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AOECS Gluten-Free Certification in Ireland

The certification behind the Crossed Grain Trademark - the gluten-free mark consumers look for

For people with coeliac disease, a gluten-free claim on a label is a promise they have to be able to trust with their health. For many consumers, the Crossed Grain Trademark is what they look for to confirm that promise is verified. The AOECS Standard for Gluten-Free Foods sets the technical requirements behind the trademark and Amtivo delivers AOECS certification in partnership with the Coeliac Society of Ireland and Coeliac UK.

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What Is the AOECS Standard for Gluten-Free Foods? 

The AOECS Standard for Gluten-Free Foods is the technical standard food business operators must meet to license their products for the Crossed Grain Trademark. Created by the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) – the umbrella body for national coeliac societies across Europe – it sets out the requirements for manufacturing gluten-free products, built around a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) based system to ensure no gluten contamination occurs at any stage of manufacturing, packaging or storage. 

Products certified under the standard must contain no more than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, the threshold aligned with the international Codex definition of gluten-free.  

What is the Crossed Grain Trademark? 

The Crossed Grain Trademark is a globally registered trademark for gluten-free food, licensed only to products that meet the AOECS Standard. Among coeliac consumers, it’s regarded as one of the most important signals that a product is safe to eat.  

More than 23,000 gluten-free products are licensed to carry it under the European scheme, making it the recognised gluten-free mark across Ireland, the UK and Europe. For a producer, the trademark isn’t a label claim: it’s an audited, licensed credential that no competitor can use without earning.

Already Certified? Your Options 

For sites already holding a GFSI-benchmarked certification such as BRCGS Food Safety, there are two efficient routes to the Crossed Grain Trademark. Neither of them means starting a standalone audit programme from scratch: 

  • The AOECS Gluten-Free Addendum: The AOECS Standard’s requirements can be audited in combination with your existing GFSI-benchmarked certification audit. One visit can cover both, avoiding duplicated audit days, but you must specify and book in advance.  
  • BRCGS Global Standard Gluten-Free with its AOECS section: BRCGS and AOECS are strategic partners, and AOECS recognises the BRCGS Gluten-Free Standard, recommending it to national coeliac societies as an equivalent standard for granting Crossed Grain use. Issue 4 of BRCGS Gluten-Free carries a dedicated AOECS section developed between the two organisations.  

Whichever route, the licence itself still runs through the national coeliac society. Which fits best depends on your existing certifications, your customers and your markets. 

The Benefits of AOECS Gluten-Free Certification

A symbol consumers actively look for

Among coeliac consumers, the Crossed Grain Trademark is regarded as one of the most trusted signals that a product is safe to eat – and more than 23,000 products carry it.

Proof behind the claim

Independent audits and ongoing product testing can give retailers and consumers confidence that gluten-free means what it says – maintained year after year, not declared once.

One mark, many markets

A single licence permits use of the symbol on exports throughout the AOECS territory, so certified ranges can carry the same recognised mark in Ireland, the UK and across Europe.

No duplicated audits

For sites holding a GFSI-benchmarked certification, the AOECS requirements can be audited in combination with the existing audit – one visit rather than a separate programme.

What the Standard Requires 

The requirements are built around proving the gluten-free claim at every step: 

  • Gluten testing: Products verified against the 20-ppm threshold through ongoing analysis. 
  • Supplier and ingredient control: Raw materials validated and monitored for gluten-free status before they enter production. 
  • Cross-contamination prevention: HACCP-based controls wherever gluten could reach the product, from intake to dispatch. 
  • Traceability: Full tracing from ingredients to finished products. 
  • Labelling accuracy: What the pack says matches what the testing proves. 
  • People and checks: Trained staff and internal audits keeping the system honest between external audits. 

Working with Amtivo  

Amtivo delivers AOECS certification in partnership with the Coeliac Society of Ireland and Coeliac UK – the societies behind the trademark in these markets. We also certify the BRCGS standards many gluten-free producers hold alongside it, including the combined addendum route. Audits are carried out by food-industry auditors who understand free-from production. 

Already certified elsewhere? Moving your audit to Amtivo is straightforward – get in touch, and we’ll pick it up from your next audit. 

working with amtivo for aoecs certification

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