CEREAL FOOD ALLERGIES, OPPORTUNITIES

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CEREAL FOOD ALLERGIES,OPPORTUNITIES THE
WAYFORWARD FOR INDUSTRY

• DAI SUTER FIONA FLEMING
• George Weston Foods Ltd

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FOOD ALLERGY INTOLERANCE

• QUALITY OF LIFE
• LIFE THREATENING ANAPHYLAXIS
• NO IMMEDIATE CURE
• LIFE LONG FOOD ALLERGEN AVOIDANCE

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ALLERGY FOOD FREQENCY

• CHILDREN 5-8
• OUTGROW AT 5-7 YRS
• MAY DEVELOP ALLERGIES LATER IN LIFE IN DIFFERENT
  ORGAN
• ADULTS AUSTRALIA REPORTS
• 1-2 - USA 4-5

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CODEX MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS

• CEREALS CONTAINING GLUTEN, wheat,triticale,barley,
  rye,oats,spelt
• kamut
• CRUSTACEA,EGG,FISH,MILK,
• TREENUTS,PEANUTS,SOYBEANS
• Sulphites(gt10ppm) SESAME(Aus)

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CEREAL ALLERGIES INTOLERANCES

• TWO TYPES
• INGESTION OF CEREAL FOODS
• INHALANTS FROM CEREAL DUSTS

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CEREAL FOOD ALLERGIES INTOLEREANCES

• COELIAC DISEASE
• NON-COELIAC GLUTEN INTOLERANT (NCGI)
• GLUTEN AVOIDERS
• WHEAT ALLERGY

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COELIAC DISEASE

• 1 Population-only 20 diagnosed
• Not an allergy but immune mediated
• Expression dependent on HLA DQ2 DQ8 haplotypes
• Condition is lifelong
• Damage to small intestine
• Nutrient absorption,bowel upset,osteoporosis,infer
  tility,
• No cure lifelong gluten avoidence

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Coeliac disease
Gluten protein
ve
Proliferation lymphokine release
TG2
IFN-?
Destruction of intestinal villi Diarrhea
Malabsorption
Antibodies to gluten tTG
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INTESTINAL VILLI
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TYPICAL COELIAC DISEASE
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GLUTEN INTOLERANCE(NCGI)

• Allergy symptoms include,asthma,
• eczema,migraine,Menieres,IBS,
• brain fog,nasal polyps and depression
• Patients have raised IgA/IgG
• Negative CD markers tTG,Biopsy
• Prevalence-uncertain 5-12
• Treatment Gluten avoidance

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GLUTEN AVOIDERS

• Avoid gluten for perceived health benefit
• Naturopaths,Magazines etc
• Estimates-USA 10M people(3.3)
• Anecdotal evidence-Australia 2-3

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WHEAT ALLERGY SENSITIVITY

• Wheat Allergy resulting in Anaphylaxis Rare-can
  be fatal
• Wheat Sensitivity 2-7 Australian
• 68 patients at Sydney Allergy practice elevated
  IgE Ab to Wheat
• Similar allergy symptoms to NCGI
• Diagnosed by RAST blood test

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WHEAT ALLERGY SENSITIVITY

• Treatment - Wheat free Diet
• Substitution with barley,rye,triticale and oats
  not always successful
• Substitution with Spelt/Kamut - Anecdotal only

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AUTISM ASPERGERS

• 1 all children borne in western world 1500
  increase in 20 yrs
• Disorder of sensory,neurologic,
• hormonal immune responses
• caused by enviromental exposures to
• chemical toxins,proteins,viruses bacteria in
  at risk children
• 65 Autistic patients-large benefit from Gluten
  and Casein free diet

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CEREAL INHALANT ALLERGIES

• BAKERS ASTHMA
• Serious disease in baking and milling
• industry
• W.A. 13 of Bakers -1982
• Germany 1800 bakers occupational asthma -1998
• Allergens include albumins,glutenins and
  alpha-amylase

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FOOD INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES

• 1.Production of GF foods equivalent to normal
  foods in price quality
• 2.Eliminating or modifying the allergic proteins
  in foods

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FUTURE DEMAND FOR GLUTEN FREE FOOD

• Key factors influencing future demand
• Awareness in Medical Community
• Awareness amongst food store staff
• Awareness amongst consumers
• Gluten Free legislation and Labelling
• Increasing prevalence of allergies
• Food trends

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FUTURE DEMAND FOR GLUTEN FREE FOOD

• RIRDC - Gluten free grains potential for 1
  million Australians (2006)
• Estimated diagnosed CD sufferers to increase by
  10-fold (Anderson)
• Gluten free market in US increasing at 25pa
  reaching 1.7 Bn in 2010

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THE GLUTEN FREE CHALLENGE

• Current legislation for GF in Australia is NOT
  DETECTABLE
• Current limit of detection is 5ppm
• This may soon be 1ppm or lower
• Very difficult and expensive for food
  manufacturers to comply
• Increased cost and decreased choice for Coeliacs
  and Gluten Avoiders

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THE GLUTEN FREE CHALLENGE

• Australian legislation far stricter than US EU
  at 20ppm Gluten
• Bring Australia in Line with US EU
• Threshold for Coeliacs 50mg Gluten
• GF limit of 20ppm more realistic for both
  manufacturers and consumers
• Ensure GF products available at realistic cost to
  consumers

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ELIMINATING OR MODIFYING ALLERGIC PROTEINS

• COELIAC DISEASE
• Enzyme treated foods
• Oral enzyme food supplements
• Drugs eg tTG inhibitors
• Vaccines peptide immunotherapy
• Non toxic gluten
• Altered epitope structure
• Natural wheats free of epitopes

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ELIMINATING OR MODIFYING ALLERGIC PROTEINS

• NON COELIAC GLUTEN
  
• INTOLERANCE
• Poorly recognised by medical profession
• Mechanism not understood
• Gluten Free diet only option

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WHEAT SENSITIVITY AND BAKERS ASTHMA

• Desensitisation successful for both conditions
• Allows patients to resume inclusion of wheat in
  their diet or overcome Bakers Asthma
• Longer term objective - identify and eliminate or
  modify the genes responsible

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AFGC Allergen Guide

• AFGC Food Industry Guide to Allergen Management
  and Labelling
• June 2007

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Allergen Bureau
www.allergenbureau.net
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CONTACTS

• FIONA FLEMING
• Chair AFGC Allergen Forum
• Chair Food Safety Centre Allergen Bureau
  Management Committee
• Fiona.Fleming_at_gwf.com.au

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IN CONCLUSION

• Cereal allergy second to Dairy as most prevalent
  food allergy
• Cereal food allergy will continue to grow for at
  least 10 years
• NCGI and Wheat Sensitivity yet to be understood

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IN CONCLUSION

• Time is ripe for major food manufacturers to
  enter market
• Ultimate answer is to change the food not medical
  treatment
• Industry is working to improve allergen
  management and provide information for allergic
  consumers