Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the most commonly asked questions regarding our products.  Check out our KnowledgeBase for additional Q&A.

Q: I understand there is a difference between what is allowed in the US and what is allowed in Europe. What is the difference?

A: As of January 1, 2008, the U.S. FDA has not established a standard for the definition of gluten-free. In Europe, foods with less than 20 parts-per-million total gluten content are considered gluten-free, according to the Codex Alimentarius. The U.S. FDA is considering to establish a definition of gluten-free. One of the options under consideration is to adopt the Codex Standard of less than 20 ppm total gluten content.

Q: We are not used to seeing 'wheat' on the label and thinking it could be safe.

A: Wheat starch is the gluten-free ingredient of wheat, and in Europe is allowed in gluten-free products. “Codex Wheat Starch” undergoes a thorough process in which all but a trace amount of the gluten is removed. If this wheat starch is included, the total gluten content of the food cannot exceed 20 ppm (.002%). Foods with this level of gluten content have been safely consumed by celiacs in Europe for nearly 30 years.

Q: Regarding specially formulated wheat starch, why does your package say 200 ppm under the ingredients, while you also say “20 ppm total gluten content” on the front of the package?

A: This is an excellent question, and one that is confusing for many people. “20 ppm total gluten content” refers to the entire mix, and is the important measure of what you will consume.

We specify the 200 ppm contained in the wheat starch because some people want to know. This amount of gluten is allowed in the wheat starch so long as the total gluten content of the mix is less than 20 ppm.

The wheat starch (called Codex Wheat Starch) is a subset of the total ingredients. It is specially processed to ensure that all but a trace of gluten is removed from it. It contains less than 200 ppm gluten, but when combined with all of the other gluten-free ingredients, the total gluten content of the mix remains at less than 20 ppm.

At 20 ppm total gluten content, the mix is considered gluten-free in Europe according to the Codex Alimentarius. This standard is currently under consideration by the U.S. FDA as the new definition of gluten-free in the United States.

Q: How does your manufacturing process ensure the products are celiac-safe?

A: The Toro products are prepared with special care under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) as the Codex Standard says. The "Mixing and Blending Department" in the Toro Factory is constructed especially for allergen-free production, and the producer has over 30 years of experience with gluten-free products. The products are developed by one of Norway's most experienced nutritionists concerning gluten-free products. She is also a member of the Medical Board of The Norwegian Coeliac Society (www.ncf.no).

Q: What tests do you run on your products?

A: The gluten-free ingredients and products are analysed both by the suppliers and the producer. Toro has a Raw Material Specification for every ingredient they use which includes demands for official and quality requirement like: composition, sensory-, physical-, chemical-, nutritional- and microbiological- requirements and claims on many other matters like allergens, heavy metals and pesticides. The specification must be signed by the suppliers and the factories are audited. The qualitative analysis that indicates the presence of gluten is based on relevant methods (e.g. ELISA-based metods, DNA methods). The method for determination of gluten, in the Codex Standard, is Enzyme-Linked immunoassay (ELISA) R5 Mendez Method.

Check out our KnowledgeBase for additional Q&A.