Public Advisory for Undeclared Gluten Allergen

The Consumer and Industry Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is issuing a public advisory for undeclared gluten discovered in two products sold in Tennessee.

During routine sampling of retail food products sold at India Bazaar on Mayfield Drive in Franklin, lab results showed the presence of gluten in Kerala Pappadam, distributed by the House of Spices in Flushing, N.Y.

Gluten was also detected in Nutrela Soya Chunks with the lot number TC 25. Gluten was not indicated on the label for either product, as is required by federal labeling law.

In accordance with FDA standards, a major food allergen is defined as any of the following: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, soybeans, peanuts, and wheat, as well as any food ingredient that contains protein derived from one of these foods. Gluten is a protein contained in wheat, barley and rye.

A state inspector returned to the store to pull the remaining products from the shelves.  The Food and Drug Administration has been notified and will determine if further action will be taken.

As a precaution, the department is alerting consumers with an allergy or sensitivity to gluten to avoid those products. The department is also requesting that retail locations in Tennessee remove the products from their shelves and contact the distributor.

The Consumer and Industry Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture sets high standards for food safety. Those standards are enforced through regular and thorough inspections and product testing. The Department of Agriculture recently validated their test procedure for the presence of gluten in foods.