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Certain flour products may be safe for celiac patients

Category: Autoimmune Diseases

Following a positive celiac disease test, individuals are often forced to cut many types of food from their diets. Anything made from wheat, barley or rye could cause a major allergic reaction. This can be a major inconvenience given the number of foods that are made with these products.

However, a new study published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology has found that patients who are being treated for celiac disease may be able to eat food products made from hydrolyzed wheat flour without any of the negative side effects.

The process of hydrolyzation decreases the concentration of gluten in flour by treating it with certain bacteria and fungi. For the study, participants with celiac disease who ate baked goods made with this type of flour for a period of 60 days showed no signs of negative reactions.

"This is the first time that a wheat flour-derived product is shown to not be toxic after being given to celiac patients for 60 days," said Luigi Greco, who led the study. "Our findings support further research that explores therapies that could reduce the toxicity of gluten for celiac patients beyond the standard gluten-free diet."