Somewhere in the ballpark of two million U.S. citizens have celiac disease (or gluten sensitive enteropathy, GSE), an allergic condition which results due to the absence of the proper immunity to Gluten (2.18 million, based on a total population of 290,356,0285; or 1 out of 133 people, according to “A Summary of Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance,” by Scott Adams [http://www.celiac.com/articles]). Moreover, an assortment of these allergic conditions indeed exist, though avoidance of gluten in all its forms has so far been the only practical treatment available.
Gluten is merely a common name for the proteins Gliadin and Glutenin, which comprise those found in barley, rye, and wheat. Along with starch, these are what make up these grass-related grains.
The abundance of gluten is quite astonishing, too. Four-fifths of the protein composition in wheat seed is that of gluten, which serves as an abundant source of organic protein around the world. In addition, health food authorities and chemists alike obtain gluten to build the synthetic additives currently available and for purposes of research in order to create a far broader variety of products.
Rice and maize proteins, however, differ from wheat gluten. Though the proteins may be considered glutens, these proteins are deficient of all gliadin; the gliadin found in wheat gives reason to why wheat has such resiliency and adaptability. Accordingly, specific allergies will differ as a consequence.
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require those “standard labels” for foods in which gluten occurs naturally, the only caution for those who carry these allergies is avoidance; again, a lifetime gluten-free diet is the only treatment discovered thus far. So those allergic must rely upon the companies which disperse the “Gluten Free” labels.
In mid-town Sacramento, CA, a Gluten Free Specialty store has opened on J street in Sacramento. This is just west of the 99 North / 80 East overpass. This store, the first-ever Gluten Free Market in Northern California, opened on the weekend of July 12th & 13th, 2008.
Gluten Free Specialty
2612 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
Ppen Monday to Friday 9-6:30p
Sat & Sun 10-4p.
Call 916-442-5241 to confirm hours.
