About this course
About this course
The BRCGS Gluten-Free Certification Programme is the most widely recognised assurance scheme for products marketed to consumers with coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity. This one-day virtual programme covers Issue 4 of the Programme at the level of detail site teams need to meet the Standard in day-to-day operation.
Who should attend
The course is aimed at technical managers, quality managers, allergen leads, production supervisors and R and D staff at sites producing gluten-free food or drink. It is equally relevant to co-packers, contract manufacturers and private-label suppliers whose customers require certification. Brand-owner technical staff specifying gluten-free products and auditing suppliers against the Programme also benefit from understanding the clauses first-hand, and consultants supporting clients through initial certification find the programme a useful reference point.
What the programme covers
Sessions cover the scope and requirements of the Gluten-Free Programme, raw material controls, supplier approval for gluten-free ingredients, segregation and changeover controls, cleaning validation, analytical verification, labelling and claim substantiation, and the interface between gluten-free certification and the wider BRCGS food safety system. The programme emphasises the evidence auditors expect during certification, including cleaning validation data and routine analytical verification. Time is given to the particular challenges of managing gluten-free and gluten-containing product on shared lines, and to the design of validation and verification programmes that genuinely support the claim rather than simply documenting the expectation.
Assessment and certification
A written exam at the end of the day confirms competence. A pass earns the official BRCGS Certificate of Achievement, recognised by certification bodies as evidence of training for staff operating to the Programme.
Course format and delivery
The programme runs as a single full-day live virtual session with a BRCGS Approved trainer. Sessions combine clause-level teaching with worked examples from real gluten-free certifications, anonymised where necessary. Delegates receive supporting materials and cleaning validation guidance for reference after the course.
Why this matters
Gluten-free products are among the most tightly controlled allergen-restricted categories, and mistakes in cleaning, segregation or analytical verification can have serious consequences for consumers and commercial consequences for the manufacturer. A trained team produces tighter controls and stronger evidence, reducing the risk of shipment hold, customer complaint or regulatory action. The programme also reduces the hidden cost of gluten-free manufacturing, including unnecessary laboratory testing, disproportionate changeover time and rework triggered by avoidable failures. Sites operating more broadly often take this alongside the Food Safety Issue 9 Sites Training and the HACCP programme. For staff moving into audit work on gluten-free product specifically, the Gluten-Free Auditor Training programme offers natural progression, and the broader Internal Auditor qualification is often useful alongside.
Browse all BRCGS courses and training for related programmes or read the latest food safety news for allergen management commentary.
