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

Hi!

Just out of curiousity, has any study removed this purified wheat starch
from the european diet for a year and then reintroduced it?  I'm just
thinking that perhaps the North Americans react to it because it was not
left in our diet when we were taken off gluten.  Perhaps the level of
gluten is low enough that it doesn't cause visible damage in someone who
is "used" to eating.  There are lots of people who live for years with
celiac disease and don't know it because their systems are adjusted to
eating gluten (just like you can become accustomed to eating rat poison
and it won't kill you or make you that sick).  There is also the other
option that the North Americans that react are also wheat or gluten
allergic, on top of being celiac.  Just a thought - maybe a fellow
scientist could do some experiments to this effect (I only play with
chemicals!).

Personally, my mom and I accidentally bought a Celamix product that had
wheat starch in it (it was in a small town and I don't know how they got
it in Canada).  I figured since it was labeled for celiacs, it would be
okay for me.  It made a wonderful pie crust that was very much like a
regular one.  Unfortunately, about 2 hours later or so, I was deathly
ill with gluten ingestion symptoms.  Why do I react but a european
doesn't?  Your guess is as good as mine, but I wouldn't touch that stuff
again "for love nor money" as we say!

Hoppy Easter!

Becky :)
Calgary, Alberta