NBC news story on the gluten free diet and lifestyle

Chelsea Clinton's Gluten-Free Wedding

Chelsea Clinton is set to wed Marc Mezvinsky today in what can only be described as the most high-profile gluten-free wedding ever! Until now, all-alternative banquet menus have been rare, but with Ms. Clinton blazing the trail for others, the gluten-free trend is sure to continue.

Many people may not realize that Chelsea Clinton has been a vegan since she was a teenager, meaning she doesn't eat meat, dairy, eggs, or any animal products. Chelsea is also said to have a gluten allergy, meaning she cannot eat wheat, rye or barley either; which is why her wedding cake will be gluten-free and vegan, along with most of the other food that she will be serving to her guests on Saturday.

A Gluten-free diet can be very restrictive, and vegan diets can be limiting too. Which is why gluten-free vegan's must be extremely careful with what they put in their body. While Chelsea probably chose her wedding menu due to her own personal health needs, it is likely to also have a trickle down effect on the general public. Grace Clerihew, of Table Tales, a New York Catering Firm responded to Chelsea's wedding menu saying, “This will empower people to make these requests. Prior to this, they might have thought it was not mainstream enough to even talk about, but now that they see it being done by such a public persona it becomes acceptable.”

While gluten-free and vegan diets are often met with a great deal of scrutiny from mainstream consumers, chefs and caterers that understand specific dietary restrictions make delicious dishes that often have even the most extreme critics of the diet going back for seconds. Says Paula LeDuc of Paula LeDuc Fine Catering in San Francisco, “We've gotten very savvy about creating wonderful things with alternative ingredients.” According to LeDuc, she always makes extra vegan dishes because many times guests will want to trade in their meat plate when they see the scrumptious vegan options that others are enjoying. In fact, LeDuc says that gluten-free requests have increased from about one per month last year, to one per week this year. LeDuc goes on to say, “Three or four years ago, gluten-free wasn't even part of the conversation.”

Original article written: 07/31/2010
Source: Celiac.com

16 page USA Today supplement on Celiac from 5/9/10

16 page USA Today supplement on Celiac from 5/9/10, Check it out!

Anti-infectious and Autoimmune-associated Autoantibodies in Patients with Type I Diabetes Mellitus and Celiac Disease

Celiac.com 09/24/2009 - Could a reduced level of antibodies against infectious agents indicate a protective role for such infections in T1DM development in susceptible individuals? Recent research points in that direction. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease with intricate and poorly understood associations between genetic and environmental factors.

A joint Israeli-Colombian research team recently set out to examine the connections between anti-infectious antibodies and autoimmune-associated autoantibodies in patients with Type I diabetes mellitus and their close family members. Among other things, their findings confirmed a strong association between celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The research team was made up of Ilan Krause, Juan Manuel Anaya, Abigail Fraser, Ori Barzilai, Maya Ram, Verónica Abad, Alvaro Arango, Jorge García, and Yehuda Shoenfeld. The team compared levels of antibodies to numerous infectious agents and of autoimmune-associated antibodies between Colombian T1DM patients, their close family members and healthy control subjects.

T1DM patients showed substantially reduced levels of antibodies against several infectious agents, including: cytomegalovirus (P= 0.001); Epstein-Barr virus (P= 0.02); Helicobacter pylori (P= 0.01); and Toxoplasma (P= 0.001).

T1DM patients showed markedly elevated levels of IgG-anti-gliadin antibodies (P= 0.001) and IgG-antitissue transglutaminase antibodies (P= 0.03), and a marginal connection with anti-centromere antibodies (P= 0.06).

T1DM patients also showed a reduced level of antibodies against infectious agents that may be associated with their younger ages, but could also indicate a protective role for such infections in T1DM development in susceptible individuals.

The results reinforce the connection between T1DM and celiac disease, though the
possible connection with the anti-centromere antibody requires a deeper examination.

Studies like this are important to help build a record of all of the points of contact between these associated conditions so we can begin to understand the intricate web that ties these conditions together, and inch toward the deeper causes that lie at the heart of the mystery of celiac disease, diabetes, and so many other auto-immune/inflammatory disorders.

Source

Hepatitis B Vaccine Fails in Half of all Celiac Patients: Is it Time to Re-evaluate Current Immunization Strategies?

Celiac.com 09/21/2009 - Failure of the hepatitis B vaccine in people with celiac disease is common. In fact, vaccine failure occurs in about 50% of all attempts to vaccinate people with celiac disease against hepatitis B. Research shows that age at celiac diagnosis and other factors can influence response rates.

The August 12 issue of the medical journal Vaccine features a timely article on failure of the hepatitis B vaccine in people with celiac disease, which asks the very sensible question of whether it is time to reevaluate our current vaccine procedures.

One of the most important signs of non-responsiveness to the hepatitis B vaccine is a genetic marker called human leukocyte antigen (HLA) phenotype DQ2. It's interesting that people with celiac disease often carry these same genetic markers, and that fact is at the center of one hypothesis about why celiac patients are less able to respond to the hepatitis B vaccine.

A team of researchers recently set out to assess responsiveness rates to the hepatitis B vaccine among patients with celiac disease. The team was made up of S. Leonardi, M. Spina, L. Spicuzza, N. Rotolo, and M. La Rosa of the Broncho-Pneumology & Cystic Fibrosis Unit of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Catania, in Catania, Italy.

The team describes the results of a retrospective study on celiac patients vaccinated with three intramuscular injections of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix B) in doses of 10mug at 3, 5 and 11 months of age.

Their results showed that half of the celiac disease patients (50%) failed to respond to the vaccine course, and that those who did best were less than 18 months of age at the time of diagnosis for celiac disease; that group showed a significantly higher response rate to the vaccine.

The study confirms that celiac patients have a far higher failure rate for hepatitis B vaccination than healthy control subjects. These results strengthen the call to re-evaluate current hepatitis B vaccine strategies for patients with celiac disease and to assess whether to recommend a course of re-vaccination.

Source

Mystery Molecule Identified: Key Role in Celiac Disease, Other Autoimmune Disorders

Celiac.com 09/17/2009 - Just after the turn of this century, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine discovered that a mysterious human protein called zonulin played a key role in celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes.

The situation might be likened to sailors who've an island, but not explored it. Researchers knew Zonulin existed, and some of its influences, but little else about it. Recently, a team of scientists led by Alessio Fasano, M.D., set out to isolate and decode zonulin. Their results are in, and Fasano's research team has successfully identified zonulin as a molecule called haptoglobin 2 precursor.

Understanding the exact biochemistry of zonulin, the exact make-up of the protein molecule, is crucial to a comprehensive study of zonulin and its relationship to numerous inflammatory disorders.

Dr. Fasano is a professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology and director of the mucosal Biology Research Center and the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Haptoglobin is a molecule that has been known to scientists for many years. It was identified as a marker of inflammation in the body. Haptoglobin 1 is the original form of the haptoglobin molecule, and scientists believe it evolved 800 million years ago. Haptoglobin 2 is a version found only in humans. Scientists believe the mutation occurred in India about 2 million years ago, spreading gradually among increasing numbers of people throughout the world.

Dr. Fasano's study showed that zonulin is the precursor molecule for haptoglobin 2 — that is, it is an immature molecule that develops into haptoglobin 2. Scientists previously believed that such precursor molecules played no role in the body other than to develop into the molecules they were destined to become.

But Dr. Fasano's study reveals precursor haptoglobin 2 as the first precursor molecule to serve another function altogether; that of opening a gateway in the gut, permitting gluten to pass through. People with celiac disease suffer from a sensitivity to gluten.

"While apes, monkeys and chimpanzees do not have haptoglobin 2, 80 percent of human beings have it," says Dr. Fasano. "Apes, monkeys and chimpanzees rarely develop autoimmune disorders. Human beings suffer from more than 70 different kinds of such conditions. We believe the presence of this pre-haptoglobin 2 is responsible for this difference between species."

According to Dr. Fasano, the haptoglobin 2 molecule "could be a critical missing piece of the puzzle to lead to a treatment for celiac disease, other autoimmune disorders and allergies and even cancer, all of which are related to an exaggerated production of zonulin/pre-haptoglobin 2 and to the loss of the protective barrier of cells lining the gut and other areas of the body, like the blood brain barrier."

"The only current treatment for celiac disease is cutting gluten from the diet, but we have confidence Dr. Fasano's work will someday bring further relief to these patients. Zonulin, with its functions in health and disease as outlined in Dr. Fasano's paper, could be the molecule of the century," says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine, vice president for medical affairs of the University of Maryland and John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor.

Dr. Fasano published his findings in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, appearing the week of September 7, 2009.

Source

FDA Labeling Laws

A word from Andrea Levario, Executive Director of the American Celiac Disease Alliance

In mid-July, information was reported, which has now circulated among groups, and in blogposts, that the FDA's proposed rules on GF labeling "were effective in August." That statement is INCORRECT.

Since 2004, when we worked so hard to get the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act passed, the celiac community has been waiting for this announcement from the FDA. Unfortunately, it will be a bit longer.

According to the FDA,

"The final rule to define the food labeling term "gluten-free" will not be issued until sometime after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of its draft report on a safety assessment for gluten intake by individuals with Celiac disease. FDA will be soliciting public comments on that draft which will be

considered along with the comments we previously received on the proposed rule on gluten-free food labeling as well as the findings of the safety assessment itself in developing a final rule.

The notice on the safety assessment is expected to be published shortly, but it is premature to anticipate the issuance date of the final rule. However, when the notice and final rule are published, they likely will be posted at FDA's website:

www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lab-cat.html#gluten

Therefore, you may wish to visit that website periodically for any updates."

It is not clear when the safety assessment report will be published. As soon as the ACDA can confirm the report is available, the information will be posted on the Celiac Listserv and distributed through our email network.

To sign-up for the ACDA's news alerts go to:
www.americanceliac.org/advocacy.htm
then scroll down and click on 'Action E-list'

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
info@americanceliac.org

Andrea

Visit the Celiac Web Page at Http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC

Gluten-free takes the cake in snack food products

The market for gluten-free snacks is exploding. Once the exclusive arena of niche brands, now even mainstream manufacturers are getting on board. This summer, General Mills rolled out a line of gluten-free cookie, brownie and cake mixes under its Betty Crocker brand. In 2006, the company converted its Rice Chex cereal to a gluten-free product. General Mills research showed that 12% of U.S. households want to eliminate or reduce their gluten intake. Part of the increased interest in gluten-free products is a spike in the number of patients diagnosed with Celiac disease. Incidence of the immune system disorder has increased dramatically in the last half century. Research from the Mayo Clinic suggested that young people today are 4.5 times as likely to have Celiac disease as were young people in the 1950s. Even consumers without wheat allergies are showing an interest in eliminating or reducing the amount of wheat in their bodies. “We’re seeing a lot more interest from consumers who are opting to reduce their wheat intake,” said Christine Brown, marketing manager at Addison, Ill.-based Natural Snacks. Nature’s Path Foods’ EnviroKidz line of crispy rice bars and animal cookies has performed well in the grocery channel. Kari Ramsey, a spokeswoman for Nature’s Path Foods, agreed that the appeal of gluten-free foods isn’t limited to consumers with Celiac disease. Nature’s Path is one of the largest players in the category—the company’s EnviroKidz line of crispy rice bars and animal cookies has performed well in the grocery channel. “For some people, opting for gluten-free foods is a lifestyle choice rather than a health-motivated choice,” Ramsey said. Consumers should have no problem finding an array of foods to fit their needs. More than 1,000 new gluten-free products were launched in 2008, according to Mintel Global New Products Database. Another 552 products were introduced through July 20. Cereal bars, snacks and sweets saw the most new product introductions. Gluten-free cereals are one of the most rapidly growing segments in the health-and-wellness cereal category, according to Kent Spaulding, VP marketing for San Francisco-based Barbara’s Bakery. Spaulding said his company’s gluten-free products are growing at a rate of more than 30% annually. A recent report from Packaged Facts estimated that gluten-free products had a compound annual growth of 28% between 2004 and 2008, with sales reaching $1.56 billion. Supermarkets accounted for 30% of sales, and health food and specialty stores accounted for another 30% of sales. Drug stores largely have stayed away from the business, but maybe it’s time to rethink the strategy. “Consumers go to a drug store for products that make them feel healthier,” Brown said. Gluten-free snacks certainly fit that profile for a growing number of customers. Natural Snacks’ gluten-free business grew 78% last year, according to Brown. Natural Snacks, which is expanding its offerings, is adding single-serves of its most popular baked flavors to its lineup. The 100-calorie, .75-oz. bags will retail for 99 cents. Source

Hepatitis B vaccination failure in celiac disease: Is there a need to reassess current immunization strategies?

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) phenotype DQ2 is considered the most important genetic marker for un-responsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine. Since celiac disease (CD) is also strongly associated with the same haplo-type it may be hypothesized that celiac patients are less able to respond to the vaccine. We report a retrospective study on celiac patients vaccinated with three doses of 10mug at 3, 5 and 11 months of age by an intramuscular injection of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix B). We found 30 of 60 celiac patients (50%) unresponsive to vaccination and a significant higher number of responders among patients younger than 18 months at the time of celiac disease diagnosis. Our study confirms that celiac patients have a lower percentage of response to hepatitis B vaccination than healthy subjects. These findings provide useful information to evaluate if current vaccine strategies should be reassessed and if revaccination should be recommended.

Leonardi S, Spina M, Spicuzza L, Rotolo N, La Rosa M.
Broncho-Pneumology & Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
PMID: 19682619 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

ALLERGY THREAT: A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION

chicagotribune.com
ALLERGY THREAT: A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION
Children at risk in food roulette
Mislabeling, lax oversight threaten people with allergies
Search our database of recalled food

By Sam Roe

Tribune staff reporter

November 21, 2008

American children with food allergies are suffering life-threatening--and completely avoidable--reactions because manufacturers mislabel their products and regulators fail to police store shelves, a Tribune investigation has found.

In effect, children are used as guinea pigs, with the government and industry often taking steps to properly label a product only after a child has been harmed.

The Tribune investigation revealed that the government rarely inspects food to find problems and doesn't punish companies that repeatedly violate labeling laws.

In disclosing ingredients, labels must clearly identify major allergens such as peanuts, milk, eggs and wheat. Millions of parents, teachers and baby-sitters scrutinize these labels to ensure that they are not giving children unsafe food.

But an alarming number of products sold as allergen-free actually contain harmful amounts, the Tribune found.

Many of the problems occur with foods marketed to children--candy, cookies, cakes and ice cream. Iconic childhood favorites such as Oreos, Pop-Tarts, Frosted Flakes, Jello-O and Campbell's Spaghettios have been recalled for hidden allergens in recent years.

An estimated 30,000 Americans require emergency-room treatment and 150 die each year from allergic reactions to food. A large percentage were children, researchers say.

To determine the full scope of the problem, the Tribune created an unprecedented computer database of 2,800 recalls related to food allergies over the last 10 years. The newspaper found that roughly five products a week are recalled because of hidden allergens, making it one of the top reasons any consumer product in America is recalled.

But that doesn't mean the government or companies are vigilant.

Take the example of Peggy Pridemore, a Kentucky woman who bought Wellshire Kids' Dinosaur Shapes Chicken Bites because her son Patrick has a severe wheat allergy. Bold letters on the packaging said the item was "gluten free," or contained no wheat, rye and barley proteins.

After Patrick, then 3, ate the nuggets in December, he started coughing, his eyes swelled and he had trouble breathing. His mom jabbed his leg with a large needle containing epinephrine, a drug to help him breathe, then raced him to the hospital, where he recovered in the emergency room.

Pridemore said she contacted both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the food manufacturer and that neither offered to test the chicken nuggets.

The Tribune recently bought the product on two occasions at a River Forest supermarket and sent the samples to one of the nation's leading food-allergy labs, at the University of Nebraska. Both times, the lab found gluten. The item remains on shelves across the U.S.

"I'm stunned it hasn't been recalled," Pridemore said. "I thought somebody somewhere would do something."

Recalls swell, but mislead
The nation has seen a mysterious rise since the 1990s in the number of children with food allergies, now estimated to be 3 million kids, or 1 in every 25 children.

As awareness has skyrocketed so have recalls. But they are voluntary. Food companies themselves--not regulators--decide whether to do so. If they do, the companies work with regulators to coordinate the recalls and issue news releases to inform the public.

Yet the official recall statements by the Food and Drug Administration often downplay the true risks or lack basic information, such as where the tainted products were sold. One reason for the soft pedaling: The FDA allows the food companies to write their own recalls.

A recent recall statement, for instance, read more like an advertisement than a warning. "While the product is good and wholesome," it stated, "these soups may contain wheat or soy as ingredients not identified on the label."

In many cases, the government and companies never inform consumers. The Tribune found that nearly half of the allergy-related recalls in the last 10 years were not announced to the public. This was true even in dozens of cases where the FDA classified products as likely to cause serious harm or death.

Alarms sounded by consumers seldom result in products being pulled.

The Tribune examined 260 complaints to the FDA since 2001 where people with known food allergies--many of them children who had to be treated at hospitals--reported a reaction from products they claimed were mislabeled. Yet just 7 percent resulted in recalls.

Even when authorities concluded a product was at fault, the regulatory wheels moved slowly. On average, it took 32 days to issue a recall.

In one case, a girl, 14, with a known milk allergy was taken to the emergency room after eating muffins made from Duncan Hines chocolate chip mix. The illness was reported to the FDA, but the distributor, Pinnacle Foods, did not recall the mix until seven months later.

When asked by the Tribune why the recall took so long, Pinnacle said it immediately had the product tested but found no milk. A few months later, the company received a second complaint of an allergic reaction to the mix. Pinnacle said it investigated, this time finding a likely culprit overlooked before: a batch of chocolate chips.

Many manufacturers test their products for allergens and have set up special assembly lines to prevent cross-contamination. But other companies, particularly small ones with limited resources, acknowledge taking limited precautions.

Others do little or no testing, and the government does not require them to do so.

The FDA, which oversees the vast majority of packaged foods, said it trusts firms to police themselves.

The USDA, which regulates meat, poultry and egg products, is even more lax. It said it never tests for undeclared allergens, such as eggs or peanuts, because these ingredients by themselves are not prohibited foods--ignoring the fact that products containing hidden allergens are potentially illegal and deadly.

Testing shows risk
This broken system leaves families vulnerable.

Pridemore recalled how she bought Wellshire Kids' dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, made by New Jersey-based Wellshire Farms, because the item specifically claimed to be gluten free. She also found the same claim on the Wellshire Farms Web site.

After her son had the severe reaction to the nuggets, she took some to his allergist, who ran tests, including gently rubbing a nugget on the boy's arm to see if it would cause a small welt. It did, and the allergist concluded the nuggets were to blame for his full-blown reaction.

Pridemore contacted the USDA, which sent agency investigator Michael Maxwell to her home just outside Cincinnati. He took photos of the package, but did not test the nuggets for undisclosed allergens.

The investigator also obtained a copy of a brief, unsigned in-plant inspection report, which found no problems with the nuggets. He later acknowledged to the Tribune he wasn't sure who wrote the report--another USDA inspector or a plant worker. The report said workers routinely sent the nuggets out to a lab for testing. The report stated that those lab results, from last fall, "were all negative for gluten."

In an e-mail in January, Maxwell indicated to Pridemore that in light of that inspection report and the fact that no other consumer had complained, no action would be taken. "You may want to have the product tested," he wrote, according to a copy of the e-mail exchange.

Pridemore said she was taken aback that the USDA suggested she test the food herself. But she sent the remainder of the nuggets in her freezer to the Nebraska lab.

The results showed high amounts of gluten. So she e-mailed a copy of the findings to the USDA and reminded Maxwell that the product advertises itself as gluten free.

The investigator wrote back that the government had "archived your complaint." The investigation went no further, according to Pridemore. She also e-mailed the test results to Wellshire Farms. The company, she said, never responded.

In May, several weeks after Maxwell told Pridemore her complaint was archived, a second child with a known wheat allergy-- Timmy Osterhoudt, 5, of Lemoore, Calif.--had a severe reaction after eating the same product, his mother said.

"He said, 'Mommy, I don't want to die!' " Michelle Osterhoudt recalled. "I told him, 'Mommy won't let you die.'."

She jabbed him with the epinephrine needle and raced him to the military hospital on the base where the family lives. There, he recovered.

Like Pridemore, Osterhoudt sent the chicken bites to the Nebraska lab for testing. Again, the results showed high amounts of gluten. She said she complained to Wellshire Farms, USDA and FDA, but to no avail.

USDA spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said one reason it did not ask Wellshire Farms to recall the chicken bites is because the agency did not trust the consumers' testing results. The consumers had sent samples of chicken nuggets from opened packages, raising the possibility that the product was contaminated somewhere between their homes and the lab.

Pridemore said it was the USDA's job--not consumers--to test samples from unopened packages.

"I'm not a doctor. I'm not a scientist," she said. "I'm just a mom trying to keep her child safe."

The Tribune recently bought two samples of the chicken nuggets and sent them to the same Nebraska lab. Both tested positive for gluten--including a sample from an unopened box.

The nuggets, said Steve Taylor, the lab's director and a leading allergy expert, "are not safe for people with wheat allergies or celiac disease," often characterized by chronic abdominal pain.

The newspaper also tested two other Wellshire Kids' products: the "Gluten Free" Chicken Corn Dogs and the "Gluten Free" Beef Corn Dogs, finding high amounts of gluten in both.

Wellshire Farms owner Louis Colameco said his products are safe. But he said that in light of the two consumer complaints and recent moves by regulators to tighten "gluten-free" rules, he halted production of the three Wellshire Kids' products in June.

Colameco said he would start making the food again when he finds a supplier who can guarantee that the batter used in the products is gluten free. The old supplier, he said, could not give such an assurance.

He said he has not recalled the Wellshire Kids products still on store shelves because he believes they are in compliance with federal regulations.

But weak and murky federal rules on gluten leave food companies wiggle room and consumers at risk.

The USDA, which has jurisdiction over meat-based products such as chicken nuggets, said it has no policy specifically addressing "gluten-free" claims. The agency must approve labels before products go to market, and packaging claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The FDA's rules are tougher. Though the agency has no specific rule for "gluten-free" products, the agency's policy generally is that absent a standard, products claiming to be "free" of an ingredient cannot contain it.

Recognizing that food companies may interpret these rules as they wish, the FDA has pushed a proposed rule that products advertised as "gluten-free" must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. A UN health panel this summer recommended a similar standard. Tribune tests of Wellshire products all far exceeded those levels.

Apart from online sales, the Wellshire Kids' gluten-free products are sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market, the upscale chain.

Whole Foods said it was investigating the issue, but that it was the supplier's responsibility, not Whole Foods', to ensure the Wellshire products are safe and legal.

Tribune reporters Annie Slezickey and Jason Grotto contributed to this report.

sroe@tribune.com

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune


And this was adjacent to the main article....


Tribune's Allergen Tracker findings

A snapshot of findings from the Tribune database:
47: Percent of products recalled for hidden allergens since 1998 were not announced to the public.
5: Average number of products recalled each week for hidden allergens.
7: Percent of consumer complaints that result in mislabeling recalls.
One third of all products recalled for hidden allergens are cookies, candy, ice cream or snacks.
36: Number of firms with five or more recalls for hidden allergens since 1998.
50: Percent of allergen recalls involving undisclosed milk or eggs.

*

Why the allergy spike?

The number of kids with food allergies is mysteriously soaring—peanuts allergies alone have doubled in recent years—but scientists do not agree on the cause.

One theory is simply more awareness. Parents today may be quicker to seek a medical diagnosis for their children's illness than in the past.

Another explanation is the "hygiene hypothesis," which argues that some children's environments have become too sterile. With fewer germs to fend off, a child's immune system overreacts to common food proteins.

Other theories abound. Kids eat more pre-packaged foods and a wider variety of dishes containing potential allergens. Or an increase in births by Caesarean section has robbed babies of the protective power of microbes present in the mother's vagina. But few studies confirm such speculation.

— Sam Roe

*

'Gluten free' may not be

FACT CHECK: Responding to consumer demand, firms are making more "gluten-free" products, or those having no wheat, rye and barley proteins. But rules on gluten-free claims are vague, putting consumers with allergies at risk.

What is considered 'gluten free?'

The FDA doesn't define "gluten free," but generally "free" means a product contains none of the substance in question. The FDA has proposed adopting a 20 parts per million standard. In July, an international health commission recommended a similar standard.

The USDA, which has jurisdiction over meat products (including those below), has no policy specifically addressing "gluten-free" claims. The agency OKs labels before products go to market.

Gluten found in 'gluten-free' products

The Tribune bought three popular Wellshire Farms products advertised as "gluten free" and sent multiple samples to a lab for testing.

Chicken Bites: Tested at 204 parts per million and 260 ppm

Chicken Corn Dogs: Tested at 116 ppm and 2,200 ppm

Beef Corn Dogs: Tested at 191 ppm and 1,200 ppm

Wellshire Farms provided the Tribune with its own testing results, conducted in the spring. Their results showed: chicken nuggets tested at 200 ppm, chicken corn dogs 150 ppm, and beef corn dogs 120 ppm.

Study Finds Celiacs Who Don't Cheat Live Longer

Enjoy a longer, heathier life! A recent study* has found that people with celiac disease who follow a strict gluten-free diet might live longer than non-celiacs, and almost certainly live longer than celiacs who cheat. The study by Dr. Giovanni Corraro and his colleagues followed up on 1,072 Italian adults who were diagnosed with celiac disease between 1962 and 1994 and compared their mortality rates with the general Italian population. The findings were published in the respected British medical journal, The Lancet.

Celiacs in the study were divided into two groups: likely and not likely to be following a strict gluten-free diet. There was good news for celiacs who follow the diet consistently: their mortality rate was below the national average! (Only 5 died, compared with the 10.5 that would have been expected for people in the same age groups). Celiacs who did not consistently follow the gluten-free diet paid a heavy price: their mortality rate was six times the national average. (The most common cause of death was Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma).

When combined with other recent discoveries, the study's findings provide important insights into the nature of the celiac condition. The genes associated with celiac condition give individuals an especially Study Finds Celiacs Who Don't Cheat Live Longer strong immune system. This is an advantage when fighting off illnesses caused by viruses and bacteria. It probably helped our ancestors survive for many thousands of years before the invention of things we now take for granted—such as antibiotics, filtered water, sanitary sewer systems, and germ-killing methods of food preparation. But there is a catch! A couple of thousand years ago (long after the strong-immunity gene developed), wheat became a major food source. For some reason, the same immune system that is so good at fighting disease is also less discriminating: it can mistake the gluten proteins in wheat, rye, and barley for an invader. Ongoing gluten exposure can trigger active celiac disease, which if untreated can lead to a variety of other serious medical conditions.

That's why the typical rationalizations of weight-loss diet cheaters don't apply to celiacs. (Some common rationalizations are: "It's only a little bit," "I'll make up for it later," "It's a special occasion," and "It wouldn't be polite to say no."). Part of the gut's job is to screen out minute quantities of germs that might be present in food or water. In the celiac gut, even a few parts per million of gluten can provoke a reaction, putting the celiac's strong immune system into overdrive. Avoiding gluten allows the immune system to work properly.

*Study was actually completed in 1994 / Original source of article GF Trading Co newsletter June 2002
Abstract of Study Referenced in above article
Related Article based on the same study, Celiac Disease Death Rates Increase Dramatically for the Undiagnosed and Untreated

Research indicates GF guests can boost restaurant revenues

Approximately one-third of the US population, over 100 million Americans, are managing gluten-free or allergen-free diets, according to global research by GlutenFree Passport®, an internationally recognized consulting firm. For this significant portion of society, eating out is one of the most frequently cited concerns. In the unprecedented and soon-to-be released 2008 benchmarking study, Understanding Gluten and Allergen-Free Experiences of Guests and Hospitality Worldwide, over 70% of the consumers surveyed indicate that social gatherings and eating out with special diets impacts their quality of life on a daily basis!

Additional empirical research data indicates that almost half of the individuals following gluten-free diets eat out weekly close to home. Yet, over 75% of these guests eat out less than they did prior to diagnosis due to concerns about the safety of their meals, and lack of knowledgeable personnel in restaurants and other eating establishments. 65% of individuals feel safer finding new restaurants based on the recommendation by another on a gluten-free diet and the availability of gluten-free menus.

Approximately 40% find a restaurant mentioned in the media or listed in on-line gluten-free meal databases, such as Glutenfreeonthego.com. The pioneering and innovative database is a one stop solution; expanding daily for gluten-free guests searching online to find places they can trust either close-to-home or on-the-road. With the dramatic expansion of North American establishments between October 2007 and March 2008, sponsored by GlutenFree Passport®, over 4300 global listings are currently available throughout the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mallorca, New Zealand and the UK.

Since eating out is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures, it needs to be enjoyed by all; regardless of whether one is following a special diet. Restaurant operators who agree with this guiding principle have benefited greatly by taking the extra steps to cater to guests with special dietary needs. Recent research also supports this growing movement since gluten-free and allergen-free guests are viewed as a new profitable market by 62% of the restaurant study respondents.

What food service providers across the globe are realizing is that gluten-free guests are extremely loyal, travel long distances, typically control the destination decision of their party, and spread the word about their experiences. If an establishment makes one gluten-free person happy, hundreds, if not thousands, will follow in their footsteps! With growing consumer sentiment towards operations with special diet programs and food safety legislation continuing to spread; in time, gluten-free and allergen-free lifestyles will become universally understood and supported ways of living on a worldwide basis.

By Kim Koeller and Robert La France and thanks to GlutenFreeda

Edible Enemies - Oct. 19th on the Food Network

Edible Enemies
"Edible Enemies is a one-hour special report that looks at the mysterious increase in both the number and the severity of food allergies in the United States. 12 million Americans now have food allergies. There is no cure. There is no treatment, other than a shot of epinephrine in an emergency. We will hear from the parents of small children, and from teenagers and adults living with life-threatening food allergies."

Food Network Specials*
Episode AXSP01
AIR TIMES:
October 19, 2007 10:00 AM ET/PT

* Please note you must have cable to receive this channel. Also refer to your guide for channel number as it may change according to where you live.

Waiter, Please Hold the Wheat

Waiter, Please Hold the Wheat

A very positive article with some information that you don't see in a lot of the articles published about gluten intolerance.
Hope you enjoy the read!

Judges Dismisses Key Parts of Gluten-free Lawsuit against McDonald's French Fries

On May 30th, federal judge Elaine E. Bucklo dismissed key parts of a lawsuit against McDonald’s regarding the gluten-free status of their famous French fries.

The case, In Re McDonald's French Fries Litigation (MDL-1784), was brought in February 2006, by two Florida plaintiffs on behalf of their autistic daughter who allegedly suffered ill effects from eating McDonald’s French fries. At the time, the company claimed that the French fries were gluten-free.

The lawsuit claimed in part that McDonalds' “failure to disclose the fact that their French fries contained gluten constitutes deceptive, unfair, unconscionable, misleading and fraudulent trade practices,” and that “McDonald’s unfairly and unjustly profited from their conduct." The judge dismissed claims of fraud, breach of implied warranty, and a request for injunctive relief, but left intact two counts, breach of express warranty and unjust enrichment.

In its arguments for dismissal, McDonald's claimed that most of the plaintiffs' legal causes of action were barred as a matter of law. Basically, McDonald's asserted that the plaintiffs pled themselves out of court by arguing facts that undermined their own claim.

The plaintiffs' fraud allegations were rejected because they failed to meet the specificity required under the federal rules. McDonald's argued that the plaintiffs’ claim of fraud and misrepresentation failed to state how, when, or where the alleged misrepresentations took place. Federal Rule 9(b) of Civil Procedure requires that all claims of fraud be stated with particularity; otherwise, they face dismissal.

Judge Bucklo rejected the plaintiffs' claim for injunctive relief because she found there was no threat of future wrongful conduct. The company revised its web site in 2006 to show that its fries and hash browns contain gluten. Also, the publicity brought by the suit arguably eliminated any need for injunctive relief.

The plaintiffs have 28 days to amend their complaint or the lawsuit will go forward based on the two remaining counts.

About the Author: Jefferson Adams is a freelance health writer who lives in San Francisco and is a frequent author of articles for Celiac.com. 06/08/2007

For the Gluten-Averse, a Menu That Works

Below is a link to an article from the New York Times and while it's focused on the East Coast it's still fun to read and plan vacation trips around...
For the Gluten-Averse, a Menu That Works

Cruising with Dietary Restrictions

My parents and I sailed on the Disney Magic's 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise the first week of September, 2006. When we made our reservations back in January, I had conveyed to our travel agent that my parents needed gluten-free meals, and I needed something with low sugar due to my diabetes. For those travelers with special dietary restrictions/requirements, it is often hard to travel and find those needs met. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised to find how accommodating the Disney Cruise Line was. In reading the frequently asked questions on the Disney Cruise website, it mentions any special diet-restricted needs need to be requested at the time of booking, to ensure that those needs can be met. The travel agent relayed that information on to Disney when she made our reservation. I was also quite surprised when Disney responded back to inquire if our room required a sharps container (a heavy-duty plastic container for my diabetic needles) -- I have traveled quite a bit, and have never been asked if I needed a container before.

After boarding the ship, we proceeded to Rockin' Bar D, in order to check that all the appropriate arrangements regarding our special diets had been made. The crew member replied that when we arrived at dinner that night to inform our servers, and they would take care of us from that moment on. And take care of us they did!

Our waiter, Sonny, explained that our meal that night would be served from the menu, but that he would provide us with the following night's menu as dinner ended and we could pre-order our meals. Sure enough, just after dessert, he came to us with the following night's menu, and wrote down our selections. The hardest part of this was deciding what you want to eat
while still feeling so full from the meal you just ate!

Our head waiter, John, was also a valuable asset. He stopped by to make sure that we had received the menus for the following night and he arranged for a standing order of gluten-free pancakes at Lumiere's. He explained that we did not need to eat breakfast at Lumiere's every morning, but if my parents felt like having pancakes on any particular day, we could show up at Lumiere's and they would have the pancake batter available. He also made sure that my parents had gluten-free pancakes the morning of our character breakfast. Our final breakfast before our disembarkation was at Lumiere's. My parents ordered an express breakfast -- eggs, choice of meat, hash browns. They were pleasantly surprised when the waiter brought out the gluten-free pancakes. It appears that when our head waiter saw us arrive at the restaurant, he placed the order for them. Such service!

Many times, you would not have known my parents' food was gluten-free when comparing the dishes to the "regular" entrees ordered by our table mates. If the dish was a pasta dish, the chef used rice pasta instead of wheat. Potatoes or white rice were also readily available at every meal. Only the bread looked different. Every night, the waiter would bring out a basket of gluten-free rolls, which usually didn't match the featured bread of the evening. But had you not known they were gluten-free, you would have never known just from looking at it. Another special touch: unknown to my parents, the waiter also ordered a gluten-free dessert for them each night when he placed their meal order.

For my "lower sugar" diet, every night there were at least two no-sugar-added/sugar-free desserts. Also, I was able to preorder some of my meal -- requesting syrupy sauces removed or served on the side. If I waited until dinnertime to place my order, I was often out of luck because most of the items were prepared ahead of time.

While breakfast and lunch were less structured than dinner (no preordering required or accepted), it was still easy to find solutions to our dietary needs: Breakfast always had egg, meat, and potato options for my parents and sugar-free syrup and jams for me. We were able to find many lunch options that also met our needs -- the buffets carried fruit, salad, vegetables, hand carved meats, and seafood. For dessert, there always seemed to be at least one option for me, and many times there would be some form of Jell-O, pudding, or mousse for my parents. We never went hungry.

While our diets did not focus on vegetarian needs, Disney had that covered as well. There were always at least two vegetarian options at dinner every night. With breakfast and lunch having buffet options, a vegetarian would have no problem finding the right combination of items to satisfy his/her appetite.

You may ask, "Ok, so your diets were accommodated, but how did the food taste?" My mom commented that all the gluten-free food, from the bread to the pasta, was wonderful. She could barely tell (if at all) that she was eating gluten-free, even though she felt confident that she was. As to the no-sugar-added/sugar-free food, I was pleasantly surprised. I, too, could not tell a difference. There were no funny aftertaste or texture issues that can come with sugar-free foods.

We felt so well looked after; it was hard to leave at the end of our trip. I would highly recommend the Disney Cruise Line to anyone, and especially to someone who has a special dietary need. When our family sailed on another cruise line last December, my parents had requested a gluten-free menu. For the most part, they were given gluten-free cornbread, but they had to enquire about the menu every night as to what they could or could not have. Very little attempt was made to anticipate or accommodate our needs. With Disney, there was no need to worry about what we could and couldn't eat. Disney took care of all of our worries so that we were truly able to enjoy our cruise.

Below are some tips to ensure that your special diet-restricted needs are met:

Make sure you express your needs at time of booking, as outlined by Disney. This gives them plenty of time to make sure your needs are met. When you arrive on board, make sure your waiter (and even your head waiter) knows of your needs. When in doubt, ask. I did not realize that no-sugar-added desserts were available at the buffets, as no items had been specifically identified as such. I was told that the no-sugar-added items were not laid out on the buffet, but they were always available.

About the Author: Julie Mikesell is a true Disney-fanatic. She has been to Disneyland numerous times, Walt Disney World five times (including this October for her first Halloween experience), Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris (when it was still named EuroDisney), and took her first Disney cruise this past September.

Reprinted with permission – originally appeared in the PassPorter News e-newsletter
http://www.passporter.com

Celiac Disease on The View