| Celiac disease (CD) is not as rare as it once was. | | | | - Vitamins |
| You just have to make a trip to your local | | | | - Minerals |
| supermarket and you’ll find an aisle or two | | | | - Essential fatty acids |
| dedicated to gluten-free products. Then again, | | | | - Folate |
| when you see big companies like Anheuser-Busch | | | | - B vitamins |
| and General Mills introducing gluten-free (GF) | | | | - Iron |
| products you know the market is headed for | | | | - Calcium |
| even bigger trends in Gluten-free manufacturing. | | | | - Magnesium |
| The growth in GF products can be directly | | | | - Vitamins K and D |
| attributed to the special needs of a rising | | | | - Fiber |
| population of people suffering from Celiac Disease | | | | GF nutritional supplements provide an excellent |
| (CD). Celiac disease is a genetic disorder for which | | | | solution for filling the nutritional gap for those |
| there is no known cure. It is characterized by an | | | | suffering from CD. |
| intolerance to gluten—a protein found in wheat, | | | | Some research studies indicate that quercetin, |
| barley, and rye. It is an autoimmune disease that | | | | digestive enzymes, probiotics, betaine HCL and |
| gradually damages the intestinal lining preventing | | | | thymus extract may help to relieve some of the |
| normal digestion and absorption of nutrients from | | | | symptoms caused by food allergies, including CD. |
| food. | | | | Many health supplement manufacturers combine |
| One out of every 133 Americans suffers from | | | | nutrition with herbal remedies that help relieve CD |
| Celiac disease. This figure rises to one out of 22 | | | | symptoms and bolster digestive integrity and |
| people amongst first-degree relatives. While these | | | | immunity. |
| statistics include only recorded cases of Celiac | | | | Gluten-Free Manufacturing |
| disease, the Federal government estimates that | | | | The growth of GF products is evident. Since |
| there are 3 million people who are living with | | | | 2004, the GF industry has enjoyed an annual |
| CD—a little less than one percent of our | | | | growth rate of 28 percent each year. Valued at |
| population. This includes people who have the | | | | $5.80 million in 2004, the GF market reached |
| disease but show no signs or symptoms since it | | | | revenues of $1.56 billion in 2008. In spite of the |
| takes about four years for the disease to | | | | recession, market forecasters predict that the GF |
| manifest itself. It is said that 97 percent of people | | | | food industry is likely to grow 10 to 11 percent in |
| with CD are undiagnosed and therefore untreated. | | | | 2009 and 2010. According to the U.S. Department |
| Logically, this disease is rising and will continue to | | | | of Agriculture, the GF industry revenues are |
| rise producing an even greater demand for GF | | | | expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2010. Packaged |
| products. The only treatment for those with CD | | | | Facts estimates the industry to be worth $2.6 |
| is a diet that is totally free from gluten. Even the | | | | billion in 2012. |
| most minute or negligible amounts of gluten in | | | | Manufacturing GF supplements requires the |
| products can produce an autoimmune reaction. | | | | highest quality control standards. GF supplements |
| Many of the additives, preservatives and | | | | are harder to manufacture as they require the |
| stabilizers in processed foods contain gluten. Even | | | | utmost precautionary care to prevent cross |
| products, such as corn and rice, produced in | | | | contamination. Separate areas and equipment for |
| manufacturing units that also produce wheat | | | | manufacturing gluten-free supplements are |
| products, may contain traces of gluten due to | | | | needed along with stringent quality control |
| cross-mingling of raw materials. Certain | | | | measures. |
| medications contain gluten, as do common items | | | | In 2004, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer |
| like lipstick and play dough. There is, therefore, a | | | | Protection Act became a law, requiring all food |
| growing market for a wide variety of GF | | | | and dietary supplement manufacturers to identify |
| products for this marginalized, but rising, population. | | | | common allergens in their product and specify the |
| For most people suffering from CD, maintaining a | | | | same on their labels. Implementation of the law in |
| strict gluten-free diet helps to alleviate symptoms, | | | | 2006 made it easier for people with CD to |
| heal the damage done to intestines and prevent | | | | determine whether or not a product was safe to |
| any further damage. The June 2005 issue of the | | | | eat. The FDA is still working on finalizing the final |
| American Journal of Nutrition reported, “A long | | | | definition for “gluten-free” but in all |
| follow up of a cohort of patients already | | | | probability products that contain less than 20 |
| diagnosed as having Celiac disease and put on a | | | | micrograms of gluten per gram of product will be |
| gluten-free diet shows that the diet substantially | | | | the standard measure for a product to call itself |
| and rapidly improved all the gastrointestinal | | | | gluten-free. |
| symptoms previously reported, not just the | | | | GF nutritional supplement manufacturing caters to |
| typical ones.” Gradually, by maintaining a GF | | | | an ever-increasing market which includes those |
| diet, the intestines will be able to perform normal | | | | who suffer from CD, or are gluten-sensitive, or |
| functions of digestion and absorption of nutrients. | | | | prefer a gluten-free diet, such as those who |
| But, a lifelong GF diet must be maintained. | | | | suffer from autism, ADD, ADHD or Type 1 |
| One of the most ripe markets for GF products is | | | | Diabetes. It is interesting to note that wheat is |
| in the arena of nutritional supplements Not only | | | | listed among the top eight common allergens and |
| does CD prevent the proper digestion and | | | | accounts for 90 percent of food allergies. In |
| absorption of nutrients, maintaining a GF diet itself | | | | response to the needs of this special category of |
| can compromise nutrition. This brings about unique | | | | people who need GF nutrition, supplement |
| nutritional challenges. | | | | manufacturers would do well to flood the market |
| Common nutritional deficiencies in those suffering | | | | with GF health supplements. |
| from CD relate to: | | | | |