According infoceliaco.com, the first online journal aimed at those affected by celiac disease, there is more and more people with celiac disease in Spain. It is calculated between 1 and 3 percent of the population, a percentage too high for a disease.

Celiac disease is the most common chronic intestinal disease and it is characterized by intolerance to gluten. Gluten is present in wheat, barley, rye, triticale, kamut, spelled and oats. Consequently, the part of the population suffering from this disease has completely banned eating bread and wheat flour, rye and oats buns, Italian pasta, soup pasta, cookies, cakes, muffins and pastries in general, and the wheat semolina and chocolates among others.

The only treatment that has this disease is to bring strict diet control for life, removing from it the gluten. It could seem simple but it is really complicated when you consider that 80% of processed foods in the European Union (according to the Federation of Spain Celiac Associations) contains gluten.

This Federation is promoting the use of its seal in restaurants and hotels so that they are identified as a safe place to eat. To do this, establishments must provide dishes, breads and pastries made with gluten-free products, produce them in places with clean containers without possibility of cross contamination, ie, preventing the product for celiacs to be in contact with any utensil in which previously has been worked one product that may contains gluten.

Clearly, offering a menu or some products for celiac is a new challenge for professionals of bakeries, cake shops, restaurants and catering.

Do we innovate?