Tapping Into the Gluten-Free Market

Tapping Into the Gluten-Free Market
by Eric Shinsato

For one in 100 people worldwide, enjoying a sandwich, pizza or cookie is not a possibility. That is because they are living with celiac disease, an autoimmune response that causes damage to the small intestine. Celiacs cannot enjoy the same wheat-based foods that others do, and must follow a strict, 100-percent gluten-free diet for life. A gluten-free diet means avoiding products that contain wheat, barley, rye and oats. Removing gluten from the diet will help stop the oftenpainful symptoms and help prevent further damage to the intestinal lining. Over time, this damage causes the small intestine to lose its ability to absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition and a variety of other complications.

Studies have also shown that gluten-free diets may benefit other medical conditions including autism, dermatitis herpetiformis and osteoporosis. Still other people are making a gluten-free lifestyle a personal choice in order to remove wheat from their diet.

While a gluten-free diet is a necessity in many cases, one of the most common complaints is that gluten-free foods lack the appearance and texture that consumers enjoy. Consumers following a gluten-free diet are constantly searching for better-tasting products. With the increasing number of diagnosed celiacs and their desire for better tasting gluten-free foods, the market potential is growing every day.

In 2005, gluten-free spending rose $43 million to $349 million annually, and it is estimated it will only continue to rise. As the data indicates, it is not the choices for gluten-free diets that are limited frozen entrees, chips, pretzels, baking mixes and flours, cookies and snack bars, bread and baked goods can all be made gluten-free. Instead, consumers are demanding more flavorful and better textured products.

Gluten-free consumers want a selection of good tasting foods and are calling for products that are similar to wheat-based foods. When formulating gluten-free products, the challenge is to achieve these results with limited ingredient possibilities.

No wheat, barley, rye or oats can be used in products that are gluten-free. In addition to this requirement, the manufacturing facility should be a dedicated or certified gluten-free environment.

While there is only one major restriction for gluten-free formulations, there are many characteristics a formulation should have in order to achieve the desired results that consumers want.

The inherent structure and texture of the food should be similar to its wheat-based counterpart. It should be moist and light with a clean flavor void of any off notes or grittiness. Shelf life is a major concern in gluten-free baking, as products devoid of gluten typically last for only a short time.

One of the latest ingredients to enter the marketplace to help formulations achieve these results is Expandex modified tapioca starch from Corn Products International. This new starch product gives bread a moist, light texture, keeps pizza crusts crisp and makes soft, moist cookies. It is a non-genetically modified ingredient that imparts unique expansion properties when used in baked and fried items. It may reduce the amount of gum used and extend the shelf life of gluten-free baked goods.

The demand for quality gluten-free bakery items has increased as the awareness and incidence of celiac disease has reached significant levels. The market is ready for innovative ingredients that make gluten-free foods taste bettersomething celiacs have been waiting for.

Eric Shinsato is the technical sales support manager for Corn Products U.S. and an expert on formulating with Expandex modified tapioca starch. Corn Products U.S. is a subsidiary of Corn Products International, a leading global producer of corn-refined and starchbased ingredients. For more information on Expandex, Corn Products U.S. or Corn Products International, visit www.expandexglutenfree.com or call (800) 443-2746.