Abstract:
Background: Global demand for gluten-free foods has surged as diagnoses of celiac disease
and other gluten-related disorders rise, leading retailers to offer an increasingly wide range
of “gluten-free” products. Although international standards cap gluten at ≤ 20 ppm, surveys
in Europe, North America, and the Middle East continue to detect label violations, pointing
to cross-contact and inconsistent manufacturing controls. Lebanon’s only prior market
study dates to 2014, leaving a decade-long data gap on product integrity and the actual
exposure faced by Lebanese consumers who depend on accurate gluten-free labelling for
their health.
Methods: Following a thorough market screening, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted
on 115 stock-keeping units (SKUs) , including 54 local and 61 imported products. Gluten
was quantified with the RIDASCREEN® R5 ELISA; with levels > 20 ppm were deemed
non-compliant. A qualitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was administered to 66
self-selected gluten-free shoppers to assess intake frequency of each non-compliant SKU.
Results: 11 SKUs (9.6%) exceeded 20 ppm, while another 15 (13%) fell between the 1
ppm quantification limit of the kit and 20 ppm. Non-compliance was markedly higher in
Lebanese products (18.5%) than in imports (1.6%). 40% of contaminated local SKUs and
the sole contaminated import bore an FSMS logo, signaling implementation gaps. Bread
(6/43) and snack/bars (4/30) accounted for most infractions; a single oat-based “other
grain” also tested positive. Although 87% of products were analytically compliant, the FFQ
revealed 8 daily and 11 weekly consumption events involving contaminated SKUs.
Notably, 65% of respondents were celiac, and 27% purchased for celiac relatives,
increasing clinical risk.
Conclusion: Lebanon’s retail gluten-free sector is largely compliant, yet a substantial risk
persists in domestically produced breads and snack items. Strengthened regulatory
surveillance, dedicated production lines for high-risk categories, and targeted consumer
education must be enforced to safeguard medically vulnerable populations and uphold ethical standards.
