Federal: HR9048

Bill Summary

The Celiac Safety Act of 2026 amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to designate gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye, barley, and their hybrids) as major food allergens requiring mandatory labeling on food products. Food manufacturers would have 18 months from enactment to comply with the new labeling requirement. This change standardizes disclosure practices across the food industry for one of the most common food sensitivities affecting millions of Americans. The bill has bipartisan sponsorship and addresses a significant gap in current allergen labeling requirements.

Why It Matters to MAHA

This bill directly advances MAHA's core commitment to transparency in healthcare and food labeling. Currently, while wheat is already required to be labeled, gluten-containing grains as a category are not consistently flagged, leaving consumers—particularly those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity—without reliable information to make informed purchasing decisions. Enhanced labeling empowers patients to take control of their own health and avoid foods that trigger their conditions without relying on unclear or inconsistent manufacturer disclosures. This is a patient autonomy issue: clear labeling is foundational to health freedom. The 18-month compliance window gives industry reasonable time to adjust while protecting vulnerable populations immediately upon implementation.