Fake Gluten Free Claims Scandal: Why Lab Verification in Food Technology for Safety is Non Negotiable

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – The recent exposure of products falsely labeled as “gluten free” has truly shocked the country. It hasn’t just broken the trust people have in their food; it highlights a total breakdown in quality control. For millions of consumers, that gluten-free label isn’t just a trendy diet choice—it’s a rock-solid guarantee of health and safety.

The Unthinkable Betrayal: When “Safe” Food Becomes a Hidden Threat

The severity of this fake claim was revealed when a local online bakery went viral after a mother, Ms. F.E., reported on social media that her young child, who is allergic to gluten and cow’s milk products, experienced a severe allergic reaction across her entire body after consuming one of the falsely labeled cakes. The company that had widely marketed its bread and cakes as being completely free of gluten, cow milk, sugar, and any animal products, leading to a massive public backlash.

Taking the initiative, the family conducted independent laboratory tests on the product. The laboratory test revealed that the baked goods that were supposed to be gluten and dairy free, actually contained them. This event is one of the most common types of criminal acts related to food; Food fraud. More specifically an act of mislabelling and false marketing.

In a complex supply chain, honesty in labeling is vital, and ensuring every product is truly safe requires real proof, not just good intentions. The answer is not in trust, but in Food Technology.

The Legal Ramifications: Food Fraud is a Crime

In Indonesia, misleading consumers about the safety and content of food products is not merely a breach of ethics; it carries severe legal consequences, classifying the act as a potential criminal offense (tindak pidana).

Companies caught using false food labels could face two major consequences

Criminal Penalties (UU No. 8 Tahun 1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen): Article 62 of the Consumer Protection Law states that perpetrators who mislead consumers regarding product quality or safety can be subjected to imprisonment for a maximum of 5 years or a maximum fine of 2 billion IDR. This is a direct measure to protect public health and safety.
Administrative Sanctions (PerBPOM No. 31 Tahun 2018 tentang Label Pangan Olahan): Beyond criminal charges, the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) can impose strict administrative actions. The most serious sanction for non-compliance with labeling standards is the revocation of the business license, which immediately ends the company’s ability to operate.

The Food Technology Blueprint: Science as the Safety Net

Food Technology is the science of making sure your food is safe, nutritious, and secure, every step of the way. When food fraud occurs, it is an ethical and regulatory failure rooted in the desire for economic gain. Food Technology offers the technical and scientific solution needed to detect and prevent it.

At i3L University, the Food Technology curriculum is designed to create the guardians of this vital industry. Students don’t just learn how to develop products; they master the advanced analytical science, processing techniques, and quality management systems required to build an impenetrable defense against fraud. The core principle? That safety can only be assured when it is measured, validated, and verified.

Why Lab Verification is Non Negotiable

The shocking extent of the recent scandal proves that just taking the supplier’s word for it or using simple checks is dangerously naive. While the root of food fraud is poor business ethics and a lack of regulation enforcement, Lab Verification becomes the essential final step and the main detection tool. Food Technologists must use science to challenge every claim.

In Food Technology, students are trained to conduct precise analytical tests to detect and quantify contaminants that are invisible to the naked eye. This process is divided into two areas:

Methods for Detection (Finding the Lie)

These methods confirm if a prohibited substance is present in the food product.

Advanced Analytical Testing: This is the only way to expose fraud. We use the best lab tools, like ELISA or Mass Spectrometry, to find contaminants. For instance, in the recent case, these tests definitively proved that products marketed as safe were scientifically confirmed to contain high levels of gluten.
Process Validation: This means constantly checking the entire production line, from buying ingredients to final packaging, to eliminate the risk of cross contamination. This is a critical failure point when trying to produce truly “free from” products.

Methods for Quantification (Measuring the Risk)

Once a substance is detected, these methods measure how much of it is present, which is crucial for meeting strict legal thresholds (like the gluten-free standard of less than 20 ppm).

Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS): We design and implement strong food safety rules like HACCP and ISO 22000 that rely on accurate measurement data. These systems ensure contaminated products can’t leave the factory without getting caught, by setting clear pass/fail points based on quantification results.
Trained Expertise: Future Food Technologists are trained to execute these mandatory verification checks and design new, safer processes. The world-class labs at i3L are the training grounds where they develop the expertise to measure risk accurately.

A dedicated Food Innovation Centre and world class laboratories, like those at i3L University, are not just nice facilities; they are the training grounds where future Food Technologists develop the expertise to execute these mandatory verification checks and design new, safer processes.

Your Career: The Defense Against Deception

The exposure of this scandal is a critical moment for the food industry. It creates an urgent, massive demand for graduates trained specifically in Food Safety and Advanced Technology. A Food Technology graduate is uniquely equipped to help fix this problem, with essential careers waiting in:

Quality Control (QC/QA): Directly managing the lab verification process for major Food & Beverage (FMCG) companies.
Research & Development (R&D): Innovating new, safer ingredients and processing methods to prevent future contamination.
Regulatory & Government Bodies: Working to establish and enforce the strict, non-negotiable lab standards required to protect the Indonesian public.

Food Technology is the future of food safety. It is the education that turns scientific knowledge into a shield for consumer health, ensuring that a label of “gluten free” is a truthful, verified promise, not a dangerous lie.

About Food Technology

The Food Technology program at i3L aims to fulfil the needs of the society for sustainable food quality, safety, and security. This field applies the principles of science to ensure safe manufacture, packaging, and distribution. Students will complete a rigorous scientiﬁc curriculum that balances classroom lectures with practical sessions in our state-of-the-art laboratories. The Food Innovation Centre allows students to have trainings in our modern, on-campus food processing facilities, in which we strongly encourage our students to create innovative food products.

At i3L, we have broad industry networks and links to leading research organizations around the world to support students in finding suitable internships that can help them pave the way to their dream career in the food industry.