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Gluten Intolerance Group Addresses Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity by Carol Fenster

by info@gfreecuisine.com 11. June 2010 10:04

For a long time we have focused on celiac disease, the best known gluten-free condition. Experts are finally accepting the fact that there are possibly many more people who can’t eat gluten, but don’t have celiac disease.

I spent 3 days at the Gluten Intolerance Group annual conference in Minneapolis and was overjoyed to hear speakers talk about non-celiac gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity. That is what I have (I have neither of the pre-requisite celiac genes) and Dr. Alessio Fasano says that folks like me may outnumber the celiac population by 6 or 7 times.

Many speakers emphasized the increasing prevalence of gluten intolerance. Dr. Joseph Murray of the Mayo Clinic called it “a public health issue.” Tom O’Bryan says gluten affects our brain, calling it a “dimmer switch” and discussed gluten’s wide influence on our entire bodies, not just on the gut. Dr. Stephen Wangen thinks about 10% of the U.S. has gluten intolerance. Dr. Rodney Ford (our delightful banquet speaker) from New Zealand quoted a March, 2010 Lancet/Neurology article saying “To improve diagnosis rates, the perception of physicians that gluten sensitivity is solely a disease of the gut must be changed.” Dr. Daniel Leffler of Harvard updated us on the status of celiac disease research. There were many other great speakers as well.

There were somewhere between 50 and 60 vendors at the event, and I’m proud of our two new GF bread companies, Udi’s and Rudi’s, both Colorado-based. There were also other wonderful breads, including Breads from Anna and Whole Foods. My, our breads have come a long way!! And, check out the new flour called Timtana from the same folks who brought us Montina. I am anxious to try it in my bread baking.

Speaking of breads, I was a speaker and demonstrated how to make artisan-style French baguettes. I served them as Crostini (an Italian term for toast) topped with Nutella (a chocolate-hazelnut spread popular in Europe and now in the U.S.). My technique involves making the dough, refrigerating it, and baking as much as you need throughout the week. See page 99 in 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes for a recipe using this method.

Next year’s conference is in Orlando, FL so watch the web site at www.gluten.net for more information. These conferences are an excellent way to stay abreast of new findings. As the experts say, if the information in your file cabinet is older than two years (some say one year) then toss it because the research is pouring in and many of the “truisms’ we once accepted are no longer true.

Finally special thanks to Cynthia Kupper and her staff and the volunteers who made this a wonderful conference. Chef Aaron Flores (who was once the chef at DisneyLand) coordinated the food so we ate very well. That’s Aaron with me in the photo below. Thanks to you all!!

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Gluten Intolerance Group Addresses Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity by Carol Fenster

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