A recent article in Nutritional Outlook addresses the growth of gluten-free goods and the challenges of cooking without gluten.

“Between 2006 and 2010, the gluten-free food and beverage market grew by a whopping 30%,” the article stated, citing the latest Packaged Facts report.

The boom is attributed to not only the 1 in 133 Americans who have celiac disease, but also the growing number of people who find they are gluten sensitive. “An estimated 16 million Americans may have gluten sensitivity,” the article noted.

While companies from General Mills to Danisco, an ingredient and enzyme manufacturer, have eliminated gluten from some products, the switch isn’t easy, the article points out. Shape, texture and taste can be affected.

NFCA’s Beckee Moreland contributed to the Nutritional Outlook article, noting the improvement in gluten-free options over time. “First we didn’t have gluten-free pretzels, then we had them, and they actually tasted good,” she said. “Now, they’re dipped in yogurt and available as soft pretzels, too. What we’re seeing is a real expansion of gluten-free offerings, a broadening of categories.”

Beckee also advised companies to seek gluten-free training through courses like NFCA’s GREAT (Gluten-Free Resource Education and Awareness Training) program.

To read the full article, visit Nutritional Outlook.

For more information about GREAT, visit www.CeliacLearning.com.