Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats, triggers a range of autoimmune responses in people with celiac disease, which affects about 1% of the world’s population, Schluckebier said.
But the market for gluten-free products, like those from Andean Dream, has proven to be of interest to more than the one in 133 Americans affected by the disorder, with food industry giants like General Mills, Betty Crocker, Anheuser-Busch and Starbucks selling or preparing to introduce items targeting the market, experts said.
Advocates claim that gluten-free diets can have beneficial impacts for people with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, irritable bowel syndrome and gluten allergies. But even consumers unaffected by those maladies have begun experimenting with alternative grains, interested in their nutritional properties or perhaps just curious about a growing fad, experts said.
“Half the people don’t need the diet, but try it and kind of like it so there are probably half the people who are eating gluten-free who absolutely have to do it for medical reasons.” Schluckebier said.
The industry for gluten-free foods has exceeded annual growth projections of up to 20% over the last four years, expanding by 28% between 2004 and 2008 and totaling $1.56 billion in sales last year, according to Packaged Facts.
“The demand for gluten-free products is growing, and quinoa is a grain that may help fill a void,” American Dietetic Assn. spokeswoman Jeanne Gazzaniga-Moloo said.
Hirstin Lazcano, the company’s president, is not only targeting customers on gluten-free diets, but also vegetarians, vegans and others interested in adding more protein to their meals.
