Gluten-free labels

Although gluten intolerance is different from a food allergy, it can cause serious health problems in people who have celiac disease, a chronic digestive disorder. Gluten is a protein that occurs in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. It's found in many foods and food ingredients.

The FDA has recently established guidelines for use of the term "gluten-free" on food labels. Any food product bearing a gluten-free claim must not contain an ingredient that is:

• A gluten-containing grain
• Derived from a gluten-containing grain that has not been processed to remove gluten
• Derived from a gluten-containing grain that has been processed to remove gluten, if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten in the food.

Currently, the "gluten-free" label is voluntary — it's up to the manufacturer whether to include it. Many foods are naturally gluten-free and may or may not be labeled as such.