Foodmate News: On August 12, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) issued the final regulations on gluten-free labeling of fermented foods and hydrolyzed foods.

The US FDA issued a final rule requiring fermented and hydrolyzed foods, or foods containing fermented or hydrolyzed ingredients, to meet the requirements of "gluten-free". The last article entitled "Gluten-free labeling of fermented or hydrolyzed foods" covers foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, cheese, green olives, FDA-regulated beer and wine, and the hydrolyzed vegetable protein used to improve processed foods (such as soups, sauces and seasonings) flavor or texture.

As the gluten protein in hydrolyzed and fermented foods is no longer complete and cannot be fully detected and quantified by testing at present, the final rule states that the FDA will determine its compliance based on the records kept by the manufacturer to prove that the food is gluten-free before fermentation or hydrolyzation. It also includes discussions on the compliance of distilled foods such as vinegar. The rule does not change the definition of "gluten-free" established by the FDA in 2013.

The definition of “gluten-free” aims to protect people with celiac disease (a hereditary, chronic inflammatory disease of the small intestine), and they are advised to avoid all sources of gluten in their diet to prevent adverse health effects associated with the disease .

The U.S. FDA issued a proposed rule on the compliance requirements for fermented and hydrolyzed foods on November 18, 2015.

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