Rising Cases of Celiac Disease Encouraging Gluten-Free Product Consumption

Celiac disease or gluten sensitive enteropathy refers to an autoimmune ailment that affects genetically predisposed people, whose small intestine is damaged due to the ingestion of gluten. It is a hereditary disease and can develop at any age after individuals start consuming food items or medicines that contain gluten. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, this disease affects 1 in 100 people worldwide. As per this foundation, the only treatment for this illness is lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. 

The increasing incidence of celiac disease will, therefore, help the gluten-free products market progress in the upcoming years. To cater to the needs of people living with gluten sensitive enteropathy, Alara Wholefoods, Glutamel, General Mills Inc., Domino's Pizza Inc., H.J. Heinz Company, and Kelloggs are offering gluten-free products globally. The labelling of these products varies from country to country. For example, in the U.K., food products containing less than 20 parts per million can be labelled as gluten-free; whereas, in Canada, products bereft of wheat, rye, triticale, kamut, oats, spelt, and barley are considered gluten-free. 

According to P&S Intelligence, North America and Europe will lead the gluten-free products market in the foreseeable future. This will be due to the surging prevalence of celiac disease and rising public awareness regarding healthy eating habits in these regions. For instance, the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF) states that nearly 1.0% of the Canadian population is affected by celiac disease, even though 90% of the cases remain undiagnosed. Likewise, the National Health Service (NHS), England, estimates that at least 1 in every 100 people in the U.K. are affected by celiac disease. 

Therefore, the rising cases of celiac disease, improving lifestyle of people, and soaring public awareness regarding health and fitness will facilitate the consumption of gluten-free products in the upcoming years.