As a chief everything officer building a global food brand, one of the most common questions I get asked is how gluten free labeling actually works across countries. And the truth is - not all gluten free standards are the same. There are real differences between regions, especially between Australia and the United States. Understanding this matters because gluten free shouldn’t be confusing, inconsistent or vague.
Australia has one of the strictest gluten free definitions in the world
In Australia, a food labeled gluten free must have no detectable gluten and be tested to below 3ppm. This is one of the strictest global benchmarks. It requires extremely tight control of ingredients, testing, supplier chain and manufacturing protocols.
The United States allows up to 20ppm to still qualify as gluten free
In the US, products can be labelled gluten free if they contain less than 20ppm of gluten. This still protects the majority of gluten sensitive consumers - but it is a much higher threshold compared to Australia. Most people don’t realise this difference exists, and assume gluten free is globally identical. It isn’t.
What does 3ppm actually mean for customers?
Most people don’t think in ppm (parts per million),
so here’s a simple way to understand it without judgment:
If gluten were a drop of dye in water:
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Australia’s gluten-free rule (below 3ppm) means the level is so low it’s considered not detectable.
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The U.S. gluten-free rule (below 20ppm) allows for trace levels that are still considered safe for the majority of gluten-sensitive consumers.
Both systems exist to protect consumers -they simply use different thresholds based on regional regulatory frameworks.
What this means for SUP Foods
As SUP expands internationally, we are aligning our formulation and protocols to the stricter baseline. Our standard is: if a product is gluten free, it must pass the Australian level first. We test every single batch before release to ensure this standard is consistently met. This way we don’t shift our definition depending on where we sell - the bar stays the same.
Gluten free shouldn’t be a flexible marketing statement. It should be a transparent commitment.
Because gluten free shouldn’t be confusing
Consumers deserve clarity and consistency - especially in a category that already has so much mixed messaging, fear and misunderstanding. As a brand, we choose to be direct, responsible and honest. When we say gluten free, we are committed to meeting the highest standard - not the easiest one.