Evaluation of commercial gluten-free foods from the Brazilian market
B. MATTIONI (1), I. R. dos Santos (1), N. Paulino (2), M. Tilley (3), J. Faubion (4), A. de Francisco (1). (1) Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; (2) Universidade Bandeirante de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; (3) USDA ARS CGAHR, Manhattan, KS, U.S.A.; (4) Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, U.S.A.
In addition to Celiac Disease, there are other gluten related disorders classified according to immunological response, e.g. autoimmune, allergic and sensitivity (non-autoimmune and non-allergic). In all cases, the only effective therapy is strict adherence to a gluten free diet, which consists of a combination of naturally gluten-free foods and specially manufactured gluten-free versions of wheat-based foods. Proper labeling is essential for the consumer to make important dietary decisions. According to the <i>Codex Alimentarius</i> (2008), food that contains less than 20 mg/kg should be labeled as GF, above 20 and up to 100 mg/kg as Reduced Gluten Content and above 100 mg/kg as Gluten Containing (GC). In Brazil all food products must be labeled as GF (< 20 mg/kg) or GC (>20 mg/kg). In order to verify if the labeling of food products followed the correct guidelines in relation to gluten, 123 commercial food items in Brazil, were analyzed over a two year period. Samples consisted of traditional wheat based products, as well as samples containing a minor wheat ingredient or unknown submitted by food manufacturers. The gluten analyses were performed by ELISA-AOAC 991.19 using the R-5 antibody (Biocontrol Transia Plate Prolamins method). The samples were categorized according to alimentary group, label, gluten level and year. A total of 11 (8.9 %) were labeled as containing gluten, 60 (48.8 %) as gluten-free and 52 (42.3 %) unknown or unlabeled. The main categories were composed of: flours, starches and “farofas” (22 %); breads, including cheese bread (16.3 %); and sweet goods (15.4%). Although most samples were found to be accurately labeled, 14 (11.4 %) labeled as gluten-free were found to contain gluten levels > 20 mg/kg. These findings illustrate the necessity of rigorous testing and monitoring to prevent a risk for celiac people and other gluten related disorders.
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