Gluten-Free Food Market Grows to Meet the Needs of Celiac Diets

At the age of four, Cerys stopped growing properly.

She had lean arms and legs and the other children made fun of her for "looking pregnant". His abdomen was swollen by what turned out to be a celiac disease, an undesirable reaction to gluten in food.

Now 17, she has been avoiding gluten since her diagnosis at the age of eight.

Catering for people with specific dietary needs such as Cerys has increased the demand for food "free" of certain ingredients in recent years.

Between 2017 and 2018, the market in Wales rose 44% to £ 62.3m, according to retail analysts Kantar Worldpanel.

A little less than half of the market would be gluten-free products, which people with celiac disease need to avoid painful symptoms and long-term health problems.

Wales companies are capitalizing on this growing market.

Village Bakery, located in Wrexham, donated £ 12m to transform a former city wire manufacturing plant into a new production center specializing in the production of gluten-free products, including rolls, pancakes and naan bread.

And in Carmarthenshire, Andrew and Joyce Harvey-Dunton launched what became Welsh's gluten-free bakery products about 10 years ago and are set to grow.

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How many have celiac disease?

• 1 out of 100The proportion of people who thought they had the disease

• 22,000The estimated number of undiagnosed patients in Wales

Source: Celiac UK

Mrs. Harvey-Dunton, head chef and former hospital employee, was diagnosed with celiac disease and total wheat intolerance. She felt that there was a gap in the market for a wider range of gluten-free and wheat-free foods.

"I did not like the food I could buy in the supermarkets, [it] had a high sugar content, "she said.

"All I had was sugar and hard dough, so Andrew said," Come on, let's get some flour and see what we can do. "

They started in their kitchen at home and in 2013, they started to "make it a real deal". They produce different types of breads and treats, such as muffins and flapjacks, and are sold in various shops, cafes and wholesalers in Wales.

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Tristan Humphreys, from Celiac UK in Wales, said the diagnosis was on the rise.

"As the only treatment is a gluten-free diet for life, the gluten-free market is here to stay and grow," he said.

Some people would have avoided gluten for lifestyle reasons, with some detractors believing that sales had increased sales, urging consumers not to eliminate food unnecessarily.

However, Cerys and her 15-year-old sister Cadi, who suffers from a less severe version of the disease, need to be vigilant and said that the growth of choice has allowed them to make a difference.

"Now more and more restaurants and stores are aware of gluten-free options," said Cerys. "And a lot of supermarkets have gluten-free ranges, so it's really been a big change."

What is celiac disease?

• An autoimmune disease
• If a person with the disease eats gluten – present in wheat, barley and rye – their immune system considers it a threat and attack, which can damage the walls of the body. ;intestine.
• Can seriously affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients in the long run
• Symptoms range from bowel disorders to headaches and skin problems, but some people have no symptoms.
• Treated on a gluten-free diet throughout life