The global gluten-free products market is experiencing significant growth, with the market projected to expand from approximately $9.3 billion in 2026 to $18.3 billion by 2033.
This guide covers the gluten-free certification marks that carry real weight in the U.S. market, and how brands and manufacturers should think about picking the right certification partner.
What “Gluten-Free” Legally Means in the U.S.
The FDA defines the term. Its 2013 final rule, codified at 21 CFR 101.91, took effect on 5 August 2014 and applies to any FDA-regulated packaged food carrying a gluten-free claim. The food must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, must not contain a gluten-containing grain or an unprocessed ingredient derived from one, and any unavoidable gluten from cross-contact has to stay under the same 20 ppm ceiling.
A second rule followed in 2020, with a compliance date of 13 August 2021, covering fermented and hydrolyzed foods. Yogurt, cheese, pickles, sauerkraut, green olives, FDA-regulated beer and wine, and hydrolyzed plant proteins all fall inside it.
Gluten proteins in these products are broken down and no validated test can quantify them reliably, so the FDA assesses compliance through manufacturer records showing the food was under 20 ppm before fermentation or hydrolysis. Those records have to be held for two years after the food enters interstate commerce.
The Recognized Gluten-Free Certification Marks
1. CGA Gluten-Free Certified
- Carat Global Assurance runs a third-party audited gluten-free certification program for manufacturers, with certification against the FDA threshold of 20 ppm or against international references including Codex and EU requirements, depending on where the product is sold.
- The CGA Gluten-Free Certified mark is built around a bold, distinctive visual identity, combining the interlocking CGA initials with recognizable color accents and a prominent “GLUTEN FREE” wordmark. Its strong typography, outlined badge treatment, and compact composition are designed to make the certification easy to identify on product packaging and consistent across different product categories.
- The reason manufacturers come to CGA is usually the audit structure in addition to the mark. Most food and supplement companies that need gluten-free also need some combination of Non-GMO, GMP, halal, vegan, or a GFSI scheme. When these run separately, that is four or five audits a year, each with its own document request, its own audit days, and its own travel cost. CGA consolidates the requirements of each standard into one framework and one audit visit, with a single unified compliance report covering every scheme in scope.
2. GFCO: Gluten-Free Certification Organization
- With a 10 ppm, it is run by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), a consumer support organization. GFCO launched in 2005 and is the largest gluten-free certifier in North America by number of certified products.
- The mark is the one shoppers recognize fastest. It is a circle with a stylized “GF” in the centre. GFCO sets its threshold at half the FDA limit, which is where most of its credibility with the celiac community comes from. Certification involves ingredient review, on-site facility inspection, and ongoing product testing.
- GFCO is not a regulator and its program is not a requirement for gluten-free labeling. It is a private standard set above the legal floor.
2. BRCGS Global Standard Gluten-Free (the Beyond Celiac mark)
- Endorsed by Beyond Celiac in the U.S. and Celiac Canada. Originally created in 2011 by the Allergen Control Group with the Canadian Celiac Association, and brought to the U.S. in 2014. BRCGS now owns the program.
- The audit examines ingredient sourcing, employee training, cleaning practices, cross-contact controls, operational management, and the testing plan end to end.
- Audits are annual and are carried out by independent ISO-accredited certification bodies rather than by Beyond Celiac itself, which keeps the endorsing organization out of the certification decision.
3. NSF Certified Gluten-Free
- NSF is a public health and safety organization with a long history in water quality, dietary supplements, and food safety auditing.
- Their gluten-free mark is less common on retail packaging than GFCO. It tends to appear where a manufacturer is already inside the NSF system for another standard, most often supplements or a food safety scheme.
4. GFFP: Gluten-Free Food Program
- Endorsed by the National Celiac Association. The consumer-facing logo is the GFFP Certified Mark of Trust.
- This is the strictest widely used threshold in the U.S. market, four times tighter than the legal limit. Fewer products carry it, partly because 5 ppm is genuinely hard to hold on shared equipment. GFFP extended the program to restaurants and food service establishments in 2019, which is unusual among the certifiers.
5. The AOECS Crossed Grain symbol
- The Association of European Coeliac Societies is the umbrella body for more than thirty national gluten-free certifying organizations across Europe. Each national society licenses the crossed grain image, so the artwork varies slightly by country.
- While it is not a U.S. program, it still shows up on imported products on American shelves and it is the mark U.S. exporters get asked for when they ship into the EU and UK.
Read More: Benefits of Gluten-Free Certification for Food Companies
Comparison at a glance
| Program | Gluten threshold | Backed by | Model | Typical use |
| CGA Gluten-Free Certified | 20 ppm (FDA), or Codex / EU as required | Carat Global Assurance | Third-party audit, integrated with other schemes | Multi-scheme manufacturers |
| GFCO | 10 ppm | Gluten Intolerance Group | Product testing + facility inspection | U.S. retail CPG |
| BRCGS Global Standard Gluten-Free | 20 ppm | Beyond Celiac, Celiac Canada | Management system, facility-based | GFSI-aligned manufacturers |
| NSF Certified Gluten-Free | 20 ppm | NSF | Audit + testing | Supplements, existing NSF clients |
| GFFP Certified Mark of Trust | 5 ppm | National Celiac Association | Product testing + annual evaluation | Dedicated GF facilities, food service |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No. The FDA regulates the gluten-free claim but does not require certification. Certification is voluntary, and increasingly requested by retailers rather than by regulators.
GFFP, at 5 ppm. GFCO sits at 10 ppm. NSF and BRCGS align with the FDA limit of 20 ppm.
No. The FDA defines the claim and enforces the 20 ppm limit. It does not certify products, endorse certifiers, or issue a seal.
Yes. The FDA does not mandate testing, only that the product meets the definition. This is the main reason certification exists.
It depends on facility size, product complexity, and how many schemes you certify at once. Bundling gluten-free with other audits is the usual way to bring the number down.
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