Calgary Chapter, Canadian Celiac Association 20 PPM Making the Numbers Meaningful

Gluten-Free in Canada The requirement for a gluten-free product, as stated in Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations (B ) is as follows: No person shall label, package, sell or advertise a food in a manner likely to create an impression that it is a gluten-free food unless the food does not contain wheat, including spelt and kamut, or oats, barley, rye or triticale or any part thereof.

The Functional Application The test presently used by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to determine the gluten content of foods has a sensitivity to a minimum of 20 ppm, which is the current allowable tolerance for Canadian products.

Codex Alimentarius Commission The new Codex standard states that foods may not contain wheat, rye, oats or barley and the gluten level may not exceed 20 ppm. (previous 200ppm) The new standard does allow one or more ingredients from wheat, rye, barley or oats if it has been specially processed to remove the gluten and the gluten level doesn’t exceed 20 ppm. A low gluten standard is also included for foods that have been processed to reduce gluten content to a level between 20 and 100 ppm. This is the international standard.

20 parts per million is equivalent to: 20 mg per kg 2 mg per 100 gr

20 cups of coffee In a city of a million people

$20 of Pizza Delivered to a $1,000,000 Home

2 shiny dimes In $10,000

Less than half a teaspoon In a bathtub filled with water ½ tsp

Less than a drop In 4 litres of ice cream