Official figures suggests Coeliac disease affects about 1 in 100 people in the UK, although the disease is under diagnosed and many people with the disease are treated for other conditions before a correct diagnosis is made.

Coeliac disease is not an allergy. It is an auto-immune disease, which means that the body produces antibodies that attack it's own tissues (the lining of the gut in Coeliac disease). This attack is triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people with coeliac disease also react to oats.

Symptoms

Symptoms of coeliac disease may range from mild to severe, and can include: bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, tiredness, constipation, anaemia, mouth ulcers, headaches, weight loss, hair loss, skin problems, depression, infertility, recurrent miscarriages, osteoporosis and joint or bone pain.

These symptoms are relieved by following a life long gluten free diet.

Effects of Gluten

What happens if someone with coeliac disease eats gluten by mistake?

The effect of eating gluten varies from person to person, although it is never as dramatic as an anaphylactic shock with nut or shellfish allergies however people may need to stay in bed for a few days to recover.

Lists of foods suitable for Coeliacs which are manufactured by Castell Howell Foods will be available soon.

Food labelling

Food labelling legislation was changed in November 2005, from that time all labels have to state whether the food contains certain allergens, including gluten. If a gluten-containing cereal (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridised strains) is used as a deliberate ingredient, it MUST appear on the ingredients' list, regardless of the amount used.

Manufacturers must name the specific cereal grain e.g. 'wheat', 'rye', 'barley'; or some may choose to use the word gluten as well e.g. 'wheat gluten'.

Many manufacturers follow the recommendation to declare all allergens in an Allergy Advice box, separate to the main ingredients listing, but this is not compulsory.

It is always best to check the label on all ingredients if you are cooking for somebody with Coeliac disease. Remember that food manufacturers do change the ingredients in their products, so this needs to be done on a regular basis.

• Dietary Needs
• Intolerances
• Coeliac - Overview
• Gluten
• Advice for Caterers