IMPROVED METHODS FOR DETECTING PARTIALLY HYDROLYZED GLUTEN IN FOOD

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in susceptible individuals caused by the consumption of gluten, a class of storage proteins present in wheat, barley and rye. There is no cure for celiac disease, and the only effective treatment is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. Manufacturers who label their products as “gluten-free” must ensure that these products contain 20 ppm in some Clarex®-treated beer samples, filtration treatment further reduced gluten concentrations in these beer samples below 20 ppm gluten. Results of this project indicate that use of adequate cleaning procedures is needed to control gluten in food production facilities that have shared processing lines. Some fermentation and hydrolysis reactions that occur in food result in substantial reductions in gluten content as measured by ELISA. However, more work is needed to determine if celiac-reactive peptides still remain in these products.M.S. in Food Safety and Technology, July 201