The U.S. claim has defined conditions
FDA’s gluten-free rule applies to regulated packaged foods, including dietary supplements. Among its requirements, unavoidable gluten must remain below 20 parts per million; restrictions also apply to gluten-containing ingredients. [1]
The rule concerns the finished food. A naturally gluten-free starting ingredient does not, by itself, document that the complete product meets those conditions. [1]
Absence of a claim and failure of a claim are different
Gluten-free labeling is voluntary. A product without the claim is not automatically proven to contain gluten, but the missing claim also cannot be treated as verification that it meets the standard. [1]
Use the exact formulation and manufacturer information when gluten avoidance is medically necessary. A generic category such as plant protein or whey cannot resolve the question for every flavored blend. [1]
Check the whole product
Imagine a base protein is naturally gluten-free but the final blend adds other ingredients. Evidence about the base alone does not verify the finished blend.
| Detail | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Protein source | Only part of the formulation |
| Gluten-free claim | Defined U.S. criteria |
| No claim | Not a completed verification |
Sources for this article
- Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Food Labeling Final Rule | FDA
Source consulted: 2026-09-18. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.