The BRCGS Gluten-Free Certification Programme is the market-leading program. It defines clear requirements for the production of gluten-free foods.
The standard is based on a comprehensive management system approach and provides manufacturers with a framework to help them produce gluten-free foods that meet regulatory requirements.
In Europe and many other countries, the incidence of coeliac disease (CD) in the general population is about 1% and is growing continously. As a result, consumers‘ need for gluten-free foods is increasing, resulting in a wider range and quantity of gluten-free foods in demand by the food industry.
The program:
- provides a single standard and protocol that governs an accredited audit by external certification bodies and enables a credible, independent assessment of a company‘s product safety and quality systems.
- allows consumers to safely identify gluten-free foods.
- lets consumers benefit from increased confidence in their purchases, greater availability and more choice.
- when used correctly, provides a site‘s gluten-free management system (GFMS) which is very high protection against failures
- enable market expansion by increasing the availability of gluten-free products that meet legal requirements.
- offers a range of audit options, including announced and unannounced audit programs.
- enables a listing in the publicly accessible BRCGS Global Standards Directory after successful certification.
- All manufacturing and packaging stages of the supply chain from primary processing to agriculture to the manufacturers of end-use products.
- Companies that produce private label products and/or customers‘ own label products or that process and package food products on behalf of customers.
- Manufacturers who are either completely gluten-free or produce gluten-free foods in a factory that also produces foods containing gluten.
- Manufacturers who want to use recognized gluten-free logos for their products
The standard is divided into 9 sections:
- Commitment of the Management Board
- Prescribed programs
- Gluten control
- HACCP Principles
- Records
- Document control
- Validation
- Gluten-free Management System (GFMS)
- Internal audits
There are several audit options:
- Independent audit
- Combined audit in conjunction with other audits of a third-party food safety management system, e.g. BRCGS food safety
- Unannounced combined audit
BRCGS Standards (Packaging Materials, Storage and Distribution, START!, Gluten-Free and CoC through BRCGS)