GFCO Standard Update

Comment Period ENDS TOMORROW APRIL 30

The GFCO Standard is reviewed every four years, to ensure that it aligns with current industry practices and new advancements in food safety. The GFCO Standard was previously revised in 2020, and now in 2024 we are again asking all stakeholders to provide comments on the Standard and our proposed updates.

The GFCO program is suggesting minor changes to the Standard to improve clarity and ease of auditing. Those proposed changes can be seen in the document attached at the link below. This link also contains a form you can use to provide specific comments or request changes. Your comments and requests do not need to be limited to the proposed changes – you may comment on any part of the Standard. www.gfco.org/standard-update

Comments must be received by April 30, 2024. All comments will be reviewed during the month of May, and any changes will be at the discretion of the Gluten Intolerance Group, which owns and operates the GFCO program. The final revised Standard document will be released on June 1, 2024. Clients will have a 6-month period to implement any changes to the Standard, and GFCO auditors will begin auditing to the updated Standard on December 1, 2024.



End of GFCO Logo Changeover Period

In March of 2020, GFCO released its new global certification mark, with an intended changeover date of March 2022 for all packaging, advertising and websites bearing the previous GFCO mark. The COVID pandemic, and disruptions in sales and supply chains, made it difficult for many companies to meet that changeover deadline. Because of this, GFCO has granted several extensions to the March 2022 deadline. As we approach the end of 2024, our ability to grant extensions to change to the new mark is ending, and GFCO will not be able to grant any further extensions for the use of the mark shown below past December 31, 2024. 

The Gluten Intolerance Group has maintained ownership of this mark, and any use of it past December 31, 2024, on packaging, advertising or websites will be considered a trademark violation.

As you complete the transition of your product packaging, advertising and websites to the new global certification mark, make sure you are meeting GFCO Standard requirement 80, which reads “The use and format of the GFCO certification mark on the certified Product’s packaging, advertisements, or other printed materials must be approved in advance by GFCO”. You can meet this requirement by submitting proofs, drafts or screenshots of any use of the GFCO mark to gfco.branding@gluten.org prior to printing or posting.