18-country investigation into barleygrass powder
Member states and INFOSAN were wrapped up in an investigation into gluten-free barleygrass powder this month, which in fact contained 80 mg/kg – parts per million gluten.
Under EU food law, products can only claim to be ‘gluten free’ at 20 parts per million of gluten or less and 'very low gluten' at 100 parts per million of gluten or less and if the food has been specially processed to remove the gluten.
The product came from China and was due for Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
The UK posted the RASFF notification.
In the past month the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned on two barleygrass powders for gluten content: Barleygrass Powder from UK company Naturya and Superlife Original Superfood Mix from Irish brand Superlife.