Take three packets from the gluten-free aisle. The first carries a crossed ear of wheat with a small number. The second carries the words “gluten-free”, no logo. The third sports a pretty round pictogram, a stylised ear, but no claim. These three packets do not promise you the same thing, and the third promises nothing.

The Crossed Grain: a licence, not a drawing

The crossed ear of wheat (Crossed Grain) is a registered trademark, owned by the AOECS, the Association of European Coeliac Societies, which federates European patient associations. No manufacturer may print it on its own initiative. It must obtain a licence, issued by the society of its country (Coeliac UK, AFDIAG, AIC, FACE, DZG…), after:

  • an audit of the production site (control of raw materials, separation of lines, cleaning);
  • regular analyses of the finished product, under 20 ppm;
  • payment of a fee, which funds the checks.

The logo carries a licence number, of the form UK-123-456: country, company, product. That number is what distinguishes the official logo from an imitation, and what allows traceability: a licensed product is on record, a licence can be withdrawn. A logo without a number is not the Crossed Grain. Our article on coeliac certifications tours the associations; here we stay on the packet.

The Crossed Grain threshold is the regulatory one: 20 ppm. It is not stricter. What it adds is that a third party checked. A wheat starch product under 20 ppm may carry it, as we explain, which surprises people but is consistent with the standard. The logo also exists in an “OATS” variant for products with certified oats, and a “100/200” variant for products between 21 and 100 ppm, practically absent from shelves.

The “gluten-free” claim: a commitment, no audit

The words “gluten-free” are governed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 828/2014, retained in UK law. Any manufacturer may use them, on one condition: the product contains under 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold. It is a regulatory commitment, on the manufacturer’s responsibility, enforceable by the authorities, with no compulsory external audit. Some manufacturers test every batch; others rely on their ingredients and process.

For the vast majority of people with celiac disease and of products, that claim is enough: it commits legally, and a company that lies is exposed. What it does not offer is the guarantee of an independent check. Hence the value of the Crossed Grain for products eaten daily, and for at-risk categories (flours, flakes, milled products).

The house pictogram: nothing

Many brands draw their own symbol: an ear in a circle, a stylised “GF”, a leaf, “gluten free” in a coloured box. These pictograms come under no licence and have no definition. They are not forbidden, provided they do not mislead: a manufacturer showing an ear in a circle on a product compliant with 20 ppm does nothing wrong.

But the drawing itself proves nothing. What counts is the regulatory claim beside it. A pictogram accompanied by “gluten-free” in plain words = regulatory commitment. A pictogram alone = nothing. Turn the packet over and look for the words.

Logos from elsewhere

When travelling, other logos appear, with other guarantees:

  • Spain: the FACE logo (“Controlado por FACE”), historically at 10 ppm, now aligned with the European Crossed Grain.
  • Italy: the AIC “Spiga Barrata”, a Crossed Grain licence, ubiquitous on Italian products.
  • United States: GFCO (Gluten-Free Certification Organization), a private certification at 10 ppm, stricter than the federal rule; and the GIG “Certified Gluten-Free” logo.
  • Argentina: the national “Sin TACC” logo, at 10 ppm, compulsory for any gluten-free claim.

The common point: a logo with an organisation behind it and a number or a register is worth something. A logo that is only graphic design is worth nothing.

The reflex in the aisle

  1. Look for the words “gluten-free” in plain text. Without them, no logo counts.
  2. Look for the Crossed Grain with a number. That is the level above: same 20 ppm, plus an audit.
  3. Ignore house pictograms, or rather: give them only the value of the claim that accompanies them.
  4. Still read the ingredient list, here is how, because neither the logo nor the claim says whether the product contains oats or wheat starch, two cases where your personal tolerance decides.

In short

  • Crossed Grain + number: AOECS licence, audit, analyses, traceability. The most solid.
  • “Gluten-free” in plain words: regulatory commitment under 20 ppm, manufacturer’s responsibility. Enough in most cases.
  • House pictogram alone: no value.
  • Abroad, look for the organisation behind the logo: FACE, AIC, GFCO, Sin TACC.

The Nutrixe scanner does not read logos: it reads the ingredient list, which says what the logo does not. The two complement each other. Discover the app.