'Free from' declaration on a label in the EU

Hi all, 

Can anyone help me with the tolerances for the declaring 'free from dairy' and 'free from soy' on a label in the EU.  There seems to a lot of information on the tolerance for gluten but I cannot find any on these too.  

Thanks!

W

There is (currently) no tolerances for gluten nor soy in the EU.

Caz

Hi,

do you ask for EU (europe geografically) or EC (european community)? e.g. Switzerland and Norway are not member of the EC,

In the EC are same limits for gluten free (<20 ppm) as in the US or Codex, but no regulation for other free from. Accepted in several coutries are lactose-free, but with different levels. In Germany 0,1 g/100g is officially accepted for milk and milk products with special premission. Other EC countries accept 0,01g/100g only

Soy-free I have not seen yet on products, Nut-free is a risky claim due to missing limits. Definition of nuts is different in countries e.g. EC and US.

Rgds

moskito

Hi,

 

do you ask for EU (europe geografically) or EC (european community)? e.g. Switzerland and Norway are not member of the EC,

In the EC are same limits for gluten free (<20 ppm) as in the US or Codex, but no regulation for other free from. Accepted in several coutries are lactose-free, but with different levels. In Germany 0,1 g/100g is officially accepted for milk and milk products with special premission. Other EC countries accept 0,01g/100g only

Soy-free I have not seen yet on products, Nut-free is a risky claim due to missing limits. Definition of nuts is different in countries e.g. EC and US.

 

Rgds

moskito

Dear moskito,

Thks for above

Seems like the Germans have an unusually high unconcern over gluten. 1000 ppm = "free". Interesting. Correlated to beer consumption ? :smile:

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Charles,

misunderstanding? These values are for lactose-free. Gluten-free is 20 ppm.

Rgds

moskito

Dear Charles,

 

misunderstanding? These values are for lactose-free. Gluten-free is 20 ppm.

 

Rgds

moskito

Dear moskito,

Misunderstanding ? Yes ( :crybaby:) but, by accident, for Gluten in dairy USA, maybe not entirely, . :smile:  eg -

http://celiacdisease...Food-List_4.htm

As per yr comments on Germany, I suspect there are many, many "sub-factors" in EC, eg -

http://www.bakeryand...nter-full-force

Sadly the location of OP known only in Cyberspace.

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Charles,

thanks for your response.

There is only a legal definition for "gluten-free" in the EC (41/2009, now on the way to switch to the new FIR (1169/2011). The definition is still 20 ppm.

For other "free-from" I don't know legal definitions.

For lactose-free I mendtioned two levels applied: 0,1g/100g is directed towards lactose intolerance, the lower level wants to cover Galactosemiae too - two diseases with totally different reasons.

Lactose intolerance is related to a lack of the enzyme lactase, which is located in microvilli excreting the enzyme. Here is the link to gluten intolerance, the reason, why products claims gluten-free and lactose-free. Microvilli "atacked" by split-off of gluten will degenerate not able to form lactase any more or at a lower level.

I (personally) could not get the background for dairy-free in this context. Perhaps somebody can explain this to me.

"dairy-free" means no use of milk or milk products -> but what is the background or consumer perception? -> no lactose (-> intolerance), no milk proteins (-> allergy), no milk at all (-> animal welfare or vegetarian background)....... what else ?

Does somebody knows legal definitions like the gluten-free-definition in any country for "free-from" products?

Rgds

moskito

Hi Waferthin,

It is based upon due diligence, absent with available test kit verification possible to date. Neogen provides good testing kits to be used on-site.

Hi Waferthin,

 

It is based upon due diligence, absent with available test kit verification possible to date. Neogen provides good testing kits to be used on-site.

Dear zue-rais,

Interesting Neogen brochures, thks. But I think the OP is primarily an EC regulatory question, not one of LOD/LOQ.

Rgds / Charles.c

Apologies only responding now, its been a busy time!!  Thank you for all your responses much appreciated!  I think I am sorted now. :)