Certified gluten-free
The Gluten-Free Certification Organization’s mark: the product was certified to GFCO’s standard, which sets a limit of 10 parts per million of gluten.
How to read it
The Gluten-Free Certification Organization is a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. It runs an independent, third-party certification program, and says it does not enforce federal rules and is not required for labeling a product gluten-free. It issued its first certification in 2005.
Also searched as: crossed grain, GF symbol, gluten free symbol.
Differences by country or standard
GFCO set its limit at 10 parts per million of gluten, which it describes as twice as strict as the 20 ppm threshold of the World Health Organization, Codex and the US Food and Drug Administration.
A claim without a mark
In the United States, “gluten-free” on a label is a voluntary claim that makers can use if they meet the FDA’s requirements, defined in a final rule of 2 August 2013. A certification mark is a separate, private check.
More certification marks
Sources
- About the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, Gluten-Free Certification Organization
- Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Last reviewed September 25, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research