Approximately 1 in 141 people in the US are affected by celiac disease and adherence to a strict gluten-free diet is the only option to prevent inflammatory symptoms in sensitive individuals. In 2013, the FDA issued a regulation requiring food bearing the claim “gluten-free” must contain less than 20 ppm (mg/kg) gluten. Accurate detection and quantification of gluten are essential to support regulatory requirements, whose ultimate goal is the prevention of adverse reactions in gluten-sensitive individuals. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) remains the method of choice by the food industry and the regulatory agencies for the analysis of gluten in foods. Although several commercial ELISAs are available and useful in accurately detecting and quantifying intact gluten present in foods, the accuracy of the available ELISAs in quantifying hydrolyzed and fermented gluten is questionable. Mass spectrometry (MS) is emerging as an alternative analytical method for gluten analysis and has the potential to solve some of the problems encountered by ELISAs. This symposium will present an overview of the usefulness and the limitations of the currently used ELISA methods for accurate detection and quantification of gluten in foods. The use of advanced MS-based methods for gluten analysis will also be discussed. The session will close by highlighting and discussing effective analytical strategies that are necessary for the validation of gluten-free programs essential for the protection of sensitive individuals.

Presentations