Gluten-free Foods - Manufacturers Are Starting To Realize A Market Opportunity

"There is no doubt that gluten is finally getting the attention it deserves from online retailers." So says Kinnikinnik Foods, which specializes in manufacturing and wholesale distribution of gluten-free food to more than 800 stores in the United States. The blog also notes: "We are pleased to announce that we have three new channels to add to the growing list of shops our products."


Kinnikinnik is at the forefront of the development companies gluten-free foods. This is a market that includes about 3 million people in the United States who suffer from celiac disease. A recent study indicates that one in every 133 healthy people in the U.S. suffer from celiac disease, which, along with gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity is defined as sensitivity to foods. When the wheat gluten and similar proteins in barley and rye are consumed, producing an inflammatory response in the small intestine, which can lead to loss of diarrhea, bloating and weight thereafter. A lot of other symptoms and disorders may accompany these sensitivities. Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease or gluten intolerance is to avoid foods that contain gluten.

The products are hard to find

For consumers with gluten intolerance to walk through any supermarket aisle is an exercise in hide and seek in the identification of gluten-free foods. Although wheat (durum, semolina, kamut, buckwheat), rye and barley are the major grains to avoid, people often forget there is a long list of foods that contain these grains, the Group of gluten intolerance (www.gluten network.)

- Breaded, coating mixes, Panko

- Bouillon, soup base

- Brown rice syrup

- Candy

- Croutons

- Products of flour or grain

Imitation Bacon -

- Imitation seafood

- Marinades

- Pasta

- Processed Meat meal

- Sauces, gravies

- Self-basting poultry

Soy sauce or soy sauce solids -

- Full sauce

- Thickeners (Roux)

- Communion wafers

- Herbal remedies

- Drugs, over-the-counter medications

- Nutritional supplements, vitamins and mineral supplements

Alternative ingredients

You can modify an existing product, companies can use rice, corn, soybeans, potatoes, buckwheat flour, quinoa, millet, or nut, according to the American Dietetic Association. However, the change can make all the grain composition of the products and the flavor changes significantly, such as soy-based pizza dough.

In the fall of 2007, Penford Food Ingredients launched a new tapioca starch which aims to bring some of the textures lost in gluten-free products. King Arthur Flour The company is also producing pre-mixed with rice flour. The company includes some of the testimonials from satisfied customers comment on how it tastes "like the real thing." Recently, General Mills has announced the launch of Rice Chex gluten. Although rice is gluten-free formulation include barley malt syrup, including General Mills replaced with molasses to make the gluten-free Rice Chex.

While food companies are expanding their gluten-free foods are still hard to find, it is often necessary to travel to a specialty store food. According to a recent study on the availability in advance a list of gluten-free products, grocery stores have a standard of 36 percent of the products, upscale markets carried 41 percent of the products and health food stores carried 94 percent of our products. The cost of these products also varies to save money. Overall, gluten-free products were found to be significantly more expensive than their wheat-based counterparts.

Post gluten-free

Although researchers are developing a treatment to prevent celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, the only real prevention is a gluten-free diet. The diet can be very restrictive for consumers due to taste and texture of products, high cost, and the general lack of availability. However, food companies continue to develop innovative new products and modify existing products to the demand for this specialized population. The food producers are trying to serve more specific niches, expect that the use of gluten-free products.

The last thing that the food companies to develop products for this market must be considered in the FDA labeling restrictions. Although no official guidelines have been published yet, more information about subscriptions should be available in August. The FDA also has the definition of gluten-free, synonyms, which can be used in gluten-free claims, and the overall threshold for gluten in ppm (parts per million), which can still be charged for food and gluten free.

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