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Kansas, US
farmers are funding a genetic research project aimed at developing gluten-free
grains, as an increasing number of Americans are being diagnosed with an
autoimmune condition preventing them from safely digesting wheat, barley and
rye.
Gluten
is a protein composite found in several types of grains, including wheat,
spelt, rye and barley. Gluten
consists of two proteins… gliadin and glutenin. It is the gliadin part that
people react negatively to.
RT.com/GRAPHITTI NEWS report:
When
flour is mixed with water, gluten forms a sticky cross-linked network of
proteins, giving elastic properties to dough and allowing bread to rise when
baked.
Actually,
the name gluten is derived from
these glue-like properties.
When
gluten reaches the digestive tract and is exposed to the cells of the immune
system, they mistakenly believe that it is coming from some sort of foreign
invader, like a bacteria.
In
certain people who are sensitive to gluten, this causes the immune system to
mount an attack against it.
The
Kansas Wheat Commission earmarked US$200,000 for the first two years of the
project, which is seeking to catalog the DNA sequences of wheat which can
trigger reactions in people suffering from celiac disease. The research is
being led by Engrain, a Kansas-based company specializing in improving baked
goods.
“If you know you are producing a crop that is
not tolerated well by people, then it's the right thing to do,” Chris
Miller, senior director of research for Engrain and the project's lead
researcher, told AP.
According
to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, approximately one percent, or
one in 133 Americans, have celiac disease – an autoimmune disorder that damages
the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food.
Celiac disease is genetic, and there is no treatment other than a gluten-free
diet which is free of any foods that contain wheat, rye or barley.
Sales
of gluten-free bread, pasta, crackers and other products in the US reached US$973
million in 2014, up from US$810 million the year before, according to consumer
research firm Packaged Facts.
Research
has already identified about 20 protein fragments in wheat that cause celiac
reactions, but the new project hopes to identify all of them, and ultimately
breed a variety of wheat safe for consumption by celiac sufferers.
According
to the Whole Grains Council, most grains – for example, buckwheat, corn,
millet, rice, wild rice, sorghum and quinoa – don’t have gluten. Oats don’t
have gluten naturally, but frequently receive residual traces when processed on
equipment used for wheat, barley and rye.
A
2013 report by the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) indicated that
the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the American food
supply in the mid-1990s could have been a “possible environmental trigger” for
the sudden rise in the number of celiac cases. The IRT cited data from the US
Department of Agriculture, as well as US Environmental Protection Agency
records, medical journal reviews, and international research.
An Italian company is testing
wheat that is purged of gluten via a special fermentation process, and is
conducting live studies on celiac patients. Initial studies have shown 100
percent tolerance to baked goods made with the “digested flour.” A third,
long-term study is still underway.
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