Celiacs Rejoice

Irene Seiberling, Special to The Leader-Post
Published: Saturday, February 03, 2007

Good news for celiacs. Following a strict gluten-free diet is getting easier -- and tastier -- thanks to the joint efforts of a Saskatchewan farmer-owned company, a chef and a dietitian.

Regina-based FarmPure Foods, chef Rob Fuller and nutritionist Shelley Case have teamed up to develop tasty, nutritious celiac-friendly food products and recipes, as well as provide the latest gluten-free diet information.

"They recognized that there was a niche market that wasn't being filled," Case said, referring to FarmPure Foods and Fuller, who are in the process of creating a line of pure oats products.

As the author of the "bible" of the gluten-free diet -- as well as someone who follows a gluten-free diet herself -- Case is constantly searching for new gluten-free specialty foods, as well as safe, creative recipes for meals and snacks.

"Shelley was the inspiration for this whole venture," pointed out FarmPure's CEO Trenton Baisley.

FarmPure Foods is one of only two companies in Canada producing pure oats products, which are safe for celiacs, but can be enjoyed by anyone. The other is Cream Hill Estates of Montreal.

As more and more people are diagnosed with celiac disease -- a chronic autoimmune intestinal disorder, which is controlled by avoiding wheat, rye and barley, and derivatives of these -- demand for gluten-free products continues to grow, said Case, who is one of North America's leading nutrition experts on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

Producing "uncontaminated" oat products isn't cheap. Just a hint of gluten can cause major health problems for celiacs, so there can be no cross-contamination from the farm gate to the consumer plate, Baisley explained.

Because it costs more to produce gluten-free products, that's reflected in the cost to the consumer.

"But, if you can make the products, people will pay more," Case insisted. "We need to support companies that are going to the expense to make sure that their products are gluten free."

The criteria for gluten-free food is three-fold, she explained.

It has to be safe.

It has to taste good, which traditionally that has been a problem.

And, ultimately, price is an issue.

After mastering the food science aspects of developing pure oats, Baisley approached Fuller -- a Regina restaurant owner who established an international reputation as personal chef for the rich and famous, including romance novelist Danielle Steele, fashion designer Giorgio Armani, and the al-Fayed family. Fuller was hired as FarmPure Food's full-time director of marketing and food preparation.

In a state-of-the-art kitchen -- complete with a camera to broadcast cooking demonstrations onto two overhead flat-screen televisions -- located in a Regina strip mall, Fuller is busy creating specialty food products and recipes that are celiac friendly.

Consumer-ready pure oats products, under the Only Oat brand name -- including everything from oat flour to flavoured breakfast blends, and mixes for pancakes, muffins and cookies -- will be available in early spring, Baisley said. But some of the basics are already available.

"The flour and base products are ready now," said Fuller. Until they hit store shelves, consumers can contact him directly at 306-757-3663, extension 112, or his partner at extension 111, or visit their Web site at farmpurefoods.com.

Fuller also recently added eight celiac-friendly dishes -- everything from appetizers to desserts -- to the menu at Zest, the restaurant he co-owns in the Saskatchewan Science Centre.

"We have taken the classic dishes and converted them into a menu that is gluten sensitive," Fuller said.

The unique roasting process used by FarmPure Foods allows for "more diversification in flavours," Fuller said, which enables him to create specialty food products and recipes that can be enjoyed by anyone, not just people who have celiac disease.

"FarmPure is probably the most innovative and creative, thanks to chef Rob," Case said.

In the past, menu options for people with celiac disease were limited, and unexciting, Case said, describing the gluten-free offerings of days gone by as "dry, crumbly, gritty and bland." And because most gluten-free recipes incorporated white rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch and potato starch -- which are low in fibre, iron and Vitamin B -- they weren't as nutritious as today's recipes made with whole grain pure oats.

"They were safe to eat, but not very nutritious," she said.

New research that shows oat products are safe for people with celiac disease is good news, Case said, because it allows people to make healthier choices.

"Oats ... taste good and add variety to the diet," she said.

But not all oats are safe, she emphasized repeatedly. Only uncontaminated oats are safe for celiacs, Case stressed.

In the expanded edition of her book, Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide, Case features more than 2,600 gluten-free specialty foods (1,000 more than in the first edition), listed by company and product name. She also provides a directory of almost 200 Canadian, American and international companies (70 new ones). The 336-page guide also features creative ideas for meals and snacks, as well as recipes and baking tips.

"It's not just a cookbook," Case said. "It's a nutrition guide as well."

For more information about specialty foods developed for gluten-free diets, visit glutenfreediet.ca, farmpurefoods.com or creamhillestates.com.