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Helen wrote:

>This is just another example of what happens when there isn't world-wide
>agreement of the definition of Gluten-Free....When a product labelled
>"Gluten-Free" is imported into a country that has a different (stricter)
>definition and no one in the government checks the ingredients, then we who
>are sensitive to wheat starch or oats suffer...

Actually, we have a bigger problem:  The expression "gluten-free" does
not correctly describe the celiac diet.  The following remarks come from
the Dec. 1997 issue of _The Sprue-nik Press_ and are summarized from talks
by Dr. Martin Kagnoff:

K> "Gluten" is somewhat of a misnomer, because corn and other "safe"
K> grains also contain a kind of gluten.  However the term gluten-free
K> (GF) has come to mean "free of grains toxic to celiacs".  The actual
K> proteins that are the problem for celiacs are gliadins (wheat),
K> secalins (rye), hordeins (barley), and avenins (oats).

So if "gluten-free" is not correct, what is the correct description of
a celiac's diet?  In some circles the expression "gluten-restricted,
gliadin-free" has come into favor, but that really isn't correct
either.  For one thing, if you eat a lot of corn then your diet is not
"gluten-restricted".  The other problem with this expression is that
"gliadin" refers specifically to wheat, and does not refer to barley,
rye, and oats.

So a more descriptive expression for our diet would be "gliadin-,
hordein-, secalin-, and avenin-free".  This doesn't have a magical
ring to it, does it?  I suppose we could make an acronym out of the
four proteins, and call our diet SHAG-Free or GASH-Free, but these
expressions are unlikely to become popular.  (I stole most of this
post from a post I made in 1997; and I've never seen anyone else refer
to a SHAG-free or GASH-free diet.  Hmmmm.  I guess I was right.  These
expressions did NOT become popular.)

I recommend that when you speak or write to companies, you list the
main grains to avoid (wheat, spelt, triticale, barley, rye, and oats)
as a way of explaining what you mean by gluten-free, and that you
specifically state that corn and rice are not a problem.  And, as
Helen says, don't automatically assume that a product labeled as
"gluten-free" is safe.  Most of the time, in the US and Canada, it
will be safe, but check the ingredients anyway to be sure.

------- Jim Lyles --------
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-- Holly, Michigan, USA --