Allergen Control vs Gluten-Free Certification

Allergen control is mandatory law: declaring the major allergens (9 in the US, 14 in the EU) and managing cross-contact is a legal duty for every food business, claim or no claim. Gluten-free certification verifies a voluntary claim — once you print "gluten-free", regulators hold you to a threshold (below 20 ppm in the US and EU), and certification is independent proof you meet it. One system is the floor; the other is a claim built on top of it.