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Improved reference materials for gluten-free analysis
R. POMS (1), S. Tömöskösi (2), T. Koerner (3), P. Koehler (4). (1) MoniQA–International Association for Monitoring and Quality Assurance in the Total Food Supply Chain, Vienna, , Austria; (2) Budapest University of Economics, Budapest, , Hungary; (3) Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada; (4) Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Lebensmittelchemie, Leibniz Institut, Freising, , Germany

In Codex Alimentarius "gluten-free" food is defined as food having less than 20 mg gluten/kg. The adopted new Codex Standard for gluten-free foods also includes a definition of reduced gluten foods with a maximum limit of 100 mg gluten/kg in products rendered gluten-free. Several countries have implemented these thresholds in their legislation. MoniQA — Monitoring and Quality Assurance in the Total food Supply Chain (www.moniqa.org) - the global food safety network registered as MoniQA Association provides guidelines for method validation, reference materials and assesses the reliability of methods and obtained results through validation studies and proficiency testing schemes. In 2013 MoniQA initiated a Task Force on the development of food allergen and gluten-free reference materials. The Task Force is an international group comprised of several SDOs (Standardisation Organisations), industry representatives, policy makers, test kit providers and method developers, analytical companies, as well as representatives from various universities. This international group liaised with the Prolamin Working Group and works towards consensus on the specific requirements and the design of a global gluten-free reference material and food allergen reference/testing materials. The aim of MoniQA’s initiative is the publication of a Guidance Document on the special requirements and production of gluten-free reference materials. Accompanying research and the optimization of the production scheme to provide basic and incurred reference materials, spiked samples and extracts have been initiated. This paper will give insight in the challenges, controversial views, and the design of the reference materials and the current state of affairs.

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