Innovative Testing Methods for Gluten in Foods for Celiac Disease Patients
So, What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disease that causes attacks to the small intestine whenever they ingest products with gluten. It’s estimated that one in one hundred people worldwide suffer from celiac disease and that approximately two and a half million people in the United States go undiagnosed.
People with celiac disease are allergic to gluten, the generic name for a group of proteins found in most grain products. Gluten can quite literally be considered a glue that helps food to retain its shape. When gluten is consumed by people with celiac their bodies cause the immune system to attack the small intestine. The villi inside of the intestines, the small protrusions that are responsible for absorbing nutrients, become damaged over time and the nutrients from food cannot be absorbed into the body.
The result is that even though some would eat gluten, they will become malnourished and are at risk for developing a host of other ailments like type I diabetes, osteoporosis, and infertility issues. They may also be prone to miscarriages, intestinal cancers and some neurological conditions such as migraines and epilepsy.
