Understanding the issues around gluten is becoming essential for those who work in the food industry. Incidences of gluten intolerance and celiacs disease are on the rise and consumers are demanding that restaurants and food companies provide gluten free options. Now there are specialists offering healthy gluten free consulting for businesses to train their staff and make sure their practices are of the necessary standard.
Firstly, let's be clear that wheat intolerance is not just a preference. People who have been diagnosed suffer a multitude of debilitating symptoms from irritable bowel syndrome to migraines. Before diagnosis they have usually suffered for many years and been unable to live a normal life. It is also extremely damaging to long term health. One study found that people with associated inflammation of the gut had a 39% increased risk of death, mainly from heart disease and cancer.
Understanding how food is produced and why industrial food producers use ingredients in ways we cannot imagine is essential when living wheat free. Most people who are diagnosed with an intolerance or celiacs disease have to spend a lot of time doing research and getting to grips with what gluten free actually means. This is because even a tiny amount of gluten can make them very sick.
Avoiding gluten is actually quite difficult as wheat is a versatile ingredient and is used in many ways. It crops up in surprising places such as ice creams, chocolate as it is used as a thickener by industrial food processors. It even appears in oats. This is because of cross-contamination. Oats do not actually contain gluten but they are often contaminated in factories.
At home gluten intolerant people also have to be careful of contamination of their food if other members of the house are eating wheat. Separate chopping boards, oils and utensils make life much easier. Trace amounts can affect health so it is essential that good kitchen practices are followed.
Staff training is also important. Kitchen staff will need to learn about how to prepare and check ingredients and avoid contamination. Consultants can make sure that procedures comply with local regulations. They can also help with menu and recipe design. Producing high quality baked goods is not always straightforward. For example, different flours and additives such as xantham gum are needed to make bread.
Front of house staff also need to be trained in helping customers with gluten intolerance. They need to know the history of the problem and how to question and reassure clients. Waiting staff should be able to converse with customers to advise them which dishes to avoid and of any dishes which can be altered to cater for the client.
Gluten free living is not a simple matter and the consequences for those with a food allergy can be very serious. Whether you suffer from an intolerance or work in the food preparation industry a consultant can help you learn about the necessary steps to making gluten free food. Healthy living is important for everyone and food intolerance need to be better understood so that sufferers do not live in pain or die early.
Firstly, let's be clear that wheat intolerance is not just a preference. People who have been diagnosed suffer a multitude of debilitating symptoms from irritable bowel syndrome to migraines. Before diagnosis they have usually suffered for many years and been unable to live a normal life. It is also extremely damaging to long term health. One study found that people with associated inflammation of the gut had a 39% increased risk of death, mainly from heart disease and cancer.
Understanding how food is produced and why industrial food producers use ingredients in ways we cannot imagine is essential when living wheat free. Most people who are diagnosed with an intolerance or celiacs disease have to spend a lot of time doing research and getting to grips with what gluten free actually means. This is because even a tiny amount of gluten can make them very sick.
Avoiding gluten is actually quite difficult as wheat is a versatile ingredient and is used in many ways. It crops up in surprising places such as ice creams, chocolate as it is used as a thickener by industrial food processors. It even appears in oats. This is because of cross-contamination. Oats do not actually contain gluten but they are often contaminated in factories.
At home gluten intolerant people also have to be careful of contamination of their food if other members of the house are eating wheat. Separate chopping boards, oils and utensils make life much easier. Trace amounts can affect health so it is essential that good kitchen practices are followed.
Staff training is also important. Kitchen staff will need to learn about how to prepare and check ingredients and avoid contamination. Consultants can make sure that procedures comply with local regulations. They can also help with menu and recipe design. Producing high quality baked goods is not always straightforward. For example, different flours and additives such as xantham gum are needed to make bread.
Front of house staff also need to be trained in helping customers with gluten intolerance. They need to know the history of the problem and how to question and reassure clients. Waiting staff should be able to converse with customers to advise them which dishes to avoid and of any dishes which can be altered to cater for the client.
Gluten free living is not a simple matter and the consequences for those with a food allergy can be very serious. Whether you suffer from an intolerance or work in the food preparation industry a consultant can help you learn about the necessary steps to making gluten free food. Healthy living is important for everyone and food intolerance need to be better understood so that sufferers do not live in pain or die early.
No comments:
Post a Comment