NFCA to Suspend Use of Amber Designation After Domino's Controversy

Many foods that are labeled gluten-free are not actually free of gluten. I don't trust the labels, because there is no standard for what gluten-free actually means. So it can mean whatever a company wants it to, not what celiacs think it means. The FDA has really dropped the ball on truth in labeling. I have had gluten reactions a few times to products that were labeled as being gluten-free, when they were actually gluten light. Now, I avoid them, because they are not worth the misery and damage they can cause.

As a mild coeliac, I think there should be SOME flexibility out there, but it has to be clearly understood and monitored. Here in Britain, gluten-free is now defined as <20ppm. There is also low-gluten, which I can tolerate in moderation, defined as <100ppm. OK, I'm "lucky", but the standards have to cover the whole spectrum.

I have no connection with Domino's - in fact, I don't really like pizza.

I think all of us who actually have celiac disease know that "Gluten Free" on the label means absolutely nothing. All you have to do is get deathly ill a few times to learn that lesson. Always, always read labels, and realize that marketing is driven by greed and not altruism. And yeah, I'm a graphic artist and do food labels, I know this game pretty well.

Domino's and many other companies that serve and sell food are definitely exploiting the term "gluten-free". I think it must stop. There should be one meaning for the term so that celiac sufferers can be sure of what is safe. The trendy folks who "go gluten free" because it is popular need to understand celiacs are not avoiding gluten to be hip, we need to not eat poison!

I am quite pleased to get rid of the amber designation. All I want to know is if I can eat it without compromising my health. If not, it is not gluten-free.

I have celiac disease and I can tell you that you better be on your toes when you buy pizzas. Some places that sell "gluten-free" pizzas have flour all over the kitchen and it does get on your order.

Have you ever looked in a Dominos kitchen? I would not take a 3 item pizza from them even if they paid me. I don't need the misery.

A standard has to be set and if companies want to "jump on the money bandwagon" then they have to compete fairly and not screw us up.

I have made reading the total list of ingredients on packaging a PREpurchase requirement and especially if the food has toppings, sauces or unique contents. You have to learn what terms are used that may not be the norm. If in doubt, I either do NOT buy it or before I eat it, I call the manufacturer's dietary 800 number on the box and ask specific questions. If I am told that they do not know, I do not eat their product. After all, I am the one who suffers the consequences, not them. Keep a list of safe for you food products/ foods that have caused you to react.

Very sensible - keep it simple!

I eat McDonald's Fries and Kikkoman soy sauce and don't have a problem. Both are "made" with wheat, but at least one of them, the wheat goes through a distillation. Amber on those please.

What about the pizza toppings? When I ordered a gluten-free crust from Domino's the clerk stated that some of the toppings on the "meat lover's" were not gluten-free, but she could not tell me which ones!

I think this is a good thing. I just don't see the point of making a "gluten free" pizza that is not safe to eat because of potential cross contamination. It's a shame that they can't go to the extra effort to create a separate part of the kitchen for the gluten-free pizzas and toppings. It they can't do this, then it is not worth the risk.