Celiac.com 01/17/2020 - What's fonio and why is it set to take the gluten-free world by storm? In West Africa, fonio is well-known for its great taste and dish nutritional profile. In addition to being a nutritious and great tasting, fonio is a versatile and highly sustainable crop. Fonio does well in dry areas, has low water needs, and grows well without pesticides.

Fonio is rich in fiber, protein, amino acids, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium. With its slightly nutty flavor, fonio makes good gluten-free flour and can be used in many baking applications. It also be eaten alone like couscous or quinoa. 

Outside of Africa, however, fonio is virtually unknown. Among those who do know it, it has a reputation as a difficult grain to harvest. Grown only in the Sahel region of Africa — a narrow belt that runs south of the Sahara and north of the savannah from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, fonio has never been formally cultivated, and is uncommon outside of that region.

That's set to change. Once a new state-of-the-art processing plant in Senegal in West Africa, coupled with a pasteurization and quality control plant in North Dakota are in operation, annual exports of fonio could quickly climb to thousands of tons, says Peter Carlson, director of Terra Ingredients, a leader in commercial ingredients made from organic and non-GMO grains, pulses and other plants. With processing facilities in the United States, and markets on six continents. 

Currently, only a few small companies export fonio, which means the price remains high. A company called Yolélé Foods sells three 10-ounce bags of fonio grain on Amazon for $19.95.

Carlson says that once he learned about fonio, the decision to incorporate the grain into their company offerings was simple. Doing it at scale means the price could come down quickly, as supplies rise.

Terra Ingredients has been working with a women's co-op, which processes small quantities of fonio by hand. Currently, hand processing takes nearly one-hundred women working full-time two weeks to fill a single commercial barrel with fonio. Soon, however, the fonio will be processed mechanically, while the women will perform other roles in the company, including liaising with growers, ensuring quality, and overseeing some of the processing work. 

Even though fonio is gluten-free, Carlson points out that fonio is not a niche product. "I think I keep going back to the taste, because that's what we hear from so many people." Carlson said. Because of fonio's great taste, he expects the non-gluten-free market to be big.

If you're looking for a tasty, nutritious new gluten-free grain to round out your celiac disease diet, keep your eye out fonio at a store near you.

Read more about fonio at FoodDive.com

Celiac.com 07/25/2019 - Researchers are using gene modification to create new strains of wheat that will be safe for people with celiac disease. Can they do it? Will it be accepted by consumers? So far, efforts to develop new, celiac safe wheat strains have focused on creating strains with little to no toxic proteins remaining in the DNA. This new effort focuses on embedding a gluten-dissolving enzyme into the genetic structure of the wheat to render it safe for people with celiac disease.

A team of researchers recently set out to create a new strain of wheat that would be safe for people with celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity. The research team included Claudia Osorio, Nuan Wen, Jaime H. Mejias, Bao Liu, Stephen Reinbothe, Diter von Wettstein, and Sachin Rustgi.

The team began by first designing pill-based enzymes that break up gluten. These pills have already reached clinical trials. They then turned their attention toward assessing the ability of wheat to store and express enzymes that break up gluten. While they have had some success creating strains of wheat that can contain enzymes to break down gluten, they have not been able to fully eliminate gluten reactions in celiac patients. 

So far, it looks like oral enzymes might only reduce gluten reactions in people with celiac disease, but not eliminate them entirely. If so, their use might be limited to mitigating the effects of light, accidental gluten exposure.

What's interesting about the wheat strain developed by Washington State researchers is that it contains gluten-digesting enzymes that become active in the intestine. This could mean better delivery of enzymes to the gut, and better gluten-dissolving efficacy than pill-based enzymes.

Because the new wheat strain is genetically modified, and because genetically modified food remains unpopular in the United States, the team could have their work cut out for them both in the lab and in the court of public opinion. 

Gluten contamination is a serious and very real concern for most people with celiac disease who eat away from home, especially in restaurants. Remember, gluten doesn't always trigger symptoms, but even so, it may cause damage to the gut, especially over time.

The idea of a new wheat variety that is pre-loaded with gluten-digesting enzymes is a very attractive solution for some people, though many, especially in the United States are wary of GMO foods. In any case, the team will continue to research and develop their wheat before moving to clinical trials.

What do you think? Potentially helpful for people with celiac disease, or no? Share your thoughts below.

Read more in Functional & Integrative Genomics; and the Genetic Literary Project.

The researchers in this study are variously affiliated with the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; the Centro de Genómica Nutricional Agro-acuícola, CGNA, in Temuco, Chile; the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), Centro Regional de Investigación Carillanca, in Temuco, Chile; the Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE and Institute of Genetics & Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China; the Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire des Plantes et Biologie Environnementale et Systemique (BEeSy), LBFA, Université Grenoble-Alpes, in Grenoble France; the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; and with the Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, SC, USA.

Celiac.com 06/19/2019 - Ancient gluten-free grains are helping African farmers to gain profit and save the environment by producing gluten-free beer that is safe for people with celiac disease.  In Africa, local framers are growing nutritious, ancient gluten-free grains like corn and millet. In the process, they are growing a new economy, saving the environment, and brewing a delicious gluten-free beer that's safe for celiacs. It's a recipe for success.

Gluten-Free Ancient Grains Are Nutritious

Gluten-free ancient grains like millet and sorghum are rich in nutrients. They are also high in protein and antioxidants. Pearl millet, for example, has twice the protein of milk and sorghum is rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. These crops are also drought-resistant, making them suitable for dry, hot climates. However, farmers tend to grow more popular crops like maize, wheat, rice, and soybeans. 

Gluten-Free Beer Helps Local Farmers

Now, African farmers are using ancient grains like millet and sorghum to drive a new business in gluten-free craft beer and to preserve the environment. Since millet and sorghum are both gluten-free, they can be used to anchor brewing recipes for delicious, gluten-free beers. By sourcing grains from locally farmers, the brewers help to support local economies and community members. 

Drought Resistant Grains Help Save Environment

And because millet and sorghum need significantly less water than wheat, and require less fertilizer and pesticide, growing them helps farmers to preserve the environment.

Who knew that growing nutritious, ancient gluten-free grains could help local framers, save the environment, and result in a delicious gluten-free beer that's safe for celiacs? Talk about a winning plan. Stay tuned for more on this story.

Celiac.com 06/10/2019 - Gluten-free wheat is surely an oxymoron, right? How can wheat be gluten-free? Well, researchers are currently creating wheat strains that exclude the proteins that trigger immune reactions in people with celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity. The result could be the first wheat that is safe for people with celiac disease.

The omega-1,2 gliadins are a group of wheat gluten proteins that contain immunodominant epitopes for celiac disease and also have been associated with food allergies. The research team recently set out to reduce the toxicity of gliadin proteins in wheat.

To reduce the levels of these proteins in the flour, the team used an RNA interference plasmid, which targeted a 141 bp region at the 5′ end of an omega-1,2 gliadin gene, to genetically transform a strain of bread wheat known as Triticum aestivum cv. Butte 86. They used quantitative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry to conduct a detailed analysis of flour proteins from two transgenic lines. 

In the first line, the omega-1,2 gliadins were missing from an otherwise normal proteome. In the second line, the team saw significant changes in the proteome, with nearly all gliadins and low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) missing. 

The second line showed a rise in high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), with the largest increase seen in those with molecular weights slightly below the non-transgenic, possibly due to post-translational processing. The team also saw a rise in non-gluten proteins such as triticins, purinins, globulins, serpins, and alpha-amylase/protease inhibitors. 

When tested with serum IgG and IgA antibodies from a group of celiac patients, both flour types showed reduced reactivity. Now, there's a big difference between 'reduced reactivity' and 'no reactivity,' but it's a solid step in the right direction.

The line without omega-1,2 gliadins showed improved mixing time and tolerance, while the line missing most gluten proteins showed inferior mixing properties. 

The data suggest that biotechnology approaches may be used to create wheat lines with reduced immunogenic potential in the context of gluten sensitivity without compromising end-use quality.

The data say it's possible to create wheat lines with reduced gluten toxicity that are safe for people with gluten sensitivity. Such lines could give rise to celiac safe gluten-free or gluten-safe flours with excellent baking properties. Of course, such line would have to be tested on people with celiac disease. However, if celiac-safe lines can be developed, the landscape could change quickly for gluten-free bread and baked goods.

Read more in Frontiers in Plant Science, 09 May 2019

The research team included Susan B. Altenbach, Han-Chang Chang, Xuechen B. Yu, Bradford W. Seabourn, Peter H. Green and Armin Alaedini. They are variously affiliated with the Western Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Albany, CA, United States; the Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; the Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; the Hard Winter Wheat Quality Laboratory, Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Manhattan, KS, United States; the Celiac Disease Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; and the Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States.

Celiac.com 05/28/2019 - Denmark-based start-up Kaffe Bueno recycles used coffee grounds into oils for skin care products, but they are also suitable for use as sweeteners, natural colorings and preservatives in foods and beverages.

The company also makes a flour from the coffee grounds, which can be used to fortify baked goods. They source used coffee grounds from cafes and hotels in Copenhagen, and then use a biotechnology process to extract the oils which leaves behind a naturally gluten-free coffee flour.

According to the company, the oil extraction process removes most of the coffee flavor, resulting in a flour with a nutty, caramel, chocolatey taste that can complement many products.

Kaffe Bueno claims its coffee flour contains three times the protein per gram than almond flour, less calories than buckwheat flour, less fat than coconut flour, more fiber than wholegrain wheat flour, and more potassium than a banana.

The resulting flour is both green, and potentially lucrative. In 2018, people worldwide consumed nine billion kilos of coffee, yet just 1% of the beneficial compounds were used. The other 99% gets treated as waste, and usually ends up in landfills where it decomposes and creates methane.

Used coffee grounds are packed with bioactive compounds that contain anti-proliferative, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects.

Article Image credit: Coffee Caffeine Info

Celiac.com 08/23/2018 - With the market for gluten-free goods and ingredients going like gang-busters, the proliferation of new flours made from previously unavailable ingredients is helping to change the product manufacturing landscape and to open up whole new avenues of nutrition, health benefits and flavor for people with celiac disease.

One of the latest gluten-free flours to hit the market  is banana flour, an alternative to wheat flour that has gained popularity for its light, fluffy baking results. Made of 100% dried, ground green bananas, banana flour is not only gluten-free but also paleo, Whole30-approved, and vegan. Highly nutritious banana flour also touts numerous health benefits.

In addition to being naturally gluten-free, banana flour is similar in calories to regular white flour, but is made from a completely different type of carbohydrate. While white flour is made from simple starches that are quickly absorbed and turned into energy, banana flour contains high levels of what is called “resistant starch.” Resistant starches are so-called, because they work a bit like soluble fiber, slowing the digestion of carbohydrates, and resisting absorption by the gut. Resistant starches are also found in foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and legumes.

“Resistant starch has been found to be beneficial for colon health, increasing satiety levels, and lowering blood sugar,” said registered dietitian Amy Margulies.  “Banana flour also contains high levels of phenolic acid, a type of phytochemical found in many plant foods, which works like an antioxidant and supplies both potassium and vitamin B6.”

Banana flour not only produces light, fluffy baked goods with a good nutrition profile, it is also easy to use. When substituting banana flour for wheat flour in a recipe, simply use about 30% less banana flour.

Read more at: thedailymeal.com

Celiac.com 08/09/2018 - Whatever one might say about crawfish, shrimp and crustaceans in general, Americans don’t typically eat bugs. Can a former Ralph Lauren marketing executive turn the world on to flour made from crickets?

Over the last few years, Americans have been presented with a buffet of alternative proteins and meals. Robyn Shapiro’s company, Seek, has created all-purpose, gluten-free, and Paleo blended flours, which can be used cup for cup in any recipe calling for flour. 

The company, which makes pure cricket powder for smoothies, ice creams, and other liquid-based foods, is now selling cinnamon-almond crunch cricket protein and snack bites. To get the public interested in its cricket protein and cricket flour products, Shapiro has collaborated with famous chefs to create recipes for The Cricket Cookbook. 

The book’s cast includes La Newyorkina chef Fany Gerson, a Mexico City native known for her cricket sundaes; noted Sioux chef and cookbook author Sean Sherman; and former Noma pastry chef Ghetto Gastro member, Malcolm Livingston, among others.

Other companies have sought to promote the benefits of insect protein, including Chapul, which makes cricket protein bars and powders, and Exo, which makes dairy- and gluten-free cricket protein bars in flavors like cocoa nut and banana bread. These companies, along with others in the business tend to aim their products at Paleo dieters by promising more protein and no dairy.

Seek’s chef-focused approach makes it unique. By pairing with noted chefs who already use bugs and bug protein in their cooking, Shapiro is looking to make the public more comfortable and confident in using bugs to cook and bake. So far, the response has been slow, but steady. Seek has already raised nearly $13,000 from 28 backers, well on its way toward its $25,000 goal. 

Seek’s cricket flours and other products will initially only be available via Kickstarter. If that goes well, the products will be sold on Seek’s website. Early backers will get a discount and a chance for a signed copy of the book. Seek hopes to debut their products nationwide starting in the fall. 

Could gluten-free cricket flour and the new cookbook be the next big gluten-free Christmas gift? Stay tuned for more on this and other gluten-free stories.

Source:

• grubstreet.com

Celiac.com 04/17/2018 - Could the holy grail of gluten-free food lie in special strains of wheat that lack “bad glutens” that trigger the celiac disease, but include the “good glutens” that make bread and other products chewy, spongey and delicious? Such products would include all of the good things about wheat, but none of the bad things that might trigger celiac disease.

A team of researchers in Spain is creating strains of wheat that lack the “bad glutens” that trigger the autoimmune disorder celiac disease. The team, based at the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture in Cordoba, Spain, is making use of the new and highly effective CRISPR gene editing to eliminate the majority of the gliadins in wheat.

Gliadins are the gluten proteins that trigger the majority of symptoms for people with celiac disease.

As part of their efforts, the team has conducted a small study on 20 people with “gluten sensitivity.” That study showed that test subjects can tolerate bread made with this special wheat, says team member Francisco Barro. However, the team has yet to publish the results.

Clearly, more comprehensive testing would be needed to determine if such a product is safely tolerated by people with celiac disease. Still, with these efforts, along with efforts to develop vaccines, enzymes, and other treatments making steady progress, we are living in exciting times for people with celiac disease.

It is entirely conceivable that in the not-so-distant future we will see safe, viable treatments for celiac disease that do not require a strict gluten-free diet.

Read more at Digitaltrends.com , and at Newscientist.com

Celiac.com 03/09/2018 - Imagine a gluten-free flour that can do all the things regular flour can do. Well, a food research team has created a highly functional, neutral-tasting chickpea flour that mimics wheat flour, but also “behaves like modified starch in some applications.” 

The product is called "Artesa," and it has a very fine, flour-like particle size, a white color, good oil and water binding properties for products such as soup, sauces and gravies, and formulating characteristics, including elasticity and stretch that mirrors wheat gluten without added milk or egg protein, modified starch or gums. 

The product also happens to be high in fiber and resistant starch, low in fat and has a low glycemic index. It contains more protein than rice, potato, tapioca, corn and sorghum. Chickpeas are also non-allergenic and non-GMO. 

If Artesa works as advertised, their new flour could “significantly improve the organoleptic and nutritional profile of gluten-free pastas, baked goods, and desserts - without the use of gums and starches, claim its developers.” That means it can be used to create products that require a flour-like quality to them, such as cakes, breads, pasta and the like.  

It may also work well as a fat and dairy replacement in soups, sauces and dressings, and to add protein and resistant starch to pizzas, beverages, baked goods and pastas. 

After raising an initial $750,000 for artesa, parent company Nutriati followed with another $1.5m from NRV before closing its latest, $8m, funding round last year. 

Gluten-free flour that mimics the properties of regular wheat flour has been something of a holy grail for manufacturers. Stay tuned to see how well the artesa campaign progresses, and whether it can live up to all the hype.

Celiac.com 02/10/2018 - People with celiac disease must avoid all forms of gluten from wheat, rye, or barley. So, what about Kamut? Is Kamut safe for people with celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity?

Like Spelt, Kamut is simply another form of wheat that is sometimes wrongly thought to be gluten-free.

Kamut is simply a trademark for a specific kind of wheat, Khorasan wheat, grown under specific conditions. Khorasan wheat is triticum turanicum. It is wheat, and it contains gluten, which people with celiac disease should not eat.

So, in short, Kamut is NOT safe for people with celiac disease or any sensitivity to gluten.

Because Kamut is still a type of wheat that contains gluten it is not safe for people with celiac diseases and appears on Celiac.com's UNSAFE food list of non-gluten-free foods.

Celiac.com 01/25/2018 - People with celiac disease need to avoid consuming products that contain gluten, including those made with wheat, rye and barley.

So, what about spelt? Is spelt gluten-free? Is spelt safe for people with celiac disease? The short answer is no, spelt is not gluten-free, and no, spelt is not safe for people with celiac disease.

On problem is that many products that contain spelt are labeled "Wheat-Free." Plenty of food that includes spelt claims that spelt is easier on the digestive system than wheat. It has also been called a "wheat alternative." This has caused some confusion around spelt. Some people point out that spelt has a different structure than standard commercial wheat. That's true, but the differences are very slight. In fact, spelt shares about 98.5% of its DNA with wheat.

So, many people believe that if you can't eat wheat, then it is okay to eat spelt, but that is false. At least if you have celiac disease or a genuine sensitivity to gluten. Spelt contains gluten. Eating spelt means eating gluten.

Spelt is not safe for people with celiac disease.

Remember, products labeled wheat-free are not necessarily gluten-free. People with celiac disease should avoid spelt. They should also always confirm that food is gluten-free.

If you're not sure about an ingredient in a product, consult the Celiac.com Safe and Unsafe lists.

Resources:

• https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/forbidden-gluten-food-list-unsafe-ingredients-r182/
• https://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/sources-of-gluten/
• https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/23425-the-question-of-spelt/
• http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1094/CCHEM.1999.76.4.548/abstract;jsessionid=19F8EE3B345F8A292A5BD35006F63333.f01t02
• https://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/spelt-is-wheat-dont-eat/

Celiac.com 01/18/2018 - Okay, so wine is good for lots of things, drinking notwithstanding. But try to wrap your head around this: wine flour.

Yeah, flour made from wine grapes. There's no such thing you say? Well, wine flour is in fact a thing. The mashed post-crush grapes used to make top wines are indeed being milled into a unique flour.

Creator Hillary Niver-Johnson calls her product Finger Lakes Wine Flour. Her wine flour is made from the the pomace, or grape skins and seeds, are typically discarded in the wine making process. Niver-Johnson and her team of three collect the from local wineries in the Finger Lakes of New York. They then sort, separate, sun-dry, and mill the pomace in Hector, New York.

But, why buy wine flour?

First, it is gluten-free. Those with sensitivity to gluten will be happy to know that all of the wine flour options are naturally gluten-free.

Second, it's nutritious. Wine flour has all the same vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as grapes. Wine flour is also rich in protein and fiber, with two grams of protein and three grams of fiber in every teaspoon.

It comes in varietals to match you taste. Wine flour is available as Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Gewurztraminer.

It's a great supplemental flour for enriching most any recipe with its nutrients, flavor, and of course, that wine tint. Use wine flour as a supplement to regular flour to make your favorite foods.

Read more at brit.co.