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Compass Updates and Tips
We’re very happy to see so many of you using the Compass portal and exploring its features! As originally announced in the June 2024 GFCO newsletter, we will be retiring our GFCO Excel Template for collecting product-ingredient information. We originally stated that this retirement would occur 5 months after the launch of Compass, with a deadline of December 31st, 2024. Due to the delayed launch, we have extended the deadline for accepting product-ingredient submissions via the GFCO Excel template to February 28, 2025. After this date, GFCO will no longer accept the Product-Ingredient Excel Template, and direct updates be submitted through Compass.
Compass Tips for Saving Time, and Unneeded Headaches:
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If GFCO Requires More Information for an Ingredient, You Will See That Affirmatively. If you add an ingredient to your collection from our directory, and there is no explicit warning stating that Sub-Ingredients (components) are needed, or that we require a supplier specific statement to approve, you can simply proceed to submit for review without any additional action. We are noticing that some users are adding Sub-Ingredient records or uploading supporting documentation unnecessarily. We want to be sure that Users know if more information is needed for the approval of an Ingredient or a Product, the User will see a visual warning displayed on that record prompting them to add what is needed prior to submitting for review. The warning will be removed after the information has been submitted to GFCO for review and accepted by our review team as sufficient for approval.
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Trouble Matching Sub-Ingredients (components)? If you are being prompted to provide Sub-Ingredients to a newly added Ingredient record, you will need to use the Sub-Ingredient (components) section to look up and select GFCO directory ingredients that are the lowest-level components of the new Ingredient record. If you are struggling to find matching Sub-Ingredients in our directory, you can alternatively upload a spec sheet and/or ingredient declaration listing the subcomponents of that new Ingredient record. If you do upload a document for this reason, providing GFCO with a note in the Comments section regarding your purpose for uploading, will help our team greatly when reviewing for approval.
Ingredient Directory Search Tips:
- Search using a single word, such as the primary descriptor or brand name.
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Example: For “Whole Kernel Yellow Cornstarch, Modified - Novation 9560,” search for “cornstarch” or “novation.”
- Our naming convention uses primary descriptors first, followed by derivatives or processing details separated by commas. Brand names, when available, are listed in parentheses at the end.
- Exclude certification terms (e.g., organic, kosher, non-GMO) from ingredient names. These terms are not necessary or used for granting GFCO certification. Only basic names of the material can be found in the GFCO directory.
USDA Releases Q&A on Gluten Under New Testing Program
On September 1, 2024, the USDA-FSIS launched a new allergen testing program for ready-to-eat products, detailed in FSIS Directive 7000.6, Rev. 1, Allergen Verification Sampling Program. This program tests for gluten with a detection limit of 5 ppm, raising questions about its relationship to the 20-ppm gluten-free threshold in federal regulations.
To address these concerns, the USDA-FSIS has released a detailed Q&A on gluten-free testing under the program. You can access the Q&A page here.
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