If you live gluten-free in the United States, there’s a regulatory story worth watching: the FDA has taken its first formal step toward requiring clearer labeling of gluten-containing ingredients on packaged foods — something that isn’t currently required beyond wheat.
On January 21, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Request for Information (RFI) on labeling and preventing cross-contact of gluten in packaged foods. It’s not a new rule yet — it’s the FDA formally gathering data and public comments before deciding what, if anything, to require next.
Why now?
The RFI responds to a citizen petition filed with the FDA in September 2023 by Celiac Journey, an advocacy group founded by Jax Bari — who was 10 years old at the time. The petition asks the FDA to require that all gluten-containing ingredients (wheat, barley, rye, and oats) be listed by name on ingredient labels, and that gluten be added to cross-contact controls the way other major allergens already are.
Right now, U.S. law only requires wheat to be disclosed on labels. Barley and rye can still appear under vague terms like “malt extract” or “natural flavoring,” making it hard for people with celiac disease to know for certain whether a product is safe.
What the FDA is actually asking about
According to the FDA’s own announcement, the agency is seeking information on adverse reactions linked to “ingredients of interest” — non-wheat gluten-containing grains (rye and barley), plus oats because of cross-contact risk — and on how difficult it currently is for consumers to identify these ingredients on packaging.
“People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities have had to tiptoe around food, and are often forced to guess about their food options,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary in the agency’s announcement.
Where things stand now
The comment period, originally set to close in March, was extended to April 22, 2026, to give stakeholders more time to submit data. That deadline has now passed. As of today, the FDA has not announced a decision or a timeline for what comes next — the agency says it intends to use the input it received to help determine what future regulatory action, if any, is appropriate.
In other words: nothing has changed yet for shoppers reading labels today. But this is the clearest sign so far that mandatory gluten labeling beyond wheat is genuinely on the FDA’s radar, and it’s worth watching for an update.
For a look at how labeling and alerts work in Spain, see our guide to AECOSAN food safety alerts and our article on where gluten hides in processed foods and drinks. And on the enforcement side, the gaps this RFI is trying to close are exactly what led to GF Blends’ recent recall over undeclared wheat gluten. More recently, patient advocates have taken the push further, backing three federal bills that would tighten gluten labeling rules in the US.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, official press announcement, and the Federal Register notice (Docket No. FDA-2023-P-3942).
