Omission Brewing announces support for FDA's gluten-free labeling standard

Aug 3 2013

Omission Brewing Company today announced support for the FDA's new gluten-free labeling standard as an important step forward in providing clear, consistent guidance to gluten sensitive consumers, including celiac disease sufferers. With the new labeling rules issued today, the FDA has officially adopted the widely accepted standard of 20 ppm gluten, which has been in place in many countries around the world for several years.

“With the new standard in place, celiac disease sufferers -- like me and many of our team members -- and others with gluten sensitivity can now make confident and better informed choices.”

Omission Brewing is the first craft beer brand in the United States focused exclusively on brewing great-tasting craft beers with traditional beer ingredients, including malted barley, specially crafted to remove gluten. Omission's product line includes a lager, pale ale, and a new IPA launching nationally in August.

Using the most advanced and scientifically sound gluten detection method available, Omission Beer tests well below the 20 ppm standard. As an industry leader in transparency for gluten sensitive consumers, Omission posts independent laboratory test results online for every batch of beer packaged.

The gluten detection test used by Omission, the R5 Competitive ELISA, has been validated by the AACCI, the leading global cereal grains research organization, and by the American Society of Brewing Chemists. In addition, recent mass spectrometry analyses of Omission Beer confirmed that the protein fragments left in Omission Beer do not contain the known toxic amino acid sequences that cause reactions in gluten intolerant consumers. This research further supports the results consistently seen from the R5 Competitive ELISA testing.

"At Omission Beer, we applaud the FDA for bringing U.S. rules in alignment with the global standard for gluten-free. Our beer tests well below the 20 ppm standard," said Terry Michaelson, CEO of Craft Brew Alliance, makers of Omission Beers. "With the new standard in place, celiac disease sufferers -- like me and many of our team members -- and others with gluten sensitivity can now make confident and better informed choices."

"We recognize that scientific research regarding testing is evolving, and we are encouraged that teams of scientists at two leading industry groups have validated the gluten detection method that we use. We will continue to work cooperatively with regulators, and transparently with consumers, to provide complete information about how we make and test Omission Beer."

Omission looks forward to sharing information regarding scientific research of gluten testing methods and policy with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the regulatory agency that ultimately will determine how the FDA guidelines will apply to its products.

Michaelson and several members of the Omission team have celiac disease and gluten intolerance, including the wife of the company's brewmaster, Joe Casey, whose condition helped inspire the creation of Omission.