According to Dr. Alessio Fasano, advisor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Mucosal Biology Research Center, new research indicates potential 'biomarkers' in gluten sensitivity associated with the immune response.
Click Here To Read More
With the ability to define 'biomarkers' in gluten sensitivity the 6% of the US Poplulation or 18 million individuals estimated to be affected by gluten sensitivity, might begin to be recognized within the medical community as gluten intolerant. Many medical professionals currently assume that gluten intolerance is a fad related phenomenon and not a true medical condition.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
Shopping Online... Be Careful Of What You're Buying
As many of you may know, the gluten free label and gluten free sales are not currently regulated by the Food and Drug Association. For this reason, you are apt to find products falsely tagged and falsely advertised as gluten free. The Amazon Store has been tagged by several customers for displaying products as gluten free that are not.
For Example:
Amazon's Gluten Free Store????????????????
This is what happens when companies try to make money off of concepts they are unfamiliar with.
For Example:
Amazon's Gluten Free Store????????????????
This is what happens when companies try to make money off of concepts they are unfamiliar with.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Benefits of giving up gluten are few, unless you’re a celiac - thestar.com
Benefits of giving up gluten are few, unless you’re a celiac - thestar.com
We all know that a gluten free diet is necessary for Celiac Diease and that the gluten-free fad prevents people from being diagnosed properly with Celiac Disease. However, we often forget about people like me that were put on a gluten-free diet years ago, before being tested for Celiac Disease. The gluten-free fad is not changing whether or not people get diagnosed properly, MIS-EDUCATION is what is PREVENTING both CELIAC DIAGNOSIS and diagnosis of gluten sensitivity. It's time to educate on how to get tested for Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity and the mirage of symptoms that are correlated with both. Let's stop focusing on who should and shouldn't be eating a gluten free diet and let's start focusing on getting the 97% to 99% of un-diagnosed Celiacs diagnosed. It's true that people can eat an un-healthy gluten-free diet, just like they can eat an un-healthy gluten-filled diet.
We all know that a gluten free diet is necessary for Celiac Diease and that the gluten-free fad prevents people from being diagnosed properly with Celiac Disease. However, we often forget about people like me that were put on a gluten-free diet years ago, before being tested for Celiac Disease. The gluten-free fad is not changing whether or not people get diagnosed properly, MIS-EDUCATION is what is PREVENTING both CELIAC DIAGNOSIS and diagnosis of gluten sensitivity. It's time to educate on how to get tested for Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity and the mirage of symptoms that are correlated with both. Let's stop focusing on who should and shouldn't be eating a gluten free diet and let's start focusing on getting the 97% to 99% of un-diagnosed Celiacs diagnosed. It's true that people can eat an un-healthy gluten-free diet, just like they can eat an un-healthy gluten-filled diet.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Gluten Free Allergen Free - Food Technologist Research Job Available
Food Technologist-Research and Development
Job Duties:
- Research & development and sensory testing of baked products.
- Benchmark testing with new and existing ingredients.
- Work independently on bench projects.
- Assist with personnel and management on scale-up and production of new products
- Will be working with Allergen free/gluten free products
Required skills:
-BS Food Science with 3-5 years of experience or MS Food Science or BS Food Science with good internship experience
-Technically strong in culinary arts with formulation experience
Contact:
Anne Nelson
Job Type: Employee
Job Status: Full Time
Locations: Iowa-Cedar Rapids
Categories: Food & Beverage
Posted July 7th, 2010
Apply Online At: https://www.oalabsupport.com/oalab/apply-now/apply-online.html?orderID=2361049
Job Duties:
- Research & development and sensory testing of baked products.
- Benchmark testing with new and existing ingredients.
- Work independently on bench projects.
- Assist with personnel and management on scale-up and production of new products
- Will be working with Allergen free/gluten free products
Required skills:
-BS Food Science with 3-5 years of experience or MS Food Science or BS Food Science with good internship experience
-Technically strong in culinary arts with formulation experience
Contact:
Anne Nelson
Job Type: Employee
Job Status: Full Time
Locations: Iowa-Cedar Rapids
Categories: Food & Beverage
Posted July 7th, 2010
Apply Online At: https://www.oalabsupport.com/oalab/apply-now/apply-online.html?orderID=2361049
Friday, June 18, 2010
Gluten Free I Phone Applications
There are some I Phone Applications worth having available, but many still have inaccurate information (for example: Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Hot Cereal is listed as gluten-free despite the change in the factory this Spring and despite a selection of both gluten-free and non-gluten free batches being available at different markets).
Gluten Scan - moderate pricing, some accurate information and some not accurate information, but better than any other data base that I've seen so far. I recommend that you start here and then contact companies directly for further information. Ingredient dictionary is similar to the one found at: csaceliacs.org
Gluten Freeda - feeds in data from other sites, some interesting ideas for gluten free options, but more of a brainstorm project than a final draft. Reviews are often not updated and sometimes appear and sometimes don't. I'm not sure why.
Is That Gluten Free - My favorite application so far, because of how items are categorically listed and because dates are listed for when the product was last updated. Additionally, information on how to contact company's that manufacture gluten free products is extremely helpful. It is however difficult to find products available throughout the United States by independent companies, because many of the products reviewed are store brands. I personally always worry when asking a representative company how the company they are representing manufactures their products. I much prefer to talk directly to the source. For this reason, I recommend you double check your resources.
Gluten Scan - moderate pricing, some accurate information and some not accurate information, but better than any other data base that I've seen so far. I recommend that you start here and then contact companies directly for further information. Ingredient dictionary is similar to the one found at: csaceliacs.org
Gluten Freeda - feeds in data from other sites, some interesting ideas for gluten free options, but more of a brainstorm project than a final draft. Reviews are often not updated and sometimes appear and sometimes don't. I'm not sure why.
Is That Gluten Free - My favorite application so far, because of how items are categorically listed and because dates are listed for when the product was last updated. Additionally, information on how to contact company's that manufacture gluten free products is extremely helpful. It is however difficult to find products available throughout the United States by independent companies, because many of the products reviewed are store brands. I personally always worry when asking a representative company how the company they are representing manufactures their products. I much prefer to talk directly to the source. For this reason, I recommend you double check your resources.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
12/8/09 Melanie's Interview Notes
Title: Interview of Melanie Weir, co-owner of Gluten Free Specialty Market
Gluten Free Specialty Market
2612 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
916-442-5241
www.gfspecialty.com
Date: 12/8/2009
What is gluten?
The outer casing of wheat, rye and barley. Many oats also contain gluten due to a common farming technique, crop rotation.
What is gluten-free?
The term gluten-free is not currently regulated by any government organization in the United States. The FDA has proposed to define the term gluten-free as products that are free from: (1) the prohibited grains - wheat, rye and barley (2) ingredients derived from prohibited grains that have not been processed to remove gluten, (3) ingredients derived from prohibited grains that have not been processed to remove gluten and that contain the presence of gluten at a threshold of 20ppm or more. For more information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm111487.htm#q9
To the best of my knowledge, there are currently two organizations, in the United States, that formally regulate the gluten-level in products: the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO) and the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA). The Gluten Free Certification Organization is a private business that works with companies to ensure that their products contain less than 20ppm of gluten (for more information, go to: http://www.gfco.org/about.php). The Celiac Sprue Association is a non-profit organization that provides many services to individuals on a gluten-free diet, including the CSA Recognition Seal Program. Through the CSA Recognition Seal Program, the CSA works with companies to ensure that: (1) their products contain less than 5ppm of gluten and (2) their products are free from Wheat, Rye, Barley and Oats. (for more information go to: http://csaceliacs.org/CSASealofRecognition.php)
How common is gluten?
Gluten is not usually present in fresh from the garden, fruits, vegetables and roots. In other words, if an apple is picked from a tree, the apple should be free from gluten.
Gluten can be introduced:
(1) during germination (e.g. from crop rotation)
(2) during preservation (e.g. waxing apples with a substance containing gluten)
(3) during food production (e.g. factory belts, shared processing equipment, flour dusting (often used in factories that process sticky foods, wooden production equipment, etc...)
(4) during processing. Cross contamination (shared utensils, shared surfaces, cast iron skillets, wooden cutting boards, flour dust in the air, shared steamers, shared toaster ovens, ovens, shared flour sifters, shared strainers, shared deep fryers, shared condiments, etc...) during food production.
Most factories produce products that contain gluten. For this reason, most packaged foods contain gluten. Many gluten-free labeled products are made in gluten-free facilities, are made on production lines that use allergen-friendly sterilization processes, or are tested to be below the International standard which is currently 20 parts per million (less than a bread crumb).
How did you get the idea for the Gluten Free Specialty Store?
My business partner and I were discussing how I was currently shopping at several different stores and still I couldn’t find many of the gluten-free products I was looking for.
I knew from searching online that there were many gluten-free foods on the market, but there was no place in town that catered to the gluten-free community. While studying abroad in 2001, I worked at a corner store grocery store, East West Provisions, that catered to American students studying in Oxford. I thought it would be fun to offer this type of a market to the gluten-free community.
How has the response been to the store?
The local community and the gluten-free community have both been very supportive.
Please tell me about some of the health problems you've had with your gluten allergy or other food sensitivities.
Before I began eating gluten-free, I had many unexplained symptoms including: dermatitis, bloating, nausea, irritable bowel syndrome, anemia, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, chronic fatigue, gastric pains, auto-immune issues, Sjorgens Syndrome and migraine headaches. I also had chronic: heartburn, gastric pain, ear infections, tonsillitis and eye infections. Thankfully, we finally found the main culprit behind my problems. Thanks to a gluten-free diet, I no longer suffer from these chronic ailments.
Tell me about some of your experiences with the medical establishment.
From my personal experience, doctors, dietitians and specialists are only beginning to understand Gluten Intolerance, Celiac Disease and Gluten Allergies. Currently, 1 out of 133 have Celiac Disease, but only 3% of individuals with Celiac Disease are accurately diagnosed. Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance tend to involve clusters of symptoms that are often confused with other syndromes and diseases, for this reason, it is important for doctors to keep up to date on the recent underpinnings in academic research. Currently, research studies are investigating the correlation between gluten and several disorders such as: neurology, auto-immune, gastroenterology, inflammatory and dermatology. Since gluten intolerance and celiac disease have many different types of symptoms and since not every individual with Celiac Disease has the same symptoms, I believe that every doctor should have a comprehensive book of Celiac Symptoms, like “Recognizing Celiac Disease: Signs, Symptoms, Associated Disorders & Complications”.
In 2002, I went on a gluten-free diet for 6 weeks to find out whether gluten might be my problem. At the time, I was not warned to get tested for Celiac Disease before eliminating gluten from my diet. Before running an IGA antibody test and biopsy, I was told to consume gluten for 2 weeks. My IGA antibody test came back negative, but after 2 weeks of eating gluten, I was extremely sick with ear infections, swollen tonsils, swollen eyes, itchy skin, and severe fatigue (getting out of bed was a challenge). For months, I experimented eating gluten-free and then I would consume gluten and get extremely sick. Eventually, I decided that my quality of life was much better when I did not consume even microscopic levels of gluten. After more than 7 years of eating a gluten-free diet, it’s hard to remember what being sick all the time felt like. Before eating gluten-free, I visited doctors offices multiple times every week. Currently, my doctor’s office calls me to remind me of my annual physical.
Is it hard to find care for this condition and food that you can eat?
It is currently difficult to find medical practitioners that specialize in Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance and it is often difficult to find safe gluten-free foods on the market, but this is changing. Over the past 8 years, I have noticed that this is changing. More medical practitioners are specializing in Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance, and more food products and beauty products are coming out on the market.
Do people sometimes not believe that you are gluten intolerant?
Many people do not understand gluten reactions With an anaphlactic food allergy, there an instant reaction when gluten is ingested, but with mild allergies, gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease, reactions can be delayed. Some individuals take up to 72 hours to react to ingested gluten protein. Until more people are educated regarding gluten intolerance, Celiac Disease and allergies, there will always be people that assume the Gluten-Free Diet is a pop cultural phenomenon, but knowledge is power and I feel that it is my duty to provide educational materials to our community.
Gluten Free Specialty Market
2612 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
916-442-5241
www.gfspecialty.com
Date: 12/8/2009
What is gluten?
The outer casing of wheat, rye and barley. Many oats also contain gluten due to a common farming technique, crop rotation.
What is gluten-free?
The term gluten-free is not currently regulated by any government organization in the United States. The FDA has proposed to define the term gluten-free as products that are free from: (1) the prohibited grains - wheat, rye and barley (2) ingredients derived from prohibited grains that have not been processed to remove gluten, (3) ingredients derived from prohibited grains that have not been processed to remove gluten and that contain the presence of gluten at a threshold of 20ppm or more. For more information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm111487.htm#q9
To the best of my knowledge, there are currently two organizations, in the United States, that formally regulate the gluten-level in products: the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO) and the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA). The Gluten Free Certification Organization is a private business that works with companies to ensure that their products contain less than 20ppm of gluten (for more information, go to: http://www.gfco.org/about.php). The Celiac Sprue Association is a non-profit organization that provides many services to individuals on a gluten-free diet, including the CSA Recognition Seal Program. Through the CSA Recognition Seal Program, the CSA works with companies to ensure that: (1) their products contain less than 5ppm of gluten and (2) their products are free from Wheat, Rye, Barley and Oats. (for more information go to: http://csaceliacs.org/CSASealofRecognition.php)
How common is gluten?
Gluten is not usually present in fresh from the garden, fruits, vegetables and roots. In other words, if an apple is picked from a tree, the apple should be free from gluten.
Gluten can be introduced:
(1) during germination (e.g. from crop rotation)
(2) during preservation (e.g. waxing apples with a substance containing gluten)
(3) during food production (e.g. factory belts, shared processing equipment, flour dusting (often used in factories that process sticky foods, wooden production equipment, etc...)
(4) during processing. Cross contamination (shared utensils, shared surfaces, cast iron skillets, wooden cutting boards, flour dust in the air, shared steamers, shared toaster ovens, ovens, shared flour sifters, shared strainers, shared deep fryers, shared condiments, etc...) during food production.
Most factories produce products that contain gluten. For this reason, most packaged foods contain gluten. Many gluten-free labeled products are made in gluten-free facilities, are made on production lines that use allergen-friendly sterilization processes, or are tested to be below the International standard which is currently 20 parts per million (less than a bread crumb).
How did you get the idea for the Gluten Free Specialty Store?
My business partner and I were discussing how I was currently shopping at several different stores and still I couldn’t find many of the gluten-free products I was looking for.
I knew from searching online that there were many gluten-free foods on the market, but there was no place in town that catered to the gluten-free community. While studying abroad in 2001, I worked at a corner store grocery store, East West Provisions, that catered to American students studying in Oxford. I thought it would be fun to offer this type of a market to the gluten-free community.
How has the response been to the store?
The local community and the gluten-free community have both been very supportive.
Please tell me about some of the health problems you've had with your gluten allergy or other food sensitivities.
Before I began eating gluten-free, I had many unexplained symptoms including: dermatitis, bloating, nausea, irritable bowel syndrome, anemia, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, chronic fatigue, gastric pains, auto-immune issues, Sjorgens Syndrome and migraine headaches. I also had chronic: heartburn, gastric pain, ear infections, tonsillitis and eye infections. Thankfully, we finally found the main culprit behind my problems. Thanks to a gluten-free diet, I no longer suffer from these chronic ailments.
Tell me about some of your experiences with the medical establishment.
From my personal experience, doctors, dietitians and specialists are only beginning to understand Gluten Intolerance, Celiac Disease and Gluten Allergies. Currently, 1 out of 133 have Celiac Disease, but only 3% of individuals with Celiac Disease are accurately diagnosed. Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance tend to involve clusters of symptoms that are often confused with other syndromes and diseases, for this reason, it is important for doctors to keep up to date on the recent underpinnings in academic research. Currently, research studies are investigating the correlation between gluten and several disorders such as: neurology, auto-immune, gastroenterology, inflammatory and dermatology. Since gluten intolerance and celiac disease have many different types of symptoms and since not every individual with Celiac Disease has the same symptoms, I believe that every doctor should have a comprehensive book of Celiac Symptoms, like “Recognizing Celiac Disease: Signs, Symptoms, Associated Disorders & Complications”.
In 2002, I went on a gluten-free diet for 6 weeks to find out whether gluten might be my problem. At the time, I was not warned to get tested for Celiac Disease before eliminating gluten from my diet. Before running an IGA antibody test and biopsy, I was told to consume gluten for 2 weeks. My IGA antibody test came back negative, but after 2 weeks of eating gluten, I was extremely sick with ear infections, swollen tonsils, swollen eyes, itchy skin, and severe fatigue (getting out of bed was a challenge). For months, I experimented eating gluten-free and then I would consume gluten and get extremely sick. Eventually, I decided that my quality of life was much better when I did not consume even microscopic levels of gluten. After more than 7 years of eating a gluten-free diet, it’s hard to remember what being sick all the time felt like. Before eating gluten-free, I visited doctors offices multiple times every week. Currently, my doctor’s office calls me to remind me of my annual physical.
Is it hard to find care for this condition and food that you can eat?
It is currently difficult to find medical practitioners that specialize in Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance and it is often difficult to find safe gluten-free foods on the market, but this is changing. Over the past 8 years, I have noticed that this is changing. More medical practitioners are specializing in Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance, and more food products and beauty products are coming out on the market.
Do people sometimes not believe that you are gluten intolerant?
Many people do not understand gluten reactions With an anaphlactic food allergy, there an instant reaction when gluten is ingested, but with mild allergies, gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease, reactions can be delayed. Some individuals take up to 72 hours to react to ingested gluten protein. Until more people are educated regarding gluten intolerance, Celiac Disease and allergies, there will always be people that assume the Gluten-Free Diet is a pop cultural phenomenon, but knowledge is power and I feel that it is my duty to provide educational materials to our community.
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