comments regarding their proposed labeling guidelines. You can read more here:
A Glimpse at Gluten=Free Food Labeling

The Washington Post reports that the FDA has not yet come up with an official definition for a gluten-free product.

As a result, food manufacturers are apparently deciding for themselves what the term means.

And if you’ve seen comments here and elsewhere from gluten-sensitive individuals about suffering symptoms after eating a product labeled gluten-free, then you aren’t surprised.

Unlike some definitions the FDA has for labeling food which allow certain levels of the element (like “low-fat”), products labeled gluten-free that have certain levels of gluten in them could have harmful effects on those who are sensitive to it.

Here’s hoping the FDA comes up with a clear definition of gluten-free soon.

This revelation comes from research just completed by an Australian team.

You can read more here:  http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/07/22/separating-wheat-from-chaff-in-celiac-disease.html

Gluten-free diets are all the rage among some celebrity circles right now. They supposedly assume that avoiding gluten will help them stay slender or lose weight. However, there is no evidence to suggest that eliminating gluten from your diet causes weight loss.

Also, many products that are labeled gluten-free are high in sugar, fat, and salt. It pays to read the label.

The message seems to be that avoiding gluten if you don’t have Celiac disease is not only unnecessary but it could potentially backfire if your ultimate goal in doing so is to lose weight or improve your health.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=39&articleid=20100317_39_D5_Aboveg612114

People with celiac disease develop intestinal damage and painful symptoms if they eat even a little gluten, a protein found in foods made from wheat, rye, or barley.

Celiac disease is hard on kids, who feel the stigma of being unlike other children. Kids with celiac disease may have difficulty relating to others and often feel bad about themselves. But the researchers found that negative self-perceptions of kids still new to the dietary restrictions improved when they went to the gluten-free camp.

Read the full article by Bill Hendrick, published Feb. 15, 2010: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/news/20100212/gluten-free-camp-helps-celiac-disease-kids?src=RSS_PUBLIC.

“What North Carolina did enforcing gluten-free claims is say, ‘We’re going to take the health of North Carolinians seriously,” said Alice Bast, executive director of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, a nonprofit based outside Philadelphia. “I have to applaud North Carolina.”

Enforcement of gluten-free claims on food products is rare because federal officials have yet to define the term “gluten-free.” The Federal Drug Administration was supposed to have a definition by 2008 but the process has dragged on. Without a government definition, those with celiac disease have to rely on food companies to be honest about the contents of their products, test the products regularly, and prevent cross-contamination. ”Without the FDA having their final ruling, companies can do whatever they want,” says Cynthia Kupper, executive director of the Gluten Intolerance Group, a company based in Washington state that certifies food companies’ gluten-free claims.

Read the full article, by Andrea Weigl, published February 1, 2010: www.newsobserver.com/life/food/story/314548.html.

“We’re excited to give our customers what they’ve been asking for by expanding our range of gluten-free products and making them easier to find in our stores,” said Denise Webster, food scientist at Fresh & Easy.

Read the full article published January 28, 2010: www.csnews.com/csn/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004063434.

Regardless of prevalence, treatment for celiac disease is always the same: a gluten-free diet for life. Sounds simple enough, but those who live by this strict standard quickly realize that gluten lurks in a number of foods, and even trace amounts of gluten can cause a reaction.

Read the full article by Jennifer Sygo, a dietitian in private practice at Cleveland Clinic Canada (clevelandclinic.ca), published January 28, 2010: www.timescolonist.com/health/When+gluten+punishment/2495861/story.html.

It worked for John Libonati who launched www.glutenfreeworks.com. ”I lost seven pounds right away and 25 pounds over the next two and a half months,” he said. His girlfriend Rose Miller also cut out gluten and dropped seven pounds. But neither has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

Registered dietician Emily Rubin of Jefferson University Hospital says in some cases going gluten free can mean eating healthier because people may be eating more fruits and vegetables and no preservatives. But as a diet overall, Rubin said, “I would not recommend a gluten-free diet if you need to lose weight.” Here’s why: In order to make some bread and starches gluten-free without killing the taste, many food-makers add in extra fat and sugar and gluten free products have less fiber.

Read the full article by Ali Gorman, R.N. & Cheryl Mettendorf, published January 21, 2010: abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/health&id=7232753.