Celiac disease (CD), also known as celiac sprue and gluten sensitive enteropathy, is a permanent intolerance to gluten and one of the most frequent food intolerance worldwide. It may be defined as an inflammatory disease of the upper small intestine in genetically susceptible individuals, in both children and adults, triggered by ingestion of wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oat products.
The cause of this disease is the ingestion of dietary gluten, which may affect absorption of important nutrients such as iron, folic acid, calcium, and fat-soluble vitamins. The patients have intolerance against the gliadin fraction of wheat and the prolamins of rye (secalins) and barley (hordeins). The only satisfactory treatment for gluten intolerance is a complete avoidance of wheat, rye, barley, oatmeal and their derivatives in the diet.
Pasta provides significant quantities of complex carbohydrates, proteins, B-vitamins, and iron and is low in sodium, amino acids, and total fat. However, a significant part of the human population cannot tolerate gluten, hence, there is a high demand for gluten-free pasta. Furthermore, there is also a growing segment of the population choosing to follow gluten free diet for nonmedical reasons.
Gluten includes a mixture of over one hundred proteins prevalent in grains, for example, wheat, rye, spelt and barley. For people born with certain health conditions, and as humans age, the gluten in wheat can cause problems. Gluten Free pasta should have the same sensorial attributes as traditional pasta:
*Color
*Cooking Quality
Gluten free pasta
