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Celiac.com 06/09/2017 - More and more people are avoiding gluten these days, even folks who do not have a medical reason to do so. Perhaps looking to take advantage of the popularity of gluten-free dieting, or perhaps hoping their targets are easily fooled, one cheeky police department in California is offer to run a gluten check on people's meth. The Newark Police Department posted the offer on their Facebook page. The offer reads: "Is your meth laced with deadly gluten? Not sure? Bring your meth down…and we will test it for you for free!" Of course, however bad may be, and meth is plenty bad, it likely contains no gluten. Also, gluten aside, anyone who takes the police up on the offer will likely be arrested, which seems to be the point. The post appeared on Thursday, and by Saturday, had been shared over 80,000 times, and received more than 14,000 'likes.' According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 12.3 million Americans age 12 and older have tried meth at least once. So far, no word from the Newark PD about whether their plan has actually found any gluten in meth, or led to any arrests. Read more at HuffingtonPost.uk.

Celiac.com 10/24/2012 - Doctors can face challenges when attempting to diagnose celiac disease in patients who have already begun a gluten-free diet, and/or when the results of tests are inconsistent. To better understand this problem, a group of researchers set out to assess the benefits of an in vitro gliadin challenge. The research team included Raffaella Tortora, MD, Ilaria Russo, PhD, Giovanni D. De Palma, MD, Alessandro Luciani, PhD, Antonio Rispo, MD, Fabiana Zingone, MD, Paola Iovino, MD, Pietro Capone, MD and Carolina Ciacci, MD. The study cohort included 57 patients without celiac disease, 166 patients with untreated celiac disease, 55 patients with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet, and 59 patients with challenging diagnosis. The team provided all patients with endoscopy for collection of duodenal samples, which served for the diagnosis of celiac disease and for the in vitro evaluation of the gliadin-induced mucosal expression of seven inflammatory markers: PY99, ICAM-1 (intercellular cell adhesion molecule), HLA-DR, CD3, CD25, CD69, and transglutaminase 2 IgA. Diagnostic work-up for celiac disease included the search of specific serum antibodies. Researchers asked patients in the challenging diagnosis group to stop gluten-free diet to facilitate the search for these antibodies under untreated conditions. They used the area under the receptor-operated curve (ROC) for statistical analyses on accuracy. For patients with and without celiac disease (not including those on a gluten-free diet) HLA-DR offered the best accuracy for diagnosing celiac disease (area under ROC = 0.99). Combining the data from the HLA-DR with data of other markers did not increase test accuracy. The team found similar results in the 39 patients of the difficult diagnosis group undergoing the search celiac disease-speciï¬c antibodies under untreated conditions. In vitro testing of mucosal HLA-DR to gliadin is an accurate tool for the diagnosing celiac disease, and also works in patients who are hard to diagnose. Source: Am J Gastroenterol 2012; 107:111–117; doi:10.1038/ajg.2011.311; published online 27 September 2011

Celiac.com 08/13/2012 - Research has indicated that giving small amounts of wheat-rich food to people with celiac disease, who are on a gluten-free diet, will trigger interferon (IFN)-γ-secreting T cells in the bloodstream. These T cells react to gluten, and can be easily detected. However, very little is known about how this procedure might be reproduced in the same patient groups that underwent two, or more, gluten challenges. A team of researchers recently set out to assess the reproducability of this short wheat challenge method for detecting immune an response to gluten. The research team included A. Camarca, G. Radano, R. Di Mase, G. Terrone, F. Maurano, S. Auricchio, R. Troncone, L. Greco, C. Gianfrani. They are affiliated with the Institute of Food Sciences-CNR, Avellino Department of Paediatrics and European Laboratory for the Investigation of Food-Induced Diseases, University of Naples, Naples, Italy. They evaluated fourteen celiac patients in remission who consumed wheat bread for 3 days, along with thirteen patients who underwent a second gluten challenge after 3-10 months on a strict gluten-free diet. The team then analyzed the immune reactivity to gluten in peripheral blood by detecting IFN-γ both before and 6 days after patients began a a gluten-inclusive diet. They found that gliadin-specific IFN-γ-secreting CD4(+) T cells increased significantly by day 6 of the first challenge. These cells arose as prevalently human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ restricted and with a phenotype of gut homing, as suggested by the expression of β7-integrin. They also saw a reaction to gliadin after the second wheat consumption, although the responses varied by individual at each challenge. The study showed that a short wheat challenge offers a non-invasive approach to investigate the gluten-related immune response in peripheral blood of people who are sensitive to gluten. Moreover, the study showed that the procedure can be reproduced in the same subjects after a gluten wash-out of at least 3 months. The results of this study mean that we can likely expect this procedure to find its way into clinical practice in the future. Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 2012 Aug;169(2):129-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2012.04597.x.

I have a big issue with what I believe to be a misleading headline in a recent joint press release by Domino's Pizza and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA)...here is the headline: "Domino’s Pizza Becomes First National Pizza Delivery Chain to Offer Gluten Free Crust" When you read the release further, starting at the 5th paragraph, which many people will never get to, it says: "While Domino’s new Gluten Free Crust is appropriate for those with mild gluten sensitivity, Domino’s and the NFCA do not recommend it for those with celiac disease. Domino’s and the NFCA found that while the crust is certified as gluten free, current store operations at Domino’s cannot guarantee that each handcrafted pizza will be completely free from gluten." So my question is this: How can the NFCA, a national organization dedicated to supporting celiacs, actually get behind this? Domino's is obviously a big corporation that has decided it wants to cash in and profit on the new gluten-free gold rush, but they cleary don't want to spend the money that it would take to make their pizzas truely gluten-free, and safe for celiacs. The Designations area of the NFCA's web site begins with: "Restaurants that complete GREAT Kitchens earn a designation based on their ability to meet gluten-free needs and avoid cross-contamination with gluten." Just below this it describes their "Green Designation" and its "Amber Designation," and describes its Amber Designation as follows: "This level requires ingredient verification and basic training of wait staff and managers. Kitchen practices may vary with this designation, level one of the tier system, meaning those with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity should ask questions and exercise judgment when dining at an establishment with an Amber Designation. Domino's has earned this designation." So how has Domino's met "gluten-free needs and avoid cross-contamination with gluten"? Also, I think any celiac who watches the video Domino's made for this release will find it a bit scary...the same ovens, pizza scoopers, topping areas, etc., as where they make their regular gluten pizzas. I would exclude Domino's as an advertiser on Celiac.com based on this release. Some might think that the NFCA has sold out here. I invite them to respond using the comment field below, and I invite you to respond. Also, there is a lively discussion going on in our forum on this topic. Here is the original press release: ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 7, 2012 – Domino's Pizza is responding to the needs of choice consumers, today launching a Gluten Free Crust available in all of its nearly 5,000 U.S. stores and becoming the first national pizza delivery chain to offer such a product. Domino’s Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) consulted with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) to ensure its products and team member training meet the standards of the foundation’s GREAT Kitchens Amber Designation. NFCA’s GREAT Kitchens is an official credentialing program that has expanded to include restaurants offering gluten free products with varying kitchen practices, therefore suitable for those with gluten sensitivity under the Amber Designation. Domino’s new Gluten Free Crust provides a great-tasting option for consumers who previously could not enjoy pizza from the recognized world leader in pizza delivery because of sensitivity to gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. “Many of our customers have asked for a gluten free crust, and Domino’s is excited to offer a product to customers with mild gluten sensitivity – as well as partner with the NFCA, which has been instrumental to our learning more about how to take this step,” said J. Patrick Doyle, Domino’s Pizza president and CEO. “The prevalence of gluten sensitivity has become a real issue with significant impact on consumer choice, and we want to be a part of the solution. Now, the whole group can enjoy Domino’s with the addition of our new Gluten Free Crust.” While Domino’s new Gluten Free Crust is appropriate for those with mild gluten sensitivity, Domino’s and the NFCA do not recommend it for those with celiac disease. Domino’s and the NFCA found that while the crust is certified as gluten free, current store operations at Domino’s cannot guarantee that each handcrafted pizza will be completely free from gluten. “The NFCA is thrilled that Domino’s Pizza has developed a product that will improve the quality of life for many of the estimated 18 million Americans who are gluten sensitive,” said Alice Bast, NFCA founder and president. “Not only is Domino’s Gluten Free Crust a huge win for much of the gluten free community who can now get pizza delivered to their door, it’s also delicious. Customers aren’t going to believe they’re eating a pizza made on a gluten free crust when they try it. And the variety of fresh toppings that are available is a giant leap ahead.” In an effort to remain open and informative about Domino’s Gluten Free Crust, Domino’s has created a video on YouTube that allows customers to decide whether this product is suitable for their diet, found here: www.youtube.com/user/dominosvids. “Offering Domino’s Gluten Free Crust is a big step for us, and we wanted to make sure we were doing it right,” said Doyle. “Domino’s is doing that by partnering with experts at the NFCA and by empowering the gluten sensitive community with the information they need.” Domino’s new Gluten Free Crust is available in stores across the U.S. in a small, 10-inch size only, and prices vary by store. Domino’s pizza made with a Gluten Free Crust is prepared in a common kitchen with the risk of gluten exposure. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness supports the availability of Domino’s Gluten Free Crust, but cannot recommend the pizza for customers with celiac disease. Customers with gluten sensitivities should exercise judgment in consuming this pizza. About Domino’s Pizza® Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery. Domino’s is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “DPZ.” As of the first quarter of 2012, through its global footprint primarily made up of locally-owned and operated franchises, Domino’s operated a network of 9,810 franchised and Company-owned stores in the United States and over 70 international markets. During the first quarter of 2012, Domino’s had global retail sales of nearly $1.7 billion, comprised of over $830 million domestically and nearly $855 million internationally. Domino's Pizza had global retail sales of over $6.9 billion in 2011, comprised of over $3.4 billion domestically and over $3.5 billion internationally. In May 2011, Pizza Today named Domino’s its “Chain of the Year” for the second straight year – making the company a three-time overall winner, and the first pizza delivery company to receive the honor in back-to-back years. In 2011, Domino’s was ranked #1 in Forbes Magazine’s “Top 20 Franchises for the Money” list.