BRCGS Gluten Free

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

Quality Austria – Trainings, Zertifizierungs und Begutachtungs GmbH is accredited by Accreditation Austria in accordance with ÖNORM EN ISO/TS 17065 for certifications on the basis of the BRCGS since February 2006 and is therefore approved as an Austrian certification body by BRCGS.

BRCGS Standards (Packaging Materials, Storage and Distribution, START!, Gluten-Free and CoC through BRCGS)

• BRCGS Gluten Free - pdf (226 KB)