GOING GLUTEN-FREE PREPARING FOR THE NEXT TREND

Background
Celiac disease – also called gluten intolerance or gluten enteropathy – is an inherited autoimmune disorder which, in the presence of gluten causes the small intestine to become inflamed and to lose its ability to absorb nutrients from food.  Gluten is found in foods containing wheat and wheat-related grains such as kamut and spelt, barley, and rye.  In addition to the gastrointestinal problems, the inability to absorb nutrients causes those with celiac disease to suffer from other disorders such as anemia, fatigue, osteoporosis, infertility and weight loss.

The disease is estimated to affect less than one percent of the U.S. population; however, approximately 95% of those cases remain undiagnosed.  Celiac disease is one of the most mis-diagnosed and under diagnosed conditions in this country according to the Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago.  In fact, it can take as many as ten years for a patient to be diagnosed with this condition.

Following a gluten-free diet is a necessity for those affected by celiac disease.  However, many consumers believe that gluten-free diets also may aid in the treatment of disorders such as autism, multiple sclerosis and attention deficit disorder.  While there are proponents of such treatments, there is almost no scientific evidence to support the use of gluten-free diets for situations other than gluten intolerance.

The Issue
The increase in diagnosed cases has led food manufactures to develop gluten-free versions of products such as breads, crackers and cereal.  According to Mintel, 700 new gluten-free products were introduced in the U.S. in 2007 as compared to only 214 in 2004.  This trend is welcomed by those with the disease, the offending protein as might be found in the barley malt syrup on a rice breakfast cereal or in some hydrolyzed vegetable proteins.

The recognition of the growing incidence of celiac and the increased number of products has caused media coverage to rise as well – from approximately 1,000 articles in 2005 to more than 3,000 projected this year.  The rapid growth in media attention means more consumers have heard of gluten-free diets although many may not know what it really means.  Also some fail to understand that a gluten-free product does not offer any additional health benefits to those who are not gluten intolerant.

“A lot of people are going gluten free … but they really don’t know why,” said Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides, a company that forecasts food trends in the July 7, 2008 issue of the Los Angeles Times.  “It’s like, ‘quick, it’s gluten-free, it must be good!”

Key Messages

1.  Gluten-free diets are critical for patients with celiac disease but are unnecessary for the general
     population in terms of cost and nutrient delivery.

2.  For the average healthy consumer, following a gluten-free diet van lead to a host of nutrition
     challenges such as limited alternatives, unnecessary cost, variable quality, limited dietary fiber and
     whole grain options (when the offending whole grain products are not allowed), and a decrease
     in folic acid and other nutrients since many gluten-free products may not be enriched or fortified.

3.  Avoiding products with gluten can lead to B vitamin deficiencies, particularly folic acid which is
     essential for women of child-bearing age for its connection to the prevention of birth defects.