If you have food allergies, it will be easier to spot ingredients that could make you sick. A new federal law that took effect last month requires food labels to list consumer-friendly terms for eight major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans and wheat.
So instead of "albumin" you'll see "eggs" listed on the label. Instead of vague terms like "seasonings," you'll know if the product came from wheat.
But for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, the new law is a mixed blessing. Wheat, the major source of gluten, will be clearly called out - which will take the guessing game out of label reading for that grain. But companies are not required to list "gluten" on labels or identify additional sources of this grain protein, such as barley and rye.
Mary Schluckebier, executive director of the Celiac Sprue Association, based in Omaha, Neb., said the new law is a "step forward" but it stops short of what would be most valuable to those with celiac - estimated to be one in 100 Americans, or 3 million adults and children.
A former wheat farmer who heads the largest member-based organization supporting individuals with celiac disease, Schluckebier urged Congress to expand the "big eight" list to include barley, rye and oats. These gluten-containing ingredients are often hiding out in common additives such as thickeners, stabilizers and emulsifiers.
Schluckebier's group also is calling for stricter enforcement of the claim "gluten-free," which appears on more than 3,000 products, according to Spins Inc., a San Francisco market research firm that tracks the natural-foods industry.
But there is no federal standard for "gluten-free," so companies are coming up with their own definition, Schluckebier said. The Celiac Sprue Association randomly tests products labeled as gluten-free to see if they're truly free of gluten - and often they're not.
The new law mandates that the term "gluten-free" be defined by 2008.
Celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue) is an autoimmune disease - just like type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. Our immune system ordinarily helps to keep us from getting sick. But for celiacs, their immune system attempts to "fight" gluten. The result can be severe damage to the lining of the small intestine.
Researchers estimate that 97 percent of people who have celiac disease remain undiagnosed and untreated.
Kimberly Eberl, 28, of Chicago, never had heard of celiac before she learned she had the disease three years ago.
"I was relieved at first because I knew something was wrong but nothing was pinpointed," said Eberl, who complained of fatigue for several years before being diagnosed. "Then there's a wave of frustration when you learn how many foods contain gluten."
Eberl started a local support group called MetroCeliacs to help city dwellers like herself cope with the condition. The group organizes supper clubs to the growing number of restaurants offering gluten-free menus, including Wildfire, P.F. Chang's, Ben Pao, Outback Steakhouse and Adobo Grill.
Avoiding gluten when eating out is a trickier feat than one might expect. It's much more than skipping the breadbasket or ordering your salad without croutons. Wheat, rye and barley are in products ranging from soy sauce to beer, and often are used in marinades, sauces and salad dressings.
Janet Helm writes for the Chicago Tribune.
