Gluten is a natural protein that is found in wheat, barley and rye. Some people are intolerant to gluten and this causes celiac disease. Eating gluten when suffering from celiac disease can damage the lining of the small intestine leading to digestive problems, diarrhoea, bloating and weight loss. Gluten free products are intended for people with celiac disease but a gluten-free diet has become trendy and a vast section of the mainstream has adopted gluten-free products for several reasons.
Rising Popularity
Gluten-free products are no longer just medicinal but are also considered lifestyle products. One of the reasons that people are inclined towards gluten-free diet is because they feel much better when eating gluten free and to top that it improves the mood too. Reduced bloating and weight loss are other reasons why people adopt the non-celiac related gluten-free diet. Since a gluten free diet includes foods like plain meat, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes besides rice, corn and soy it becomes easy to adopt this diet that doesn’t contain fattening wheat! ‘Live Science’ reports that gluten-free is considered healthier among young adults and women particularly. Public figures and celebs consider gluten-free healthier than other foods and swear that it has amazing detox effects. As a result of the growing popularity of gluten-free products manufacturers now produce a whole range of products including gluten-free cookies, cakes, pasta, etc. Gluten-free has become so trendy that even restaurants have gluten-free foods on their menus.
Nutritional Aspects
Gluten-free has a lot going for it but what takes away from these products is their appearance and a bland taste. To enhance taste manufacturers add high amounts of sugar, fat and sodium to make them more palatable and dieticians question the suitability of such foods as being healthy as they have more fat, sugar and salt. Consumers are also worried about reports that gluten – free products lack nutrients like vitamins, minerals as well as fibre to meet daily requirements. To dispel doubts, manufacturers use nutritious ingredients like pulses, legumes, quinoa, shorgum, buckwheat and amaranth to boost the nutritional value, proteins and fibre. Consumers need to read food labels on gluten-free products so they make a healthy choice. Anyone who is into pre-packaged gluten free products should be on the look-out for iron deficiency. Eating more vegetables, fruits or taking multivitamin supplements is recommended when on a gluten-free diet. On the other hand there are reports that suggest that gluten-free bread and standard bread do not really have very different nutritional value and in fact gluten free pasta could really have lower levels of fat, salt and sodium as compared to standard pasta. Is it any wonder then that gluten-free products have become popular as they have health written into them.
Innovative Manufacturing Technologies in Practice
According to estimates the market for gluten-free products is expected to grow to $6 billion by 2017. However, what consumers are looking for are good variety, nutrition quality and fine appearance. Fortunately, innovative manufacturing technologies and the development and use of flours, starches and bran made from alternative ingredients, are enhancing both taste and appearance. One of the innovative ingredients being effectively used in gluten-free products is almonds because of their fine taste and nutritional value. Blanched almond flour has always been popular in bakery and confectionery and has now become a gluten-free staple.
Natural almond meal along with the skin contains higher levels of vitamin E, potassium, fibre and calcium. Almond bran created from the brown outer skin of blanched almonds is a multifunctional antioxidant with a prebiotic component. Rice and tapioca flours give a better appearance, colour and texture and are less gritty and are similar to wheat in terms of nutrition and shelf life. Flours from legumes like peas, chickpeas, beans and lentils are high in protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre and nutraceutical phytochemicals, and attract vegetarian gluten-free consumers. Pulses are used in gluten-free pasta, snacks and even as substitute bread crumb and as a milk-like beverage. Everyone knows that potatoes are gluten-free therefore potato flour has gained acceptance as an alternative in bakery products like cake-mixes and cookies. Potatoes are also rich in B vitamins and potassium, and are one of the very few foods that do not lose vitamin C when cooked.
Gluten-free alternatives have become a big industry and food manufacturers are going for gluten-free products in a big way. This year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced standards for gluten-free foods. According to the FSSAI gluten-free food consist of ingredients containing rice, millets, ragi, pulses or legumes. A product can be labelled gluten-free only if it contains gluten levels at 20 mg/kg. Foods must be analysed by the method declared by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development or the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists to be rated as gluten-free and any food that does not fit this criteria and is labelled gluten-free will amount to misleading the consumer. FSSAI also has provisions for Low-Gluten foods that have been specially processed to reduce gluten content to levels of 20 to 100mg/kg. This label shall also carry a ‘warning’ that the food labelled as Low Gluten may pose a risk for those with celiac disease.
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