Fill out this important FDA gluten-free survey

You can now fill out the long-awaited FDA survey on gluten-free shopping habits. It's available here.

It took the FDA a little more than a year to release the survey, which will help the agency figure out what kind of gluten-free labels those who follow the gluten-free diet want to see.

You can fill out the survey if you are at least 18 years old. It is designed for those who have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, wheat allergies and those who shop and make meals for anyone following the gluten free diet.

The FDA is spreading word about the survey through celiac support groups and it is available on the internet and or by calling 1-877-4GLUTIN1 to request a paper copy.

Questions include:

• the method by which you were diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity
• whether and how often you purchase and prepare packaged food that is gluten free
• the kind of symptoms you experienced after accidentally or purposely ingesting gluten
• how difficult you find following a gluten-free diet
• what impact an increase or decrease in the availability of gluten-free products would have on you
• the quality of advice you get about the gluten-free diet from a variety of sources
• how often you look for a gluten-free claim on a product
• how much gluten can be in a food labeled gluten free
• how you would like gluten to be quantified, either parts per million or micrograms per gram

In addition, you have a chance to look at a variety of labeling options, choose the one you prefer and give your opinion about the safety, believability and clarity of another.

The most important part is that you actually take the time to fill out the survey. The FDA has said the survey would not delay approval of a final definition of gluten-free on a label, but all we know is that the deadline is long past and anything the gluten-free community can do to get its approval moving is very important.

Amy