Gluten-free is a hot product category. It seems everyone in the food industry wants to be involved in this trend, and the gluten-free label claim does attract a segment of the population that is highly sensitive to the ingestion of traces of gluten. Consumers with celiac disease must completely avoid gluten.

Any food product bearing a gluten-free claim labeled on or after Aug. 5 must meet the requirements of a rule issued in August 2013 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues rules outlining the criteria for labeling foods "gluten-free." Food manufacturers have until Aug. 1, 2014, to bring their labels into compliance.