But a spokesman for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) said they were aware of the international rules but had no plans to review the allowances.
It is looking at the terminology used to declare allergens on food labels, following a 2010 review.
One of the issues identified in the review was how gluten and wheat were declared on labels, including when "gluten free" claims are made.
The spokesman said it would investigate stakeholder views on how allergen declarations could be expressed more plainly "so consumers can more readily identify that a food contains a food allergen".
Public consultation is expected to take place later this year. The FSANZ will then consider whether the Food Standards Code, which it regulates, needs to be changed.
FSANZ is also looking at a proposal to ensure gluten free claims can continue to be made on foods that contain more than 1.15 per cent of alcohol.
It will no longer be permitted to include gluten free or low gluten information within those foods when an amendment is made to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code in January next year.
FSANZ developed the proposal in response to concerns raised by manufacturers of gluten-free products and coeliac organisations.
It invited submissions in November last year and is expected to complete the review by August.
Another initiative, by Coeliac New Zealand, is to get more awareness of gluten and allergies in the Food Act 2014, which will become law on March 1, 2016.
"That's in terms of responsibilities for people that are claiming food is gluten free," said Mr Sunderland, who is marking Coeliac Awareness Week, which starts today.
"If you're going to say that then we want to make sure you do it right and it's safe for people to eat and the legislation should reflect that."
But the Ministry of Primary Industries said the act would not change the regulations for labelling of gluten because food labelling requirements were the responsibility of FSANZ.
The central feature of the new act is a sliding scale where businesses that are a higher risk from a food safety point of view will operate under more stringent food safety requirements and checks than lower-risk food businesses.
Mr Sunderland also wants a "ridiculous" law removed which allows food containing up to 200 parts per million of gluten to be labelled "low gluten". "They're not catering for people with coeliac disease at all," he said.
Coeliac disease is a reaction to the protein gluten, found in wheat, barley, rye and oats, and can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, bloating, fatigue, iron and calcium deficiency and malnutrition, not to mention long-term chronic ill health.
Figures show it has been rising sharply since the 1980s and in the past 20 years. It is estimated to have increased from around 40,000 sufferers in New Zealand to 65,000 - despite 80 per cent of these people not knowing they have the condition.
It follows a worldwide rise including in the United States, where the disorder has increased more than fourfold since the 1950s, according to Professor Andrew Day, paediatric gastroenterologist at Otago University and Christchurch Hospital.
Research shows greater awareness and improved diagnosis are one reason for the increase, while environmental factors affecting the immune response to gluten in genetically predisposed people are another.
At least half of Kiwis are at risk of developing coeliac disease because of these genes and it can be triggered by illness or stress.
Changes in the methods of processing flour and baking practices that result in enhanced levels of gluten could be another factor.
In parts of Italy doctors screen all children around age 5 for coeliac disease but Dr Day said the system was controversial and not used anywhere else.
"Some people are very sensitive so even sharing a toaster with crumbs can be enough to lead to symptoms of pain or diarrhoea."
The owner of an almost gluten-free cafe in Hamilton - the ciabatta bread is not and it is cut on a separate board with a separate knife so as not to contaminate the other food - said the New Zealand hospitality industry could no longer dismiss the demand for gluten-free food as a fad.
Matt Gatchell was a chef for 15 years before opening Cafe Inc six months ago and said business was booming. "I know what it's like working in kitchens, and how the industry feels about that stuff, but it's the way of the world now so they just have to be more aware."
Fresh approach keeps disease at bay
Tamsyn Rose was 19 when she was diagnosed with coeliac disease.
The former fashion model had been living in Italy for a year in 1998 when she began feeling exhausted.
"I think the stress of that, being in different countries and speaking different languages and being in the fashion industry and not eating as well as I should, probably was the trigger."
Coeliac disease is inherited - Ms Rose's mother was diagnosed as a baby - but it might only develop after an illness such as glandular fever or, in Ms Rose's case, stress.
The autoimmune disorder left Ms Rose so lethargic and with an abnormally bloated stomach that she saw a doctor, and found out she was not only a coeliac, but also had an intolerance to dairy and some sugars.
Ms Rose removed all traces of wheat from her diet, no mean feat in Italy where pizza, pasta and bread are so popular. Within weeks her energy levels returned to normal and she no longer suffered bouts of abdominal pain, excess gas and bloating. "I was like a different person. My whole life changed. I just felt so much better."
These days Ms Rose, 36 and married with two preschool children, has learned how to prepare gluten-free meals and where to shop for reliable gluten- and dairy-free food. "I make everything from scratch. It takes longer but it's so much better."
Coeliac disease
• A genetic autoimmune disorder, coeliac disease is a reaction to gluten.
• 65,000 New Zealanders affected, up from 40,000 10 years ago.
• 80% of adults and 90% of children who have coeliac disease don't know it.
• Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats, and anything derived from those grains.
• The permanent intolerance to gluten causes damage to the cells of the small intestine.
• Leads to deficiencies in vitamins, iron, folic acid and calcium because of poor absorption.
• Diagnosed by a blood test and biopsy.
• Treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet.
• Left undiagnosed it is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, dental decay, iron deficiency and infertility.
