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Celiac.com 06/14/2023 - Researchers from Lanzhou University in China, in collaboration with international scientists, say they have developed a promising new method for treating celiac disease. Led by Aman Khan, a Pakistani postdoctoral fellow at Lanzhou University, the team focused on isolating probiotic bacterial strains from Pakistani fermented sourdough bread to prevent the occurrence of celiac disease. Celiac disease is an immune disorder triggered by gluten consumption and is particularly prevalent in Asian countries like Pakistan, where diets high in gluten-containing foods are common. Khan aimed to leverage his expertise to aid those affected by this condition. Inspired by a previous study that isolated a probiotic strain from a traditional Chinese fermented food called jiangshui, which showed the ability to degrade uric acid and regulate gut microbiota, Khan and his team sought to isolate beneficial strains from Pakistani fermented sourdough bread. They successfully extracted probiotic bacterial strains called LZU-GM and conducted experiments on mice. Probiotics from Fermented Sourdough The results of their experiments and integrative analysis indicated that LZU-GM could mitigate the adverse effects of gluten additives in food and restore balance to gut microbiota in mice. However, further clinical trials are required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these probiotics from fermented sourdough bread as a potential treatment for celiac disease. The team plans to continue their research by creating yogurt using the LZU-GM strains isolated from Pakistani sourdough bread and conducting additional experiments. Their goal is to develop a therapeutic adjunct agent that can be used in conjunction with existing treatments for celiac disease. The researchers believe their innovative solution holds promise for individuals living with this autoimmune disorder. Big Claims But Few Details While the researchers claim to have developed a promising new method for treating celiac disease, it is important to approach their findings with caution. The study focused on isolating probiotic bacterial strains from Pakistani fermented sourdough bread, aiming to prevent the occurrence of celiac disease. The results of experiments conducted on mice showed potential benefits, including the mitigation of adverse effects of gluten additives and restoration of gut microbiota balance. However, it is crucial to note that these findings are based on animal studies, and further clinical trials are necessary to assess the safety and efficacy of these probiotics in treating celiac disease in humans. More Evidence Needed Big claims require robust evidence, and at this stage, the evidence supporting the use of probiotic strains from fermented sourdough bread as a treatment for celiac disease is limited. While the preliminary results sound promising, it is important to emphasize the need for rigorous scientific investigation, including well-designed clinical trials, to validate the potential of these probiotics. Until conclusive evidence emerges from rigorous clinical trials, it is essential to remain cautious and prioritize thorough scientific scrutiny before considering these probiotics as a viable treatment option for individuals living with celiac disease. Read more in chinadaily.com

Celiac.com 08/30/2022 - A nutraceutical manufacturer is using deceptive "gluten-free" marketing claims on products made with wheat ingredients, according to lawsuit. Nutraceutical maker Ambrosia Nutraceuticals is using deceptive "gluten-free" marketing claims for the company's "Planta" protein product, which contains wheat, according to a class action lawsuit filed in California federal court on July 18 by one J. Ryan Gustafson of Good Gustafson Aumais filed the case in California federal court on July 18 on behalf of plaintiff Evan Musa. The suit says the ingredients list for the Planta protein product contains wheat flour, and the product contains gluten, despite promises to the contrary. "Now, instead of informing the public that it had previously deceived consumers by including a dangerous allergen, Defendant literally covers up the Gluten-Free claim with a removable sticker without alerting retailers, consumers or regulators to its deception," the lawsuit says. "Even worse, while the label is 'covered up,' Defendant continues to market the products as gluten-free despite being alerted by numerous consumers that they've been harmed." The filing charges that the company is trying to wrongly benefit from consumer willingness to pay more for gluten-free products. Stay tuned for more on this and related stories. Read more at legalnewsline.com

Celiac.com 04/23/2019 - A bowl of French Onion soup at Grand Canyon's El Tovar Lodge contained hidden gluten that left a Los Angeles artist with a "permanent" injury, claims a recently filed lawsuit. As a result of an adverse reaction to the soup, Todd Serlin is suing Grand Canyon's concessionaire, Xanterra, for more than $100,000, according to the suit, now in federal court. The federal complaint states that Serlin and his partner, Mark Bauer, had booked a room at the historic El Tovar on December 27, 2016, and dined in the hotel's restaurant overlooking the South Rim of Grand Canyon. Serlin has celiac disease, and is "extremely careful" not to eat anything with gluten. The autoimmune condition causes problems in the small intestine when gluten, a molecule in wheat products, is consumed. Serlin claims he "asked the waitress to confirm with the chef that there was no gluten in the base of the soup," and Serlin the chef confirmed the soup was gluten-free, the suit says. After eating the soup, Serlin then ordered a duck entree with rice and vegetables. According to the suit, Serlin became ill an hour or two later: "His symptoms intensified into waves of nausea, radiating abdominal pain, a migraine headache, vomiting, and then diarrhea. It was later determined that the restaurant served Todd food that contained gluten." The suit claims that Serlin "suffered severe and permanent personal injuries" from the experience, and "will continue to suffer, for an indefinite time, great pain, suffering, significant discomfort, and a loss of quality of life." Serlin is represented by the Scottsdale law firm Hymson Goldstein Pantiliat & Lohr, PLLC. The original suit was filed in Coconino County Superior Court in early March, but the case was moved to federal court. What do you think? Legitimate complaint, gross over-reaction, or right on the money? Share your thoughts below. Read more at: phoenixnewtimes.com

Celiac.com 02/27/2018 - A pair of disabled veterans recently filed a federal lawsuit against a gluten-free bakery, Aimee's Love, and the city of Longmont, Colorado. The suit claims that on two separate occasions the bakery owners and the city both violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when they refused to serve the couple due to the presence of their service dogs. The suit also contends that Aimee's Love violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, and that the city violated the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Blocks are seeking unspecified damages. Under the ADA, people with disabilities may bring animals into businesses and other buildings where they would usually be excluded. The Blocks allege that they were first denied service by the bakery on March 8, when they attempted to enter with a Great Dane named Rajah, which they term a "service animal in training." The Blocks claim they asked the owners to familiarize themselves with federal laws regarding service animals. They claim that they were later denied service a second time, when they tried to enter the bakery with a different dog. According to Jennifer and Gary Block, Longmont police officers responded to the second incident improperly by wrongly making the couple and their dog leave the business. A Longmont police report claims the couple left on their own after the first incident, and that the bakery owners merely asked if the dogs were legitimate service dogs. It was during the second incident that the police told the Blocks and their dog to leave the bakery, the suit alleges. The suit also contends that the bakery owners and police violated federal disability law by demanding "proof" that the Blocks' dog was indeed a service animal. Under federal law, business owners may ask if a dog is a service animal and what task it performs, but can't ask any further questions of the dog's handler. They are not allowed to ask for "proof" that the service animal is "legitimate." Stay tuned for more news on this and other gluten-free-related stories. Read more at: Timescall.com

Celiac.com 09/13/2017 - Facing charges that it forced a young boy with gluten-intolerance to eat outside in the rain, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has issued an official statement in which it denies violating any laws or mistreating an 11-year old Maryland boy with a food allergy, while he was eating in Shields Tavern with a school group in May, according to a filing Monday in U.S. District Court. The lawsuit, filed by a Maryland family, alleges that Colonial Williamsburg violated federal and state law by discriminating against the boy, referred to as J.D. in court documents, by not allowing him to eat his food inside Shields Tavern May 11. The suit further contends that the boy was forced to eat alone in the rain. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation claims that staff informed the boy's school no outside food is permitted in its taverns. They also claim that Shields Tavern offered to accommodate J.D. by preparing a gluten-free meal for him, and that the school had in fact ordered gluten-free meals ahead of J.D.'s visit to Colonial Williamsburg. The foundation contends that the incident occurred only after J.D.'s father refused the tavern's gluten-free offering, and chose to eat his own food, in violation of Williamsburg's rules. The foundation also stated that they never asked the family to leave the tavern, but that they chose to leave and eat outside. The Foundation claims that the tavern's head chef is trained to prepare gluten-free meals, that Shields Tavern routinely prepares gluten-free meals for guests, and that they did so for the J.D. In a statement, the family's attorney, Mary Vargas, said Colonial Williamsburg's response to the lawsuit falls short. "Colonial Williamsburg's Answer does not accurately portray the facts or the manner in which this child and his family were treated before, during, or after his exclusion from Shields Tavern and is internally inconsistent in multiple respects," Vargas said in an emailed statement. "Ultimately, a jury will have to decide whether sending a child out in the rain because of his disability is what the Americans with Disabilities Act requires." So, did Colonial Williamsburg wrongly force a gluten-free kid to eat outside in the rain? Or did they accommodate the child with gluten-free food only to be rebuffed by the boys father? Sounds like we'll need to wait for more news from the lawsuit before we have a good answer to that question. Stay tuned. Read more at: vagazette.com

Celiac.com 07/23/2010 - In a breakthrough that may pave the way for the development of the first drug treatments for celiac disease, researchers claim to have identified the molecular triggers for the chronic, painful gut disorder. Since people with celiac disease must remain gluten-free for life, and since many foods are contaminated with gluten, many people with celiac disease are at risk of developing intestinal damage and other associated problems over time, says Robert Anderson, senior author of the study, and head of the celiac disease research laboratory at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Parkville, Australia. In Anderson's view, developing a drug that would control the immune response to gluten "would be a much more efficient way of dealing with celiac disease." However, he adds, a lack of understanding about how gluten triggers the immune system response in celiacs has prevented researchers from pursuing such therapies. Gluten is actually made-up of numerous different protein strands, and, until now, no one has teased out just which protein strands are inducing the immune response seen in celiac disease. To design drugs that will effectively treat celiac disease, scientists must first understand exactly which of the gluten molecules are triggering the immune response. For their study, Anderson and his associates analyzed immune responses in blood samples from more than 200 celiac disease patients who had eaten meals containing gluten. The team then performed thousands of gluten challenges on the samples using isolated fragments of gluten protein. Interestingly, of the thousands of gluten fragments they tested, only three of them triggered an immune reaction. That only three of the thousands of protein fragments in gluten provokes an immune response suggests that "a very precise trigger is driving the immune response" in celiac disease, Anderson said. "The problem is not so much gluten, it's really these three peptides." The authors also noted that most of the immune response to gluten appears tied to a single type of immune system cell, called the T cell. Their results appear in the July 21 issue of Science Translational Medicine. According to Dr. Alessio Fasano of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, even with strong evidence against the three peptides in question, there may be more to the story. It's possible that the study missed other offending protein fragments, and that there are more players in the adverse immune response in people with celiac disease. Interestingly, sequences from ω-gliadin (wheat) and C-hordein (barley), rather than α-gliadin, proved to be the immunodominant trigger, regardless of the grain consumed. But before folks with celiac disease get too worked up about a possible cure, they need to remember that, because the study looked at patients with a particular genetic susceptibility to the disease, the findings do not apply to all people with celiac disease. Although most people with celiac disease share this genetic background, others do not. That means the findings won't apply to everyone with the disease. Anderson and his colleagues are currently working to identify which gluten proteins induce the immune response in the other celiac patients. The limited diversity of pathogenic T cells in celiac disease indicates that researchers should be able to develop peptide-based treatments for both celiac disease and likely for other HLA-restricted immune diseases. Phase I clinical trials of a drug based on the three isolated fragments of gluten protein are currently underway in Australia. Researchers hope the drug will successfully desensitize celiac patients by introducing small amounts of the offending proteins under controlled conditions. They expect results within the next couple of months. The current study received funding from Nexpep, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, Coeliac UK, the Coeliac Research Fund, and others. Source: Sci Transl Med 21 July 2010: Vol. 2, Issue 41, p. 41ra51