PHILADELPHIA, PA — Celiac Journey welcomed the recent release of the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report, a new federal policy roadmap aimed at addressing chronic disease in children. The report includes recommendations for greater transparency in food labeling, specifically requiring gluten to be listed as a food allergen.
The proposals could have a major impact on the 3.3 million Americans living with Celiac Disease, including more than 700,000 children. While wheat has been labeled as an allergen since 2006, barley, rye, and most oats are not required to be identified on packaging, creating risks for those on strict gluten-free diets.
“Eating without fear is our goal,” said 12-year-old Celiac Journey Co-Founder Jax Bari, who has advocated since 2020 for gluten labeling. He noted that 87 other countries already mandate such disclosure.
Advocates stressed that clearer food labeling would reduce accidental gluten exposure, which affects nearly half of people with Celiac Disease even when they follow a gluten-free diet. Families also emphasized the daily stress of navigating incomplete or confusing ingredient lists.
Celiac Journey said it looks forward to FDA rulemaking under the strategy to expand mandatory allergen labeling and improve safety for millions of Americans managing Celiac Disease.
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