Gluten Allergen Testing
& Gluten-Free Verification
Verify your "Gluten-Free" label claims with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited and FDA LAAF-recognized gluten testing by R5 ELISA — on finished products, ingredients, environmental swabs, and water.
Prevent Allergen Recalls with Accredited Gluten Testing
Undeclared allergens are consistently the leading cause of Class I food recalls in the United States, according to FDA recall and Reportable Food Registry data. Under the FASTER Act of 2021, manufacturers must label nine major allergens, including sesame, which took effect on 1 January 2023. Accurate compliance combines gluten verification with strong nutritional analysis and food labeling data on the final pack.
AGT Food Labs supports your "Gluten-Free" claims with an accredited R5 ELISA method. Whether you need to confirm a gluten-free production run or validate your facility's food hygiene and cleaning procedures to prevent gluten cross-contact, our gluten testing program delivers actionable data for your Allergen Control Plan.
Scope note: Gluten analysis is performed at our Houston, TX facility. Our PJLA ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation (Accreditation No. 117946, Cert L26-535) includes Gluten/Gliadin by R5 ELISA (Veratox for Gliadin R5, SOP 041) — the method used for FDA Gluten-Free verification — on food products, environmental sponges and swabs, and water. This method is additionally recognized under the FDA LAAF program. Gluten is the only allergen we test. We do not currently offer testing for peanut, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, fish, crustacean shellfish, sesame, or sulfites.
The Gluten Testing Workflow
R5 Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for precise detection of gluten proteins.
Our Gluten Testing Services
Accredited gluten verification for finished products, ingredients, manufacturing surfaces, and water.
Gluten-Free Verification
To label a product "Gluten-Free," the FDA requires it to contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. Our Gluten/Gliadin analysis uses the R5 antibody method (Veratox for Gliadin R5) under SOP 041 to detect gluten from wheat, rye, and barley, with a limit of quantitation of 5 ppm — well below the regulatory threshold.
Within our PJLA ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited scope (Cert L26-535, Houston, TX) and recognized under the FDA LAAF program, for food products, environmental sponges and swabs, and water.
Environmental Gluten Swabs
Preventing cross-contact is the heart of any Food Safety Plan. If you run gluten-containing and gluten-free products in the same facility, you need evidence that your sanitation actually works.
We test environmental swabs and sponges taken from equipment surfaces such as mixers, conveyor belts, and fillers. Results confirm that your cleaning and Clean-in-Place procedures remove gluten, supporting FSMA Preventive Controls expectations.
Gluten/Gliadin on environmental sponges and swabs is within our accredited scope (SOP 041, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and FDA LAAF).
Detection Limits (LOQ)
Accredited R5 ELISA with a 5 ppm limit of quantitation — well below the FDA 20 ppm Gluten-Free threshold.
| Analyte | Method | Limit of Quantitation (LOQ) | Accreditation Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gluten (Gliadin) | R5 ELISA, SOP 041 | 5.0 ppm | PJLA accredited · FDA LAAF |
Gluten/Gliadin by R5 ELISA (SOP 041) is run at our Houston, TX facility under PJLA ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation and is recognized under the FDA LAAF program. Accredited matrices: food products, environmental sponges and swabs, and water.
Industries We Serve
Gluten testing for every food and beverage category that carries an FDA "Gluten-Free" claim.
Common Triggers for Gluten Testing
Most manufacturers commission gluten testing when one of these situations comes up.
Pre-Launch Verification
A new SKU, recipe, or co-pack run is heading to market and you need a documented gluten result before printing a "Gluten-Free" label and shipping. Our packaged food launch testing checklist sets out what else belongs in that first round.
Retailer or Buyer Audit
A major retailer, food-service buyer, or private-label brand has requested third-party gluten verification as part of supplier qualification or annual surveillance.
FSMA Allergen Control Plan
Your written Food Safety Plan requires periodic verification of allergen-control preventive measures. Gluten environmental swabs and finished-product checks both feed this evidence file.
Recall or Complaint Investigation
A consumer reaction, retailer complaint, or suspected gluten contamination needs a fast quantitative answer to size the issue and scope a corrective action.
Gluten-Free Certification
Programs such as the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) require ongoing gluten test evidence for renewal cycles.
Cleaning Validation
A new piece of shared equipment or a change to a CIP procedure needs validation that gluten removal works before production resumes.
Regulatory Compliance
Meeting US allergen labeling requirements.
FALCPA & FASTER Act
FALCPA and the FASTER Act require nine major allergens to be declared on US food labels, with sesame added from 1 January 2023. AGT Food Labs tests for gluten only; wheat-derived gluten is verified under our accredited R5 ELISA method.
FDA Gluten-Free Rule
We verify compliance with 21 CFR 101.91 under our accredited SOP 041 method (ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and FDA LAAF), confirming your product tests below the 20 ppm threshold required for "Gluten-Free" claims.
FSMA Preventive Controls
Our gluten environmental swab testing supports your written Allergen Control Plan, a key requirement for FSMA Preventive Controls audits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about gluten thresholds, testing methods, and accreditation scope.
Is AGT's gluten testing accredited?
Do you test for peanut, milk, or other allergens?
Does a "May Contain" label remove the need to test?
Why use ELISA instead of PCR?
Can you test hydrolyzed or fermented products like beer and soy sauce?
Verify Your Gluten-Free Claim
Tell us your product and matrix. We'll confirm sample requirements and turnaround before you ship.
Request a Gluten Test Quote