Gluten Free Implementation Programs for Foods & Restaurants
Working in the food industry and owning a company that is dedicated to it is quite a challenge for whoever decides to involve himself or herself in it. To begin with, it is a business that requires a lot of investment and this goes for both things: money and time. If you own a restaurant, it involves the place, regulations, and requirements to meet, and all the sanity and hygiene areas.
However, this very time, we are referring and focusing on the part that is in charge of manufacturing or fabricating the products and items you can obtain in the supermarkets or directly from the supplier. But this doesn’t mean that the rest of the businesses in the same industry can’t have a hard time. All of them have to meet requirements, parameters, and standards, which makes it hard for anyone to start a business in this and other industries.
The reason why we mention it is more difficult in the food industry is that you have more standards and normative to meet and follow than usual. For example, in the case of companies and suppliers aiming for gluten-free products, the struggle will be real, but we have to admit it is quite worth it once you are done and used to it. If this is your case or feels identified with it, what we have for you will be of interest.
To be a company dedicated to manufacturing and making gluten-free products you have to worry about two main elements:
- The common and usual food standards and regulations.
- Obtain a Gluten-Free Certification.
The first one is usually something you start looking after since the beginning of your idea or when the business starts taking shape and it is time to worry about the normative. However, obtaining a GFC will be something that takes more time and effort than most people expect. To begin with, there is the main requirement: in the U.S, you are only allowed to use 20 ppm of gluten in your products.
This means that all products you are fabricating and you are trying to make gluten-free, need to meet this requirement before anything else. However, achieving this goal can take more effort, time, and resources since the only aspect and requirement to look after and worry about isn’t the amount of gluten but also, the rest of the ingredients. Usually, when you deal with products that commonly have gluten it is because most of the ingredients or the main one is quite reach in it.
Therefore, handling the entire situation and making the final product can be a lot of trouble. Also, the food industry and gluten-free area involve dealing with the direct ingredients to make the final products. It is a bit confusing if you are not familiar with what entails the entire process or industry, but this simplifies it:
- When aiming for gluten-free products and their manufacturing, you have to worry about the ingredients you use—main and secondary ones—and their percentage of gluten. Not only the final amount in the product.
- A company will also need a GFC if it provides ingredients for companies or businesses that are supposed to be for gluten-free food.
What is important about Gluten-Free Certification?
Discussing its importance only leads to mentioning the benefits of obtaining one, which can take a lot of time and an extensive conversation. Therefore, let us point out the most important parts about obtaining and going for this GFC: the opportunity to be part of such a small and important market.
Most companies in the food industry that aim for gluten-free products or include them in their current products can access a wide but exclusive market by just having a seal of approval with the certification. A proof of this is the products you can find in the supermarkets or stores with a small logo that identifies them as gluten-free. Now, why do we say it is exclusive?
Since working with gluten-free products tends to be a lot of work and effort for most companies, they usually drop the idea once they look at all the struggles they have to go through. However, we consider that getting certified in GF isn’t that difficult when you follow the right guidelines. This is why you need to pay attention to something: finding the right validated organization or company.
To get certified, you will need a reliable company like us, ISO Pros, that can assess your business, make sure it meets all requirements and provide you with the certification. Going back to the importance of the certification, it relays completely on the need of having something that guarantees customers your products are perfect for them to consume. You can find more information about the benefits and relevant aspects of this standard and certification in another section of our website.
Where to review or read about Gluten-Free requirements?
Most standards and normative come from ISOs. In the case of this program or normative, you can find the information directly on their website by searching GFCO. It is important to educate and research about this certification yourself before even thinking about hiring a company to obtain it.
After all, you are the person that will decide if you can afford it or not if it is worth it for your goals and when you can start if you decide to go for it. Besides, all standards come with changes and expenses, and you are the only one—again—that is able to determine and make them happen. In the case of Gluten-Free Certification, usually, companies have to spend resources on acquiring different products, changing packing processes, or others related to the product itself.
We have mentioned it before, but the truth is we don’t want you to forget or ignore how much work this will take. But we don’t want to scare you by telling you this either. So, our advice would be to focus on the documents you will find when researching about it, make sure to read all of them and when you feel capable of it, find assistance and support to get certified. If you are aiming seriously for this business and area of expertise and production, you won’t regret investing in the certification.
Is this standard valid worldwide?
All standards and normative are different in every country and if you are looking to expand your business or aim for a bigger panoramic, you will have to invest in several certifications. In the case of the U.S, the requirement that is aiming for the amount of gluten is 20 ppm of gluten or less.
But for other countries, it can be either higher or lower. In a few words, your company needs to get certified depending on the company you take part in. Since we are in the U.S, we only provide GFC for those companies and businesses in the country.
However, we can help you to have a good idea of the requirements you have to meet in order to qualify and obtain one in other countries. That being said, some countries have the same standards or requirements you will find in the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.
You just need to make sure they are the official ones and the process of getting certified will be much simpler when you get to the country and decide to start a new business there.
Why do you need us for Gluten-Free Certification?
You cannot get certified unless you reach out to a company that is validated to provide you with the seal of approval. Now, our company—ISO Pros—doesn’t have the simple task of assessing your company, including the ingredients you use, processes, packing, and more. Instead, we also have to provide support and guidelines for you to meet the requirements in the documents and program.
We are not here to say “yes” or “no” only. As part of our functions and duties is the need of giving you the tools and tips required to meet every element and rule in the document and standard. Therefore, when you contact a company like ours the reason you are doing it isn’t to obtain a piece of paper—as many of our clients, current and old ones, have said—but also to get assistance.
Which you will notice is very welcomed and required for this certification. Our experts and auditors are experienced and qualified to support you in the implementation of the standard and guarantee the desired results. Now, the certification must be renewed yearly, which means you and your company will have a long-term relationship with us—if you want it that way.
The reason behind this is because it is necessary to maintain companies updated on the regulations and standards established. After all, it is also a delicate subject or topic to work with due to the situations and issues that could arise from a product that doesn’t meet all the standards. In the country, you will find several validated companies and organizations that can lend you a hand in this process.
However, we have been providing support and certifications for over a decade, which is why we can assure you that our experts are the ones your company needs for its future and to start manufacturing gluten-free products. Therefore, don’t hesitate to contact us.
We are a company that is always aiming for improvement, that stays updated with all normative and standards and makes sure that its clients and companies under its wings are fulfilling their goals. For this, certifications are merely a requirement and seal of approval, but they open many doors and guarantee people—customers and clients—they will be safe whenever they acquire one of your products. With this, we want to tell you to not take lightly the topic of gluten-free.
There are many people in the United States with gluten-related diseases or problems, which has made the area and industry of gluten-free products grow and be quite needed than ever before. Just take the time to study, let us know your worries about all the procedures and programs, and doubts about how you can get certified. We have extra information on our website that is easy to access, and you can also contact us with all your questions.
We will answer them and make sure you are going for this certification while being aware of everything it entails. And prepare you to get through the journey that, even after what we said, we assure you it isn’t as difficult as most people make it seem. We have phone numbers available, a contact form where you can leave your inquiries, a message, and contact information.
Or just send us an email with your needs. We have other options available as well. Just reach out to us and get the support and certification you need.