<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

The Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 137(3), September 2000, pp 361-366,
"A trial of oats in children with newly diagnosed celiac disease",

Hoffenberg, et al, found that newly diagnosed celiac children did OK with
daily inclusion of commercial oatmeals.  Small bowel and antibody recovery
was as expected .

They reported gluten content of several substances:

Study oatmeal (%, range) average of 4 samples 0.009 (0.003-0.014)
Irish Oatmeal 0.006 %
Quaker oatmeal 0.006 %
Safeway oatmeal 0.005 %
Jane Lee oatmeal 0.026 %
Soy flour 0.001 %
Brown rice flour 0.000 %
Pancake mix 0.000 %
Cornmeal 0.000 %
Rice flour 0.000 %

Test was done with RIDASCREEN ELISA test for omega-gliadins.  It detects
wheat/barley/rye high molecular weight proteins but not oat avenin.

The grain scientists tell us that even though oat proteins are different,
they do have similar amino acid sequences to the toxic gliadin sequences.
Similarly, in vitro ("test tube") studies do show that oat proteins trigger
the immune response of cells taken from celiac patients.

I'm not advocating oats at this point but I found this study to be very
interesting.  I'd love to eat oats again.  Heretical as though it may seem,
very low concentrations of the toxic protein may indeed be safe for us.
Realize that there aren't any long-term studies.

Please read the article and consult your personal physician before making
any changes to your diets.  Just thought y'all would be interested.


David A. Nelsen, Jr., MD, MS
Department of Family & Community Medicine
UAMS