Since more and more families are relying on food banks for assistance, that means more and more people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance may not be getting the food they need.

Responding to this situation last year, Seattle resident Lisa Garza, who runs the blog Gluten Free Foodies, launched a "Gluten-Free Food Drive Challenge" to collect gluten-free donations for area food banks. The ongoing campaign has attracted support from Bob's Red Mill and Zing Bar.

Last May, Garza urged the Seattle Food Committee, a coalition of 27 local food banks, to create dedicated space in their pantries for gluten-free foods. Committee member Joe Gruber, director of the University District Food Bank, says Garza's suggestion "made us more mindful," but doesn't foresee instituting it anytime soon. In fact, none of the city's food banks has yet found room for a gluten-free section: According to Gruber, cost and space limitations have severely hampered their abilities to regularly stock gluten-free food.

"To offer any form of carved-out space is a challenge," says Gruber, whose 800-square-foot food bank distributes about 45,000 pounds of food per week. "We try to identify gluten-free goods, but they will still end up with other pastas, grains, and cereals."

Gruber says the University District Food Bank depends on targeted programs like Garza's to support the wide variety of diets among its customers.

Seattle Food Committee staffer Alison Miller says most food banks don't have too much gluten-free food to sort. High prices for gluten-free goods means that food-banks rarely have funds to buy and stock gluten-free items. Than means banks rely on donations for to keep gluten-free food on their shelves. That means that offerings can be slim, and disappear quickly.

Still Garza presses on. "I continue to ask for donations to remind people that the need is greater and greater," she says, adding that "I don't want people to suffer the way I suffered."

Please consider making a donation of gluten-free food to your local food bank.

Recent projections by industry tracker, Packaged Facts, suggest that gluten-free products will top $5 billion worldwide by 2015. Many savvy hoteliers see that trend to be influencing consumer expectation, and are attempting to position themselves for the future.

Smart hoteliers and restaurateurs will also embrace the fact that reaping the benefits of the burgeoning demand for gluten-free eating means more than just serving gluten-free food. It means providing a complete, comprehensive service from product to preparation and delivery; from supply chain to the dining table.

For example, says Deborah Ceizler, director of marketing for the Celiac Disease Foundation, “...the contamination issue is the thing to watch for. You can serve hamburger with no bun, but if you’re using the same utensil to put a hamburger on a regular bun there’s [gluten] contamination.”

Offering a gluten-free meal means "more than just saying we have a gluten-free menu," she says. adding that, "If you’re making a gluten-free pizza you have to make it in a different place, using different pans."

The gluten-free menu for the 65-seat Muse restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland menu includes 11 appetizers and entrees. But, chef Constantine Vourliotis, says, “It’s not a gluten-free menu, it’s a menu that happens to be gluten-free."

Muse kitchen handles gluten-free orders “just like any allergy, when the ticket comes in off the machine, the issue is identified and we make sure there is an area free from the allergen. We set up a cutting board and whoever is able to take care of that guest’s needs owns the ticket, says Vourliotis.” They keep sanitation and soap buckets at each station, so the cooks are cleaning and sanitizing as they go.

Frederic Chartier, chef de cuisine at Fyve in the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA, who is creating a guide for his staff that notes every item in the kitchen that contains gluten.

Other hotels or hotel chains to feature prominent gluten-free menus include:

• Numerous hotels in the Ritz-Carlton chain introduced gluten-free menus in 2010.
• Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which partnered with a nutritionist and spent a year putting together a training program covering numerous dietary preferences, including diabetes, heart healthy, vegan, raw, macrobiotic and gluten-free.
• Omni Hotels has announced plans to introduce a gluten-free breakfast buffet station across its chains. The station will include gluten-free cereals, granola, breads and muffins. Each station will have its own table and toaster to avoid cross-contamination with products containing wheat.

Stephen Rosenstock, senior vice president of food and beverage of Omni Hotels, recognizes the trend and its importance. “For a number of years, there’s been a growing recognition of people with gluten intolerance,” he says. Rosenstock points out the gluten-free options don’t cost hotels more money. It’s all about sourcing differently and planning for it.

Meanwhile, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts continues its industry-leading and comprehensive plan to field gluten-free food requests on a guest-by-guest basis across its vast array of dining establishments.

Instead of any one special menu, the company’s restaurants rely on their chefs to modify existing menu items into allergen-free items, including gluten-free. “Each guest who identifies themselves as having a food allergy is met by a chef or leader to discuss their individual needs,” say Gary Jones, Disney’s culinary dietary specialist.

The need to do so has been evolving since the early 1990s, says Jones. In 2010, the company served 440,000 guests with special dietary needs between Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. That includes all allergies and intolerances, gluten among them.

“Our guests with food allergies deserve to have the same experiences provided to all our guests,” says Jones.

So, if these hotel and restaurant profiles offer any indication, it looks like the going will be a little easier for gluten-free folks on the move into the foreseeable future.

In the UK, those diagnosed with celiac disease are given a doctor's prescription that allows them to purchase gluten-free bread from stores or pharmacies at cost that is partly subsidized by the taxpayer.

The dust-up began when press reports stated that each loaf of gluten-free bread cost the NHS in Wales £32 (over $40), once the costs of diagnosis and prescription were factored in.

This prompted a reply by major gluten-free bread-maker Genius Foods noting that Genius supplies the bread to the NHS at the exact same rate as it supplies to stores, and saying that Genius was frustrated by additional charges levied on gluten-free bread that it supplies to the NHS in Wales.

 Genius also said: “Some pharmacies, however, choose to order through a wholesaler, and in these instances the wholesaler can opt to apply an additional administration charge for taking and placing these orders." 

Genius added that: “This handling fee appears to be charged directly to the NHS. Genius Foods does not profit in any way from these charges.”

However, the UK government insists that talk of £32 loaves is incorrect, and claims that the £32 figure came after the nation’s Conservative party read statistics as referring to cost per loaf, rather than prescription.

Welsh health minister Lesley Griffiths said, "The actual cost for the single loaf of gluten-free bread in question is around £2.82, not the £32 claimed."

Celiac.com 09/05/2011 - The rise in celiac disease awareness and the explosion of foods for people who must eat gluten-free is generally a good thing. However, when companies rush products into the gluten-free market without a well-practiced and comprehensive plan, they can easily make mistakes.

Consider the case of California Pizza Kitchen. In June, the company proudly announced the debut of a gluten-free pizza crust. Then, in August, the restaurant chain quietly pulled the crust from its menu, in what appears to be a re-evaluation of its gluten-free preparation process.

This is a good thing, since numerous customers complained of symptoms of gluten-contamination, and the company itself acknowledged that their preparation process allowed possible cross-contamination from their standard pizza crusts.

Many in the celiac community have pointed out that even though the crust is gluten-free, it is being prepared in the same areas as the gluten-containing crusts. So the pizza could be cross-contaminated with wheat, which has adverse health effects for people with celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity.

On the California Pizza Kitchen Twitter feed, the company said that it is reviewing its preparation procedures, while leaving open the possibility that it might once again offer gluten-free pizza.

Efforts by companies like Walt Disney, and more recently by Subway, show that it is possible to consistently deliver a safe and satisfying gluten-free dining experience to large numbers of people. However, it takes awareness of needs of the gluten-free community, and a comprehensive preparation and delivery plan to do it consistently well.

Ideally, California Pizza Kitchen will learn and grow from this experience, and return from the drawing board with a plan to deliver safe, gluten-free versions of their unique and much-loved pizzas.

Until then, stay tuned...

The research team included Peter Byass, Kathleen Kahn, and Anneli Ivarsson. They are affiliated with the Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University in Umeå, Sweden, and with the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In the last several decades, celiac disease has become an an increasingly recognized public health problem. More recently, celiac disease has emerged as a global earth issue, in spite scant globally representative epidemiological data.

Because children with celiac disease often have chronic diarrhea and malnutrition, a proper diagnosis is often missed, especially in poorer settings, where water-borne infectious diarrheas are common, and many children fail to thrive.

To make their assessment, the two used available data to build a basic model of childhood celiac disease, incorporating estimates of population prevalence, probability of non-diagnosis, and likelihood of mortality among undiagnosed children of all countries from 1970 to 2010.

In their paper, the two state the assumptions underlying their model, and make the model available as a supplementary file.

Based on their model, in 2010 there were around 2.2 million children under 5 years of age living with celiac disease, while each year, there would be about 42,000 deaths related to celiac disease in these children. That would mean that, in 2008, deaths related to celiac disease likely totaled about 4% of all childhood diarrhea deaths worldwide.

Even if celiac disease accounts for only a small proportion of global diarrhea deaths, these deaths are preventable, but not by normal diarrhea treatment, which can often involve gluten-based food supplements.

They also note that, as other causes of diarrhea mortality decline, celiac disease will become a proportionately greater problem unless clinicians begin to try gluten-free diets for children with chronic diarrhea and malnutrition.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link
  

A team of researchers recently set out to assess the impact of celiac disease diagnosis on health care costs and the incremental costs associated with celiac disease.

The research team included K. H. Long, A. Rubio-Tapia, A. E. Wagie, L. J. Melton III, B. D. Lahr, C. T. Van Dyke, and J. A. Murray.

They are affiliated variously with the Division of Health Care Policy & Research, the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the Division of Epidemiology, and the Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics at the College of Medicine of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

To carry out their population-based cohort, the team used administrative data on celiac disease cases and matched controls from Olmsted County, Minnesota.

They compared: 1) direct medical costs one year before and one year after celiac disease diagnosis for 133 index cases and for control subjects; and 2) cumulative direct medical costs over four years for 153 index celiac cases and for control subjects. Their analyses did not include diagnostic-related and outpatient pharmaceutical costs.

They found that a diagnosis of celiac disease lowers the average total costs by $1,764 in the year following diagnosis (pre-diagnosis cost of $5,023 vs. $3,259; 95% CI of difference: $688 to $2,993).

They found also that, over a 4-year period, people with celiac disease faced an average of $1,457 in higher outpatient costs (P = 0.016), and an average of $3,964 in higher total costs of $3,964; (P = 0.053), compared with the control group.

Men with celiac disease bore the brunt of those higher costs, with excess average total costs of just over $14,000 compared to costs of $4,000 for male controls; 95% CI of difference: $2,334 to $20,309).

Costs associated with celiac disease pose a significant economic burden, especially for men with the disease.

Early detection, diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease lowers medical costs, and will likely benefit patients and health care providers alike.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link
  

As the gluten-free product market expands, and as we continue to seek out new tools to aid us in our search for truly gluten-free products, we are in for a treat with the recent launch of Gluten Free Watchdog.  Tricia Thompson, the founder of Gluten Free Watchdog, agreed to discuss it with us.

Can you explain what Gluten Free Watchdog is, and what is novel about it?
Gluten Free Watchdog (Open Original Shared Link) is a food testing site that was started to make expensive state-of-the-art gluten testing available to the gluten-free community at a fraction of the true cost. This is the first time this type of resource has been offered.

Can you share your personal story – how you became interested in celiac disease and gluten sensitivity?
I have been gluten free for over 27 years. In the early years, I became very frustrated by the contradictory information available on several key gluten-free issues—Are oats safe to eat? Why is wheat starch eaten by the gluten-free community in Europe? Why do some support groups say “grains” such as buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa should be avoided? And then there was the issue of nutritional quality. Back then almost all gluten-free processed foods were made using refined rice/corn and starch. So after finishing graduate school I made a list of all the topics I wanted to research and then started writing (and writing and writing!). 

In December 2008, the Chicago Tribune investigated three Wellshire Kids brand gluten-free products, sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market — Dinosaur Shapes Chicken Bites, Chicken Corn Dogs, and Beef Corn Dogs — and analytical results indicated that they contained gluten, ranging from 116 to 2,200 parts per million.  More recently, Paul Seeling, a North Carolina baker, was convicted of fraud relating to the packaging of wheat bread as a gluten-free product.  Have events like these influenced the Gluten Free Watchdog?

Events such as what occurred with Wellshire Farms made me realize that some manufacturers, while well-intentioned, did not understand how consumers in the US define gluten free when they see it on a food label. It also made me realize that some manufacturers did not know how to accurately test their labeled gluten free products for gluten, and that some of them were operating under the mistaken belief that if a product is (or is made from) a naturally gluten-free grain the product does not need to be tested. We have learned a lot over the years about cross contamination, starting with the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on gluten contamination of oats and more recently with the study on gluten contamination of naturally gluten-free grains and flours published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Combined, these events and studies may have undermined consumer confidence in labeled gluten-free foods. Most manufacturers are doing things right. It is my hope that Gluten Free Watchdog will allow consumers to have confidence in the products they eat and feed their family.

Over the last ten years, you have published a significant amount of research on gluten-free product labeling.  And you recently authored a chapter on gluten-free product labeling in Melinda Dennis’ and Daniel Leffler’s new book, Real Life with Celiac Disease:  Troubleshooting and Thriving Gluten Free, which was published by the American Gastroenterological Association.  How has your research influenced Gluten Free Watchdog?

From the consumer perspective the most important thing to understand about allergen labeling is that it pertains to ingredients only—it does not pertain to allergens that may be in a product due to cross contact. Currently, Gluten Free Watchdog is only testing foods labeled gluten free. In the future, we may test foods that appear to be gluten free based on ingredients.

The Food Allergy Labeling and Consumer Protect Act (FALCPA) does not currently require the disclosure of barley or rye; or, contamination by manufacturers on product labeling.  Can Gluten Free Watchdog help us to decipher product labeling that may be difficult to understand?

Gluten Free Watchdog is primarily a food testing site. My other website Open Original Shared Link contains extensive information on labeling laws and ingredients.

Under FALCPA, the Federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a proposed government definition of the term “gluten-free” for food product labeling purposes.  Once FDA approves a final rule, will the role of Gluten Free Watchdog change?

Possibly but it will remain primarily a food testing site. Consumers will still want to know the level of gluten at which foods are testing and will still want the added confidence that independent transparent third party testing provides.

On your blog, Gluten Free Dietitian, you discuss R5 ELISA tests, Ridascreen 7001 and Ridascreen R7011.  What is the importance of these tests, and are these the tests that Gluten Free Watchdog is using?  Are home-test kits accurate?

The standard sandwich R5 ELISA is one of only two commercially available ELISAs validated at the levels used for regulatory purposes and official governmental methods (the other is the Morinaga Wheat Protein ELISA). The R5 and Morinaga ELISAs also are included in the FDA’s proposed gluten-free labeling rule as possible methods for rule enforcement. The competitive R5 ELISA may be used in conjunction with the sandwich R5 ELISA when a food is highly hydrolyzed.

Gluten Free Watchdog tests food using the standard sandwich R5 ELISA and will, if necessary, also use the competitive R5 ELISA.

What products does Gluten Free Watchdog plan to test in the upcoming months?  Are there any products that are difficult to test; and if so, why?

We have been and will continue to test a wide variety of products—grains, flours, breads, cereals, pastas, cookies, etc. Anyone can visit the site and browse through the products that have been tested to date. However, testing data is available only to subscribers. One of the nice features of Gluten Free Watchdog is that subscribers can request that certain products be tested.

One of the keys to successful testing of products is getting a homogenized sample—meaning any contaminant is evenly distributed throughout the sample being tested and there are no “hot spots.” This is why we test two extractions of each “homogenized” sample at Gluten Free Watchdog—we want to make sure the sample is truly homogenized. It can sometimes be tricky to get a homogenized sample when testing raw grains in grain versus flour form.

FALCPA does not cover foods regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has yet to finalize an allergen labeling rule for distilled spirits, beer, and wine.  Under TTB’s current labeling provisions, the term “gluten-free” is considered a health claim and its use is prohibited.  Are USDA and TTB adequately protecting consumers?  If not, does Gluten Free Watchdog plan to test any products regulated by either?
Neither the TTB nor the USDA have mandatory allergen labeling and it will be interesting to see how they proceed with gluten-free labeling once the FDA’s gluten-free labeling law is in place. I have been told by representatives of the USDA that they will adopt the FDA’s gluten-free labeling law rather than develop their own.

Gluten Free Watchdog will test USDA-regulated foods that are labeled gluten free. As mentioned earlier, we may start testing foods that appear to be gluten free based on ingredients. When we do, we would be happy to test beverages regulated by the TTB.

Is Gluten Free Watchdog affiliated with any companies that sell or market gluten-free products?
Nope! That is why we really need the support of gluten-free consumers!! It is my hope that members of the gluten-free community will see the value in having this type of resource available and will be willing to contribute a relatively small amount in exchange for access to expensive testing and input on what is tested—similar to a co-op.

Source:

1. Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages in the U.S., 3rd Edition.  Packaged Facts, February 2011.

Celiac.com 07/25/2011 - Celiac disease, according to estimates, affects approximately three million Americans and as of yet, 97% haven't been correctly diagnosed. As staggering as these statistics are, celiac disease remains largely poorly understood by the medical community. It's no wonder, given its lack of research as compared with other autoimmune disorders. However, there is research being actively conducted in the U.S. and internationally in a quest to understand the pathogenesis, or the cause and development of the disease. With this information, more about celiac disease, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment can come to light.

According to the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA), the pathogenesis of celiac disease consists of three factors: "genetic, environment and immunologic." With regard to genetics, the CCA points out that more than 97% of celiac patients have the genetic markers HLA DQ2 and/or HLA DQ8. Celiac disease is now known to be a hereditary disease. The Canadian Celiac Association tells us that "first-degree and to a lesser extent second-degree relatives are at higher risk of having unrecognized celiac disease."

Next, is the environmental "trigger," as Dr. Alessio Fasano, professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology at the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, calls it. This is gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. According to the Canadian Celiac Association, sometimes severe physical stressors can also trigger the immunologic reaction to gluten that is characteristic to celiac disease. Such sources of stress include pregnancy, infection, surgery, or even severe emotional stress.

In his article, "Surprises from Celiac Disease," published in Scientific American, Dr. Fasano describes a different triad of factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The first two factors are the ‘'trigger" of gluten, which sets off the immune response, and the genetic predisposition, as previously described. Fasano proposes that "other genes are likely to be involved as well, but these additional culprits may differ from person to person."

The third factor, according to Fasano's research is an "unusually permeable gut." In fact, the author proposes that these three factors also underlie the pathogenesis of other autoimmune diseases, with of course triggers and genetic elements unique to those particular diseases. Fasano tells us that most non-celiacs have "tight junctions [that] 'glue' intestinal cells together." On the other hand, in celiac patients, these links come apart, resulting in a small intestine from which pieces of gluten leak into the tissue and stimulate a response from immune cells. Fasano's research regarding this third factor of pathogenesis offers hope of new prevention and treatment methods. He says, "Treatments that reduced leakiness could potentially ease not only celiac disease but also other autoimmune disorders involving unusually permeable intestines."

This research into the leaky gut of celiacs can explain a question that has been perplexing researchers regarding the disease's pathogenesis: Why do some people not develop celiac disease until later in life? According to Dr. Fasano, this issue could be associated with the microbes in the digestive tract. The microbicrobial population varies among individuals and groups and even over the course of one's life.

"Apparently they can also influence which genes in their hosts are active at any given time," he says. "Hence, a person whose immune system has managed to tolerate gluten for many years might suddenly lose tolerance if the microbiome changes in a way that causes formerly quiet susceptibility genes to become active." Should this prove true, we may be able to prevent or treat celiac disease with probiotics.

A better understanding of the pathogenesis of celiac disease is certainly needed, but as of yet, researchers seem to be on their way to developing a full picture of what is involved in the origin and onset of the disease. By raising awareness and allocating more funding to celiac pathogenesis research, we may find ourselves with the ability to delay or even prevent the disease or with a new treatment option.

Celiac.com 05/30/2011 - Income plays a major role in whether patients with uncommon symptoms of celiac disease are accurately diagnosed, according to a new study from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

A team of researchers led by Daniel Leffler, MD, compared data of nearly 800 adult patients with celiac disease based on presenting symptoms and household and per capita earnings.

Some patients had complained of acute gastrointestinal distress, while others complained of classic celiac disease signs like weight loss and anemia, and others of less typical issues.

Regardless of patient symptoms upon complaint, the research team found "a very striking linear correlation" between levels of diagnosis and in higher versus lower income groups.

Basically, people with better socioeconomic status, had better chances of being diagnosed, according to Dr. Leffler, director of clinical research at the hospital's celiac center.

The income disparity may reflect differences in both health awareness and access to health information between higher and lower income groups. The difference serves as a "marker for patients having the resources to educate themselves as to what might be the underlying cause of their disorder," Dr. Leffler said. "Celiac testing is often prompted by patient request rather than physician suspicion, which almost certainly contributes to the diagnostic disparity seen in this study."

He believes the study shows a need for greater awareness among both physicians and the public.

"Although we need physicians to be more proactive in celiac testing, we can't just focus on physician training if we want to make a difference," he said. "There are likely significant gains to also be made in patient education."

Dr. Leffler's findings were included as part of presentations for Digestive Disease Week (DDW), the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

DDW is sponsored jointly by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the AGA Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

For many folks, in addition to its religious aspects, Easter means colored eggs, hot cross buns, candy, gift baskets and pancake breakfasts, among other celebrations.

The good news is that many basic Easter foods, snacks, and ingredients are already gluten-free, so with minimal information and adjustment, you'll be able to create a great gluten-free celebration this Easter.

Easter means eggs: coloring eggs and egg hunts and egg rolls, and making egg salad or potato salad, or macaroni salad, or deviled eggs from all those Easter Eggs that don't get eaten right away.

I like to eat egg salad as a topping on my favorite gluten-free crackers, or served open-face on a piece of freshly toasted gluten-free bread. Egg salad is also great on crisp, fresh lettuce.

Great Easter Egg Salad Recipe

Preparation:
If you don't already have plenty of hard boiled eggs from Easter, then place eight eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon.

Serve on gluten-free bread as a sandwich or over crisp, fresh lettuce as a salad.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Once again, if you don't already have plenty of hard boiled eggs from Easter, then place eight eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

Peel eggs and split in half lengthwise. Gently remove yolks and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika. Stir with fork until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.

Fill pastry bag or plastic bag with yolk mixture and squeeze into egg whites. Garnish with chopped fresh chives

Gluten-free Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups uncooked gluten-free penne or elbow Open Original Shared Link
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, and green pepper. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain. When macaroni or penne is cool and well-drained, place into a large bowl and fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Serve cold.

Baked Easter Ham

Ingredients:
15 lbs lean whole bone-in ham
1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup gluten-free yellow or brown mustard
aluminum foil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine yellow mustard and brown sugar into a thick paste. Trim away excess fat from ham.

Grease a baking pan with cooking oil, and line with Aluminum foil. Place ham on foil and coat ham with brown sugar/mustard paste. Fold and seal foil.

Place in oven and bake at 350° for 4 hours. Do not open foil until ham is done. Remove from oven, open foil, and allow ham to cool for one hour before carving.

Great gluten-free bread options include:

• Open Original Shared Link
• Open Original Shared Link
• Open Original Shared Link

Easter also means sweets and treats, from marshmallow rabbits to Cadbury Eggs, to Peeps. As always, check labels carefully. Contact manufacturers as needed. You can find a pretty good list of gluten-free Easter candy at Open Original Shared Link.

Celiac.com 04/12/2011 - Paul Seelig was found guilty today of 23 counts of obtaining property by false pretense after a two-week trial in Durham, NC. The jury found that he illegally represented baked goods as gluten-free, but they actually contained gluten. Mr. Seelig received an 11 year prison sentence for his crimes, which included the sickening of more than two dozen customers, one of whom had a premature delivery that was possibly caused by her involuntary gluten consumption.

Seelig's company, Great Specialty Products, purchased regular gluten-containing items from companies in New Jersey such as Costco, and then repackaged them in his home kitchen and sold them as "gluten-free" at the NC State Fair, various street fairs and via home delivery. Seelig claimed that his baked items were homemade in his company's 150,000-square-foot commercial kitchen, and that his company raised its own grains on its 400-acre farm. High gluten levels were detected by both customers and investigators in Seelig's supposedly gluten-free bread, even though he claimed that he tested his bread weekly for gluten and found none. Mr. Seelig could not produce any of his test results at trial.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

According to a Wake County prosecutor, the man, Paul Seelig, owner of Great Specialty Products, repeatedly lied to customers about the ingredients in his bread. Seelig faces more than two dozen fraud charges for taking customers' money under false pretenses. Prosecutors plan to call almost 50 witnesses.

Prosecutor Evans told jurors that witnesses would include two dozen customers who suffer from celiac disease and gluten intolerance, and who became ill after eating Seelig's products, along with the University of Nebraska experts who tested the bread.

Evans said a former employee would testify that Seelig told her to lie to investigators about their operation, and that, during the State Fair, Seelig sent her and other workers to buy standard bagels at Costco and B.J.'s that Seelig's operation sold as gluten-free.

"What this case is about is misrepresentations built on top of misrepresentations that this defendant made to people with medical conditions," Assistant District Attorney Shawn Evans said Tuesday during opening arguments in the trial. "The consequence was that many people got sick."

According to prosecutors, Seelig knowingly misrepresented his bread as handmade, prepared in a dedicated gluten-free facility, and tested weekly for gluten contamination.

Defense lawyer Blake Norman of Durham says Seelig, who reportedly suffers from Crohn's disease and cannot eat gluten, is merely a businessman who was looking to offer "reasonably priced gluten-free products" for consumers who suffer from food allergies.

Norman also told jurors that Seelig would take the stand to tell his side of the story.

However, Seelig might face an uphill battle for credibility if his criminal past comes under scrutiny. He has spent time in prison for two separate criminal convictions, the first for grand theft in 1991, which sent him to prison for more than two years, and a second in 2002, when Seelig was convicted in federal court of wire fraud and sentenced to four months in prison followed by three years of federal probation.

If convicted of all the charges in the Wake County cases, Seelig, 48, faces at least eight years in prison if sentenced to consecutive terms.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link