GFCO a program of Gluten Intolerance Group^®.

Hello Gluten,

Compass Has Been Launched!

The instructions on receiving an invitation to Compass have been sent to eligible users via email. We are excited to finally bring you into the system, which will improve the Product and Ingredient submission and review process. Please note that only the primary and secondary authorized contacts for companies that hold a GFCO certification contract are eligible as users for now, so these are the only contacts that have received the invitation instructions. Once these users are established, they will have the ability to add additional users to their organization. Clients that hold a GFCO license agreement account will not have an accessible profile in Compass. Rather those products and profiles are nested under the GFCO Certification Contract account that is responsible for the certification of those. No ingredient information has been migrated into the system, only approved products. We are directing clients to use the new system when submitting any changes to approved products or submitting new products for approval. You can find more information about that in our pre-launch information by clicking the button below.

Standard Update Changes Effective December 1^st

The 2024 update to the GFCO Standard was published on June 1^st, 2024. You can see the 2024 version of the Standard at the end of the GFCO Manual, which can be downloaded at www.gfco.org/certification. Our auditors will begin auditing to the updated Standard on December 1, 2024, so you must understand the changes and how they may affect your operations. Some key updates to remember are:

• Plants are expected to have documentation of the gluten-free labeling regulations in the country(ies) of sale for all certified products, as well as a current list of the GFCO products and ingredients in their facility, including all ingredient risk factors assigned by GFCO. The plant must obtain this information from the Brand owner if needed.
• Every Plant needs to have a documented risk assessment for dust, with defined mitigation procedures as required.
• Every plant must have written procedures for purging as a cleaning practice, and for reworked/recycled/reclaimed materials from production. If these practices are not used, the plant must have a written policy forbidding them.

Be sure you are ready for these updated requirements by December 1^st.

AOAC Working Group for Gluten and Food Allergen Test Kit Users

Have you ever wondered if you are using the right test kit for your products, or had questions about proper sampling, or what to do if you get different results from different test kits? AOAC is beginning a working group to help end users handle these questions and would love more food manufacturers to participate.

If you are interested in having your questions and/or ideas heard in the creation of a guidance document for end users of gluten and allergen test kits, please sign up for the working group.

Making a Massive Difference: Supporting Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Thanks to the incredible generosity of GFCO-certified companies, we’ve been able to provide critical support to our gluten-free communities directly affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. In the wake of these devastating storms, countless families across the South have struggled to access safe, gluten-free foods — essentials that are often overlooked in disaster relief efforts. But because of your swift and compassionate donations, we’ve been able to deliver much-needed relief to those who need it most.

The impact has been tremendous. We’ve heard countless stories of gratitude from those who have received the help they desperately needed during these difficult times. However, the need is far from over.

As the rebuilding efforts continue, there are still many individuals and families who require our ongoing support. We are committed to ensuring that no one in our gluten-free community is left behind, but we cannot do it alone. To sustain these vital relief efforts, we’re asking for your continued help.

Whether through additional donations or spreading the word about our ongoing efforts, your continued involvement will directly impact the lives of those in need. Thank you for everything you’ve already done—together, we are making a lasting difference.

I had the privilege of sharing with our board how much of an impact we have had in just a few short weeks already!

If you’d like to learn more about how to get involved or contribute further, please reach out to us at caresadmin@gigcares.org.

With sincere gratitude,

Channon Quinn

COO, Gluten Intolerance Group

CEO, GIG Cares

Did you know that GFCO-certified products outperform GF-labeled and non-labeled products at the point of sale according to a recent Gluten-Free Market Analysis by SPINS? If you want to know more about the analysis, please contact us at GIG.marketing@gluten.org.