food safety first...fsma the food safety modernization act is now in effect for medium and large...
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IN THIS ISSUE
GFCO Accredited to ISO
17065
GFCO & FSMA
GFFS Certification
Training Staff for Gluten
Free Manufacturing
A Unique Opportunity
The Celiac Response to
Gluten-Removed Beer
Certification Updates
GFCO Contact Information
Food
Safety
First
GFCO ACCREDITED TO ISO 17065
The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America is pleased to an-nounce that they have been granted ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), after a thorough assessment and review of its quality management system and competence to perform gluten-free product certifications. This achievement of A2LA accreditation demonstrates an organiza-tion’s competence to manage and perform the activities defined by its A2LA Scope of Accreditation (A2LA Certificate 4060.01). These ac-tivities include gluten-free certification of foods, beverages, nutrition-als/supplements and personal care items. ABOUT THE ISO 17065 STANDARD: The 17065 standard describes internationally-accepted best-practices for certifi-cation of products, and for assuring that any product bearing a certification logo meets the requirements for certification. Unlike the 17021 standard, which only covers a manufacturer’s management system and is assessed through a paper-work audit, the 17065 standard has requirements for product evaluation and ongoing product surveillance in order to maintain certification. ABOUT A2LA: A2LA is the largest U.S.-based, multi-discipline accreditation body with over 35
years of experience providing internationally recognized accreditation services
and quality training. A2LA’s world-class accreditation services encompass test-
ing and calibration laboratories, medical testing laboratories, inspection bodies,
proficiency testing providers, reference material producers and product certifica-
tion bodies. Organizations are accredited to international standards and field-
specific requirements developed with government and industry collaboration.
GFCO &
FSMA
The Food Safety Modernization Act
is now in effect for Medium and
Large businesses. The GFCO re-
quirements for certification fit within
the FSMA requirements for preven-
tive controls for allergens, and also
include documentation of supplier
verification and transport checks
that are part of FSMA and the Safe
Food for Canadians Act. GFCO re-
quirements are also in line with
FSMA in regards to: raw material,
equipment and finished product
testing that are risk-based; require-
ments for traceability and confirma-
tion of recall procedures; sanitation
requirements between gluten-
containing and gluten-free produc-
tion; the documentation of correc-
tive actions, and documented em-
ployee training.
GFCO regularly reviews its Stand-
ard requirements to ensure their
alignment with FSMA, and to make
sure that there is no duplication of
effort by the manufacturers of
GFCO-certified products. Contact
GFCO if you have any questions
about fitting gluten-free certification
into your FSMA program.
REMINDER: Testing Submissions for the fourth quarter of 2016 were due on Jan. 10th. Please make sure you have submitted your data to [email protected].
February 2017
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Proper training is essential for gluten-free manufacturing
Training Staff for Gluten-Free
Manufacturing GFCO gluten-free product certification
requires that all Company employees
involved in manufacturing, or that interact
with consumers, be trained on gluten-free
production practices. But what should
this training include, and where can a
manufacturer find training materials to
use for their employees?
Training Basics The exact training that you provide for
your employees will need to be tailored to
your facility and production practices. But
in general, staff training should include:
1) Information on the primary sources of
gluten (wheat, rye, barley and their relat-
ed grains and hybrids, such as triticale),
2) A discussion of the serious diseases
that can be caused or exacerbated by
gluten, including celiac disease and non-
celiac gluten intolerance. This training
should emphasize that gluten-free is a
medical diet and that ensuring the gluten-
free status of certified products is just as
important as allergen control, and 3) Spe-
cific instructions for avoiding gluten cross
-contact in your production facility. An
allergen program can be an excellent
start for training staff to handle gluten in
the facility, but it needs to be amended to
include all possible gluten sources, and
not just wheat.
Dedicated Facilities Companies that operate dedicated gluten
-free facilities should also make sure that
their employees are trained in the best
practices for maintaining gluten-free op-
erations. This would include training on:
1) Procedures for ordering raw materials
to ensure that only gluten-free items are
purchased, 2) Checking incoming ship-
ments to make sure no gluten-containing
items are accepted, and 3) the facility’s
policies regarding the foods that can en-
ter the employee break room, and any
requirements for clothing changes or the
use of coveralls or aprons in the manu-
facturing area.
Finding Information The Gluten Intolerance Group website,
www.gluten.org, has information on glu-
ten sources and the medical impact of
gluten, and can be a great resource for
general materials that can be used in any
facility. There are many sources for basic
allergen control plans that can be
amended to cover gluten and your specif-
ic manufacturing practices. One example
is the Food Allergy Research and Re-
source Program at the University of Ne-
braska, farrp.unl.edu/allergen-control-
food-industry.
GFFS Certification
for Food Service
In addition to the GFCO certifica-
tion for gluten-free packaged prod-
ucts, the Gluten Intolerance Group
offers an additional certification for
establishments such as restau-
rants, bakeries, hospitals, cafete-
rias and any other business that
provides Gluten-Free Food Service
(GFFS).
This process certification provides
consumers with the assurance that
your facility is operating under best
practices for providing gluten-free
meals.
If you are interested in learning
more about the GFFS certification
program, please contact Vaska
Wunsche or Lindsey Yeakle:
(253) 833-6655
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The Celiac Patient Antibody Response to
Conventional and Gluten-Removed Beer
In December of 2016 the Gluten Intolerance Group published a study that looked at whether the se-
rum antibodies of symptomatic celiac patients (those still consuming gluten) would recognize the pro-
teins in traditional beer, gluten-free beer or gluten-removed beer. Gluten-removed beer has been
treated enzymatically to remove residual gluten proteins, and is intended for gluten-free consumers.
This study found that while none of the celiac patient sera reacted to the gluten-free beer, some re-
acted to a gluten-removed beer sample. This study may indicate that celiac patient sera can be used
to assess product safety. The full text of this article can be accessed free of charge at: http://
aoac.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/aoac/jaoac/pre-prints/content-jaoacint.160184
Be a Part of a Unique Event for Gluten-Free Teens
The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and our Generation GF program are proud to announce the inaugural Generation GF Teen Summit & Family Retreat. This educational event will be taking place at the Walt Disney World resort from June 27th - June 30th 2018 and is open to select gluten-free teens and their families. Our goal is provide the platform and resources for our gluten-free teens to discuss topics that are relevant to them as they go through the every day challenges of being a teenager following a restricted diet.
This dynamic, interactive event will help build the confidence in these youth and allow them to be-come the next leaders of our gluten-free community. We are currently seeking sponsors to collaborate with Generation GF in putting together this unique opportunity for these kids and fami-lies. Company sponsorship will allow for us to bring in the most sought-after speakers, host special "bonding events" such as welcome receptions and pool parties, and create the best environment for those in attendance. Your support will also show these special families that despite what they some-times feel, they are never alone in their journey.
If you have questions or want to find out more information about the 2018 Generation GF Teen Sum-mit & Family Retreat, please contact Chris Rich, VP of Development for the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) at 253-545-1826 or [email protected]. You can also visit the event site at www.gfteensummit.com.
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GFCO CONTACTS Customer Service For general certification questions and changes to your certification, including changes to Products, Ingredients and manufacturing facilties. [email protected] 253-833-6655 Accounting For questions about payments for certification or audits. [email protected] 253-833-6655 Quality Control For questions about audit report findings and contract testing requirements. Jasmine Hagan [email protected] 253-266-5422 Regulatory & Standards For questions about the GFCO Standard requirements, testing methods, and to report positive gluten test results > 10 ppm in finished product. Laura Allred [email protected] 253-455-0676 Vice President Channon Quinn [email protected] 253-218-2956
Gluten Intolerance Group 31214 124th Ave SE Auburn, WA 98092 P: (253) 833-6655 F: (253) 833-6675 www.gluten.org Gluten Intolerance Group of North America® is a 501c3 nonprofit Washington State corporation. Tax ID 91-1458226.
Certification Updates GFCO began auditing to the 2016 revised Standard on July 1st, 2016.
Please contact your Customer Service Representative if you need a copy
of the Standard.
We are currently re-grouping audits regionally to save our clients on travel
costs, so your upcoming audit may not occur at the same time of year as
in the past. This will not affect your certification or your ability to receive an
updated certificate. GFCO will be performing one scheduled audit per year
for all facilities that are manufacturing certified products.
Several written policies and forms are available to the Brand Owners and
Plants that manufacture GFCO certified products. Please contact your
customer service representative if you would like a copy of any of these
documents:
The GFCO Approved Test Kit list, updated in January of 2017.
A testing log for recording all of the information we would like to
see with your testing submissions.
A policy on the types of vendor documents we need to see in order
to evaluate ingredient risks, including a vendor statement form ex-
ample.
A policy describing our ingredient risk levels and the testing need-
ed for each. Also includes methods for validating cleaning proce-
dures to meet equipment swabbing requirements.