GFCO a program of Gluten Intolerance Group^®.

Auditing in Consecutive Years

GFCO is amending its policy regarding the number of consecutive years that an auditor can conduct audits at the same facility, Our prior policy limited consecutive audits by the same auditor to two years, but to bring our program in line with industry standard, and to increase auditor availability, we are changing this policy to allow consecutive audit for three years. This change will be reflected in the next update of the GFCO Manual.

Compass Reminders

Certification Renewal Reminder:

After renewing your GFCO certification, your updated certificates will be available in the Compass portal—just head to the Certificates section in the left-hand menu. Please allow up to 3 business days after payment for the updates to appear. Need them sooner? Reach out to your GFCO Account Relationship Representative or email gfco.clientsupport@gluten.org.

Ingredient Selection in Compass:

Compass serves as your official record for certified products and ingredients. When selecting ingredients from our directory, choose the one that most accurately matches the item you’re using.

When matching ingredients avoid selecting generic options like “Natural Flavor” if a more specific choice is available (e.g., “Flavor, Lemon, Natural”), as general terms may lead to delays or requests for additional documentation. If you can’t find a match to an ingredient in the directory, there is a link below the ingredient name field to request that it be added. Using incorrect or overly generic ingredient names can also cause issues during audits. If our auditors can’t match what’s on-site to what’s listed in Compass, it may result in non-conformance. Accuracy here helps streamline both reviews and audits. Ingredient records also have fields for RMC/codes that can be used to provide additional identifying or contextual data if needed.

Exclude Other Certifications in Ingredient Names:

Please do not include the names of other certifications—such as organic, non-GMO, Kosher, or RSPO—within ingredient names. These references aren’t necessary and may disrupt processing.

Submitting New Ingredients:

When submitting a new ingredient not yet in our directory, we’ll either match it or create a new entry. To help us do this efficiently, provide complete ingredient names—not abbreviations or part numbers, in the name. The ingredient RMC/Code or Notes fields can be used for any additional identifiers or contextual data.

Proficiency Testing Reports:

If you participate in the GFCO Proficiency Testing program, your reports will be uploaded to the Plant Profile section of your Compass portal a few days after you receive them by email.

The Allergen Bureau in Australia has released an update to their VITAL® Best Practice Labelling Guide (VBPLG). This version includes new information on gluten analysis and differences in gluten free labelling. Because the document specifically discusses labeling for the Australia and New Zealand market, it is most beneficial to our clients that are selling product in these countries, but there is also excellent information on precautionary allergen labeling that would benefit any manufacturer. The document can be downloaded here.

Be Part of the GFCO Holiday Recipe Book

The GFCO Recipe Cookbook Insert with Gluten-Free & More just launched—delivering over 1 million impressions to featured brands.

What did brands gain?

10x ROI from a $1,500 investment—plus access to exclusive, discounted marketing opportunities as GFCO Clients.

Even better, your support helps fund gluten-free programs that directly impact our community.

The Holiday Edition is next—an easy, high-impact way to reach engaged gluten-free consumers during the biggest cooking season of the year.

Want first access before pricing?

Reach out to Chad Lorenz at chad.lorenz@gluten.org to explore your options.