# Gluten Intolerance Group
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{{refimprove|date=April 2025}}
{{Short description|Gluten-free diet support organization}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Gluten Intolerance Group
| logo = Logo_for_Gluten_Intolerance_Group.jpg
| type = [Nonprofit](/source/Nonprofit)
| status = [501(c)(3)](/source/501(c)(3)_organization)
| abbreviation =
| founded = {{start date and age|1974}}
| founder = Elaine Hartsook
| location = [Auburn, Washington](/source/Auburn%2C_Washington)
[Lacey, Washington](/source/Lacey%2C_Washington)
[Sebastian, Florida](/source/Sebastian%2C_Florida)
| focus = [Gluten-free diet](/source/Gluten-free_diet)
| leader_title = [CEO](/source/Chief_executive_officer)
| leader_name = Cynthia Kelly
| leader_title2 = [COO](/source/Chief_operating_officer)
| leader_name2 = Channon Quinn
| registration_id = GIG Cares: 86-2142240
| website = {{url|gluten.org}}
}}
The '''Gluten Intolerance Group''' ('''GIG''') is a [501(c)(3) non-profit organization](/source/501(c)(3)_organization) founded in 1974 to increase awareness and support of a [gluten-free diet](/source/gluten-free_diet). It is most well-known for its food product certification program, the Gluten-Free Certification Organization.
==History==
Elaine Hartsook, a dietitian at the [University of Washington](/source/University_of_Washington), founded the Gluten Intolerance Group in 1974 to "support and educate individuals impacted by gluten-related disorders" and formed its first support group in 1983. Just before Hartsook died in 1996, she handed leadership over to Cynthia Kelly, who remains [CEO](/source/Chief_executive_officer) to the present day. The Gluten-Free Certification Organization was established in 2005 and greatly expanded after being taken over in 2008 by Channon Quinn, who later became GIG's [COO](/source/Chief_operating_officer) and CEO of GIG Cares. In 2007, GIG acquired the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program to work with restaurants producing gluten-free options, and later revamped this program as the Gluten-Free Food Service.[{{cite web |title=The Journey of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) |url=https://gluten.org/gigs-story/ |publisher=Gluten Intolerance Group |access-date=3 March 2025}}]
In 2020, during the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic) GIG participated in the Giving Back to Our Gluten-Free Heroes campaign to assist workers who were required gluten-free diets, and joined other celiac and gluten-free organizations in opposing temporary changes by the U.S. [Food and Drug Administration](/source/Food_and_Drug_Administration) to allow food manufacturers to change the formulation of their products without necessarily having to update their ingredients list.[{{cite web |title=Gluten Intolerance Group begins 2021 with achievements in support of gluten-free community and its partners |url=https://www.snackandbakery.com/articles/96455-gluten-intolerance-group-begins-2021-with-achievements-in-support-of-gluten-free-community-and-its-partners |website=Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery |access-date=1 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304085131/https://www.snackandbakery.com/articles/96455-gluten-intolerance-group-begins-2021-with-achievements-in-support-of-gluten-free-community-and-its-partners |archive-date=March 4, 2024 |date=March 18, 2021 |url-status=live}}]
==Programs==
===Gluten-Free Certification Organization===
thumb|right|Mark for a product that has been certified by the GFCO
The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) was established in 2005 as a first-of-its-kind independent certification program for gluten-free products.[{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://gfco.org/about-us/ |website=gfco.org |access-date=1 March 2025}}] The process of certification involves multiple steps, starting with a company submitting an application to GFCO that provides detailed information about their gluten-free products and how those products are created. Then these products are tested using multiple methods for detecting the presence of gluten, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. If a product is found to contain 10 [ppm](/source/Parts-per-million) or less of gluten, then it is allowed to display the GFCO certification mark on its packaging.[{{cite web |title=Gluten Intolerance Group Promotes Food Label Transparency for Celiac Awareness Month |url=https://www.food-safety.com/articles/7765-gluten-intolerance-group-promotes-food-label-transparency-for-celiac-awareness-month |website=Food Safety Magazine |access-date=1 March 2025 |date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192832/https://www.food-safety.com/articles/7765-gluten-intolerance-group-promotes-food-label-transparency-for-celiac-awareness-month |archive-date=October 15, 2024 |url-status=live}}] After this, companies must undergo annual audits and ongoing testing to remain in compliance.[{{cite web |last1=Adams |first1=Scott |title=Critical Review of GFCO Gluten-Free Certification in Light of Recent Findings |url=https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/critical-review-of-gfco-gluten-free-certification-in-light-of-recent-findings-r6607/ |website=Celiac.com |access-date=1 March 2025 |date=July 12, 2024}}] According to is own reporting, the organization certified "9,300 products from more than 800 brands worldwide" during 2022.[{{cite web |title=Record Number of Gluten-free Products Verified by GFCO in 2022 |url=https://www.wholefoodsmagazine.com/articles/16071-record-number-of-gluten-free-products-verified-by-gfco-in-2022 |website=WholeFoods Magazine |access-date=1 March 2025 |date=April 6, 2023}}]
In 2024 the group [Moms Across America](/source/Moms_Across_America) conducted their study of GFCO-certified products and found that 15% of a random product sampling contained higher levels of gluten than GFCO's reported threshold.[{{cite web |title=Gluten Intolerance Group rebrands GFFS Gluten-free Restaurant and Foodservice Safety Program as validated gluten-free Safe Spots |url=https://www.snackandbakery.com/articles/95147-gluten-intolerance-group-rebrands-gffs-gluten-free-restaurant-and-foodservice-safety-program-as-validated-gluten-free-safe-spots |website=Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery |access-date=1 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920083543/https://www.snackandbakery.com/articles/95147-gluten-intolerance-group-rebrands-gffs-gluten-free-restaurant-and-foodservice-safety-program-as-validated-gluten-free-safe-spots |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |date=August 19, 2020 |url-status=live}}] GFFS also offers a coaching program to help guide food providers through the validation process.[{{cite interview |last=Yeakle |first=Lindsey |title=Gluten-Free: What Restaurants Need to Know |url=https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/gluten-free-what-restaurants-need-to-know/ |work=Modern Restaurant Management |access-date=8 March 2025 |date=August 9, 2021}}]
Chef to Plate, launched in 2007, is another program under the GFFS umbrella that partners with restaurants and aims to raise awareness of gluten-free options and locations.[{{cite press release |author= |title=Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) Announces the Formation of GIG Cares |url=https://gluten.org/formation-of-gig-cares/#:~:text=GIG%20has%20been%20a%20highly,presence%20internationally%20to%2050%20countries. |location=Auburn, Washington |publisher=Gluten Intolerance Group |date=November 29, 2021 |access-date=March 3, 2025}}] GIG Cares also provides outreach to children in the form of "Teen Summits", "Kids Camps", and quarterly ''Generation GF Magazine'' and has taken ownership of GIG's support groups.