Wheat allergy
Encyclopedia
Wheat
allergy is a food allergy
, but can also be a contact allergy resulting from occupational exposure. Like all allergies wheat allergy involves IgE
and mast cell
response. Typically the allergy is limited to the seed storage proteins of wheat, some reactions are restricted to wheat proteins, while others can react across many varieties of seeds and other plant tissues. Wheat allergy may be a misnomer since there are many allergenic components in wheat, for example serine protease
inhibitors, glutelin
s and prolamin
s and different responses are often attributed to different proteins. Twenty-seven potential wheat allergens have been successfully identified. The most severe response is exercise/aspirin induced anaphylaxis attributed to one omega gliadin that is a relative of the protein that causes coeliac disease
. Other more common symptoms include nausea, urticaria
, atopy
.
s, globulin
s, prolamins and glutelins. Within wheat, prolamin
s are called gliadin
s and glutelin
s are called glutenin
s. These two protein groups form the classic glutens. While gluten is a causative agent of Coeliac disease
(CD), coeliac disease can be contrasted to gluten allergy by the involvement of different immune cells and antibody types (See Comparative pathophysiology of gluten sensitivities), and because the list of allergens extend beyond the classic gluten category of proteins.
s and the closely related glutelins, a recent study in Japan found that glutinins are a more frequent allergen, however gliadins are associated with the most severe disease. A proteomics based study found a γ-gliadin isoform gene. Wheat dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) is primarily mediated by ω-5 gliadin which is encoded by the Gli-1B gene derived from the Aegilops speltoides B genome within wheat.
s are made of a chain of dehydrated amino acids. When enzymes cut proteins into pieces they add water back to the site at which they cut, called enzymatic hydrolysis, for proteins it is called proteolysis.
The initial products of this hydrolysis
are polypeptides, and smaller products are called simply peptides; these are called wheat protein hydrolysates. These hydrolysates can create allergens out of wheat proteins that previously did not exist by the exposure of buried antigenic sites in the proteins.
When proteins are cut into polypeptides, buried regions are exposed to the surface, and these buried regions may possibly be antigenic. Such hydrolyzed wheat protein is used as an additive in foods and cosmetics
. The peptides are often 1 kD in size (9 amino acid residues in length) and may increase the allergic response. These wheat polypeptides can cause immediate contact urticaria in susceptible people.
and urticaria
occur more frequently with wheat allergies.
Common symptoms of a wheat allergy include eczema
(atopic dermatitis
), hives (urticaria)
, asthma
, "Hay fever" (allergic rhinitis)
, angioedema
(tissue swelling due to fluid leakage from blood vessels), abdominal cramps, nausea
, and vomiting
. Rarer symptoms include anaphylactic shock
, arthritis
, bloated stomach, chest pains, depression or mood swings, diarrhea
, dizziness, headache
, joint and muscle aches and pains (may be associated with progressive arthritis), palpitation
s, psoriasis
, irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS), swollen throat or tongue, tiredness and lethargy, and unexplained cough.
Reactions may become more severe with repeated exposure.
(WDEIA) which is similar to Baker's Allergy as both are mediated by IgE responses. In WDEIA, however, the ω-gliadins or a high molecular weight glutenin subunit, and similar proteins in other Triticeae genera enter the blood stream during exercise where they cause acute asthmatic or allergic reaction. One recent study of ω-gliadins demonstrated these gliadins are more similar to the bulk of oat avenins than α/β or γ gliadins but, so far, oat avenins have not been linked to WDEIA. Wheat may specifically induce WDEIA and certain chronic urticaria
because the anti-gliadin IgE detects ω5-gliadins expressed by most of the Gli-B1 alleles but almost no responses prolamins extracted from rye or wheat/rye translocates. The Gli-B1 gene in wheat, Triticum aestivum comes from one of three progenitor species, Aegilops speltoides
, indicating that nascent mutations on the B genome of wheat or from a small number of cultivated triticeae
species.
amylase
, added to flour to increase its baking properties.
Wheat allergies were also common with contact dermatitis. A primary cause was the donning agent used for latex
gloves prior to the 1990s, however most gloves now use protein free starch as donning agents.
(RA) incidences.
Autism. Parents of children with autism
often ascribe the children's gastrointestinal symptoms to allergies to wheat and other foods. The published data on this approach are sparse, with the only double-blind study reporting negative results.
and rye
safely, although more than likely they will be allergic to other wheat such as spelt and Kamut. Wheat is often a cryptic contaminant of many foods; more obvious items are bread crumbs, maltodextrin
, bran
, cereal extract, couscous
, cracker meal, enriched flour
, gluten
, high-gluten flour, high-protein flour, seitan
, semolina
wheat, vital gluten, wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat gluten, wheat malt, wheat starch or whole wheat flour
. Less obvious sources of wheat could be gelatinized starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein
, modified food starch, modified starch
, natural flavoring, soy sauce
, soy bean paste, hoisin sauce, starch, vegetable gum
, specifically Beta-glucan
, vegetable starch.
People with wheat allergy who are gluten sensitive
may also need to avoid related cereal
s, rye
and barley
, which have similar glutinous proteins.
-free oats (free of wheat, rye or barley) may be a useful source of cereal fiber. Some wheat allergies allow the use of rye bread as a substitute. Rice flour
is a commonly used alternative for those allergic to wheat. Wheat-free millet
flour, buckwheat
, flax seed meal, corn meal, quinoa
flour, chia seed flour, tapioca
starch or flour, and others can be used a substitutes.
Spelt
and kamut are grains related to common wheat
, but are usually a suitable substitute for people with wheat allergies or that are gluten intolerant. Spelt and Kamut are not options for those with celiac disease.
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
allergy is a food allergy
Food allergy
A food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. They are distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions, and toxin-mediated reactions....
, but can also be a contact allergy resulting from occupational exposure. Like all allergies wheat allergy involves IgE
IGE
IGE was one of the largest services company buying and selling virtual currencies and accounts for MMORPG. During its peak time, it had offices in Los Angeles, China , and headquarters & customer service centre in Hong Kong. IGE was one of the main monopoly in virtual economy services, also known...
and mast cell
Mast cell
A mast cell is a resident cell of several types of tissues and contains many granules rich in histamine and heparin...
response. Typically the allergy is limited to the seed storage proteins of wheat, some reactions are restricted to wheat proteins, while others can react across many varieties of seeds and other plant tissues. Wheat allergy may be a misnomer since there are many allergenic components in wheat, for example serine protease
Serine protease
Serine proteases are enzymes that cleave peptide bonds in proteins, in which serine serves as the nucleophilic amino acid at the active site.They are found ubiquitously in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes...
inhibitors, glutelin
Glutelin
Glutelins proteins are soluble in dilute acids or bases, detergents, chaotropic, or reducing agents. In general, they are prolamin-like proteins in certain grass seeds. Glutenin is the most common glutelin, as it is found in wheat and is responsible for some of the refined baking properties in...
s and prolamin
Prolamin
Prolamins are a group of plant storage proteins having a high proline content and found in the seeds of cereal grains: wheat , barley , rye , corn , sorghum and as a minor protein, avenin in oats. They are characterised by a high glutamine and proline content and are generally soluble only in...
s and different responses are often attributed to different proteins. Twenty-seven potential wheat allergens have been successfully identified. The most severe response is exercise/aspirin induced anaphylaxis attributed to one omega gliadin that is a relative of the protein that causes coeliac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
. Other more common symptoms include nausea, urticaria
Urticaria
Urticaria is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives is frequently caused by allergic reactions; however, there are many non-allergic causes...
, atopy
Atopy
Atopy or atopic syndrome is a predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions.Atopy may have a hereditary component, although contact with the allergen must occur before the hypersensitivity reaction can develop ....
.
Types of allergens
There are four major classes of seed storage proteins: albuminAlbumin
Albumin refers generally to any protein that is water soluble, which is moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experiences heat denaturation. They are commonly found in blood plasma, and are unique to other blood proteins in that they are not glycosylated...
s, globulin
Globulin
Globulin is one of the three types of serum proteins, the others being albumin and fibrinogen. Some globulins are produced in the liver, while others are made by the immune system. The term globulin encompasses a heterogeneous group of proteins with typical high molecular weight, and both...
s, prolamins and glutelins. Within wheat, prolamin
Prolamin
Prolamins are a group of plant storage proteins having a high proline content and found in the seeds of cereal grains: wheat , barley , rye , corn , sorghum and as a minor protein, avenin in oats. They are characterised by a high glutamine and proline content and are generally soluble only in...
s are called gliadin
Gliadin
Gliadin is a glycoprotein present in wheat and several other cereals within the grass genus Triticum. Gliadins are prolamins and are separated on the basis of electrophoretic mobility and isoelectric focusing.- Types :...
s and glutelin
Glutelin
Glutelins proteins are soluble in dilute acids or bases, detergents, chaotropic, or reducing agents. In general, they are prolamin-like proteins in certain grass seeds. Glutenin is the most common glutelin, as it is found in wheat and is responsible for some of the refined baking properties in...
s are called glutenin
Glutenin
Glutenin is the glutelin derived from wheat. Gluteninis a protein best known for its role, along with gliadin, in the creation of gluten with its disulfide inter- and intra-molecule links. Glutenin consists of 20% HMW subunits, which are relatively low in sulfur...
s. These two protein groups form the classic glutens. While gluten is a causative agent of Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
(CD), coeliac disease can be contrasted to gluten allergy by the involvement of different immune cells and antibody types (See Comparative pathophysiology of gluten sensitivities), and because the list of allergens extend beyond the classic gluten category of proteins.
Prolamin allergies
ProlaminProlamin
Prolamins are a group of plant storage proteins having a high proline content and found in the seeds of cereal grains: wheat , barley , rye , corn , sorghum and as a minor protein, avenin in oats. They are characterised by a high glutamine and proline content and are generally soluble only in...
s and the closely related glutelins, a recent study in Japan found that glutinins are a more frequent allergen, however gliadins are associated with the most severe disease. A proteomics based study found a γ-gliadin isoform gene. Wheat dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) is primarily mediated by ω-5 gliadin which is encoded by the Gli-1B gene derived from the Aegilops speltoides B genome within wheat.
Glutelin allergies
Glutenin (wheat glutelin) is a predominant allergen in wheat. Nine subunits of LMW-glutinen have been linked in connection with wheat allergies.Albumin and globulin allergy
At present many of the allergens of wheat have not been characterized; however, the early studies found many to be in the albumin class. A recent study in Europe confirmed the increased presence of allergies to amylase/trypsin inhibitors (serpins) and lipid transfer protein (LPT). but less reactivity to the globulin fraction The allergies tend to differ between populations (Italian, Japanese, Danish or Swiss), indicating a potential genetic component to these reactivities.Wheat pollen and grass allergies
Respiratory allergies are an occupational disease that develop in food service workers. Previous studies detected 40 allergens from wheat; some cross-reacted with rye proteins and a few cross-reacted with grass pollens. A later study showed that baker's allergy extend over a broad range of cereal grasses (wheat, durum wheat, triticale, cereal rye, barley, rye grass, oats, canary grass, rice, maize, sorghum and Johnson grass) though the greatest similarities were seen between wheat and rye and that these allergies show cross reactivity between seed proteins and pollen proteins including a prominent crossreactivity between the common environment rye pollen and wheat glutenDerivative allergies
ProteinProtein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s are made of a chain of dehydrated amino acids. When enzymes cut proteins into pieces they add water back to the site at which they cut, called enzymatic hydrolysis, for proteins it is called proteolysis.
The initial products of this hydrolysis
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
are polypeptides, and smaller products are called simply peptides; these are called wheat protein hydrolysates. These hydrolysates can create allergens out of wheat proteins that previously did not exist by the exposure of buried antigenic sites in the proteins.
When proteins are cut into polypeptides, buried regions are exposed to the surface, and these buried regions may possibly be antigenic. Such hydrolyzed wheat protein is used as an additive in foods and cosmetics
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
. The peptides are often 1 kD in size (9 amino acid residues in length) and may increase the allergic response. These wheat polypeptides can cause immediate contact urticaria in susceptible people.
Signs and Symptoms
Wheat allergies are not altogether different from other food allergies or respiratory allergies. However two conditions, exercise/aspirin induced anaphylaxisExercise-induced anaphylaxis
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is a syndrome in which the symptoms of anaphylaxis occur related to exercise.In some incidents, individuals experienced anaphylaxis only after combination exposure to a triggering agent and increased physical activity shortly after the ingestion of the triggering agent...
and urticaria
Urticaria
Urticaria is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives is frequently caused by allergic reactions; however, there are many non-allergic causes...
occur more frequently with wheat allergies.
Common symptoms of a wheat allergy include eczema
Eczema
Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis . In England, an estimated 5.7 million or about one in every nine people have been diagnosed with the disease by a clinician at some point in their lives.The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions...
(atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, chronically relapsing, non-contagious and pruritic skin disorder...
), hives (urticaria)
Urticaria
Urticaria is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives is frequently caused by allergic reactions; however, there are many non-allergic causes...
, asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, "Hay fever" (allergic rhinitis)
Hay Fever
Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss. Laura Hope Crews played the role in New York...
, angioedema
Angioedema
Angioedema or Quincke's edema is the rapid swelling of the dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa and submucosal tissues. It is very similar to urticaria, but urticaria, commonly known as hives, occurs in the upper dermis...
(tissue swelling due to fluid leakage from blood vessels), abdominal cramps, nausea
Nausea
Nausea , is a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an involuntary urge to vomit. It often, but not always, precedes vomiting...
, and vomiting
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
. Rarer symptoms include anaphylactic shock
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is defined as "a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death". It typically results in a number of symptoms including throat swelling, an itchy rash, and low blood pressure...
, arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, bloated stomach, chest pains, depression or mood swings, diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, dizziness, headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
, joint and muscle aches and pains (may be associated with progressive arthritis), palpitation
Palpitation
A palpitation is an abnormality of heartbeat that causes a conscious awareness of its beating, whether it is too slow, too fast, irregular, or at its normal frequency. The word may also refer to this sensation itself...
s, psoriasis
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. However, psoriasis has been linked to an increased risk of...
, irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion. It is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements...
(IBS), swollen throat or tongue, tiredness and lethargy, and unexplained cough.
Reactions may become more severe with repeated exposure.
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis
Wheat gliadins and potentially oat avenins are associated with another disease, known as wheat-dependent exercise Induced AnaphylaxisExercise-induced anaphylaxis
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is a syndrome in which the symptoms of anaphylaxis occur related to exercise.In some incidents, individuals experienced anaphylaxis only after combination exposure to a triggering agent and increased physical activity shortly after the ingestion of the triggering agent...
(WDEIA) which is similar to Baker's Allergy as both are mediated by IgE responses. In WDEIA, however, the ω-gliadins or a high molecular weight glutenin subunit, and similar proteins in other Triticeae genera enter the blood stream during exercise where they cause acute asthmatic or allergic reaction. One recent study of ω-gliadins demonstrated these gliadins are more similar to the bulk of oat avenins than α/β or γ gliadins but, so far, oat avenins have not been linked to WDEIA. Wheat may specifically induce WDEIA and certain chronic urticaria
Urticaria
Urticaria is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives is frequently caused by allergic reactions; however, there are many non-allergic causes...
because the anti-gliadin IgE detects ω5-gliadins expressed by most of the Gli-B1 alleles but almost no responses prolamins extracted from rye or wheat/rye translocates. The Gli-B1 gene in wheat, Triticum aestivum comes from one of three progenitor species, Aegilops speltoides
Aegilops speltoides
Aegilops speltoides is an edible plant in the Poaceae family native to Southeastern Europe and Western Asia, which is often used for animal feed, and it has grown in cultivated beds...
, indicating that nascent mutations on the B genome of wheat or from a small number of cultivated triticeae
Triticeae
Triticeae is a tribe within the Pooideae subfamily of grasses that includes genera with many domesticated species. Major crop genera are found in this tribe including wheat , barley, and rye; crops in other genera include some for human consumption and others used for animal feed or rangeland...
species.
Aspirin sensitivity and wheat allergy
Recent study of WDEIA shows that both aspirin and exercise increase the presence of gliadin in the blood stream and the chronic induced behavior may extend to NSAIDs, MSG, Benzoate and other synthetic chemical food additives.Baker's Allergy
Baker's allergy has a ω-gliadin component and thioredoxin hB component. In addition, a gluten-extrinsic allergen has been identified as aspergillusAspergillus
Aspergillus is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. Aspergillus was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli...
amylase
Amylase
Amylase is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch into sugars. Amylase is present in human saliva, where it begins the chemical process of digestion. Food that contains much starch but little sugar, such as rice and potato, taste slightly sweet as they are chewed because amylase turns...
, added to flour to increase its baking properties.
Urticaria, Atopy, Eczema
Contact Sensitivity, Atopic Dermatitis, Eczema, and Urticaria appear to be related phenomena the cause of which is generally believed to be the hydrophobic prolamin components of certain Triticeae, Aveneae cultivars, in wheat one of these proteins is ω-gliadin (Gli-B1 gene product). A study of mothers and infants on an allergen-free diet demonstrated that these conditions can be avoided if wheat sensitive cohort in the population avoid wheat in the first year of life. As with exercise induced anaphylaxis aspirin (also: tartrazine, sodium benzoate, sodium glutamate (MSG), sodium metabisulfite, tyramine) may be sensitizing factors for reactivity. Studies of the wheat-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis demonstrate that atopy and EIA can be triggered from the ingestion of that aspirin and probably NSAIDs allow the entry of wheat proteins into the blood, where IgE reacts within allergens in the dermal tissues. Some individuals may be so sensitive that low dose aspirin therapy can increase risk for both atopy and WDEIA.Wheat allergies were also common with contact dermatitis. A primary cause was the donning agent used for latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
gloves prior to the 1990s, however most gloves now use protein free starch as donning agents.
Autoimmune (Rheumatoid) arthritis
There appears to be an association of autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis (ARA) both with GSE and gluten allergies. ARA in GSE/CD may be secondary to tTG autoimmunity. In a recent study in Turkey, 8 of 20 ARA patients had wheat reactivities on the RAST tests. When this allergic food and all other patient specific RAST+ foods were removed half of the patients had improved ARA by serological markers. In patients with wheat allergies, rye was effectively substituted. This may indicate that some proportion of RA in GSE/CD is due to downstream effects of allergic responses. In addition, cross-reactive anti-beef-collagen antibodies (IgG) may explain some rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
(RA) incidences.
Neuropathies
Migraines. In the late 70s it was reported that people with migraines had reactions to food allergens, like ARA, the most common reaction was to wheat (78%), orange, eggs, tea, coffee, chocolate, milk, beef, corn, cane sugar, and yeast. When 10 foods causing the most reactions were removed migraines fell precipitously, hypertension declined. Some specific instances are attributed to wheat.Autism. Parents of children with autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
often ascribe the children's gastrointestinal symptoms to allergies to wheat and other foods. The published data on this approach are sparse, with the only double-blind study reporting negative results.
Diagnosis
Diagnoses of wheat allergy may deserve special consideration. Omega-5 gliadin, the most potent wheat allergen, cannot be detected in whole wheat preparations, it must be extracted and partially digested (similar to how it degrades in the intestine) to reach full activity. Other studies show that digestion of wheat proteins to about 10 amino acids can increase the allergic response 10 fold. Certain allergy test may not be suitable to detect all wheat allergies, resulting in cryptic allergies.Treatment
Wheat allergies differ from gluten-diet exclusion in that some types of allergens do not create species crossreactive responses, an individual may be able to consume barleyBarley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
and rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
safely, although more than likely they will be allergic to other wheat such as spelt and Kamut. Wheat is often a cryptic contaminant of many foods; more obvious items are bread crumbs, maltodextrin
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive. It is produced from starch by partial hydrolysis and is usually found as a creamy-white hygroscopic spraydried powder. Maltodextrin is easily digestible, being absorbed as rapidly as glucose, and might be either moderately sweet or...
, bran
Bran
Bran is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a by-product of milling in the production of refined grains. When bran is removed from grains, the grains lose a portion of their...
, cereal extract, couscous
Couscous
Couscous is a Berber dish of semolina traditionally served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it. Couscous is a staple food throughout Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.-Etymology:...
, cracker meal, enriched flour
Enriched flour
Enriched flour is flour with specific nutrients returned to it that have been lost while it was prepared. These restored nutrients include iron and B vitamins . Calcium may also be supplemented. The purpose of enriching flour is to replenish the nutrients in the flour to match the nutritional...
, gluten
Gluten
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye...
, high-gluten flour, high-protein flour, seitan
Wheat gluten (food)
Wheat gluten, also called seitan , wheat meat, mock duck, gluten meat, or simply gluten, is a food made from the gluten of wheat...
, semolina
Semolina
Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta, and also used for breakfast cereals and puddings. Semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains such as rice and corn.-Name:The term semolina derives from...
wheat, vital gluten, wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat gluten, wheat malt, wheat starch or whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the wheat's whole grain. It is used in baking but typically added to other "white" flours to provide nutrients , texture, and body to the finished product....
. Less obvious sources of wheat could be gelatinized starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, is produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes, or breaks down, the protein in vegetables into their component amino acids...
, modified food starch, modified starch
Modified starch
Modified starch, also called starch derivatives, are prepared by physically, enzymatically, or chemically treating native starch, thereby changing the properties of the starch. Modified starches are used in practically all starch applications, such as in food products as a thickening agent,...
, natural flavoring, soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
, soy bean paste, hoisin sauce, starch, vegetable gum
Natural gum
Natural gums are polysaccharides of natural origin, capable of causing a large viscosity increase in solution, even at small concentrations. In the food industry they are used as thickening agents, gelling agents, emulsifying agents, and stabilizers...
, specifically Beta-glucan
Beta-glucan
β-Glucans are polysaccharides of D-glucose monomers linked by β-glycosidic bonds. β-glucans are a diverse group of molecules that can vary with respect to molecular mass, solubility, viscosity, and three-dimensional configuration...
, vegetable starch.
People with wheat allergy who are gluten sensitive
Gluten sensitivity
Gluten sensitivity belongs to a spectrum of disorders in which gluten has an adverse effect on the body. It can be defined as a non-allergic and non-autoimmune condition in which the consumption of gluten can lead to symptoms similar to those observed in coeliac disease or wheat allergy .Gluten...
may also need to avoid related cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s, rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
and barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, which have similar glutinous proteins.
Alternative cereals
Triticeae glutenTriticeae glutens
Triticeae glutens are seed storage proteins found in mature seeds of grass tribe Triticeae. Seed glutens of non-Triticeae plants have varieties of similar properties, but none singly can perform on a par with those of the Triticeae taxa, particularly the triticum species...
-free oats (free of wheat, rye or barley) may be a useful source of cereal fiber. Some wheat allergies allow the use of rye bread as a substitute. Rice flour
Rice flour
Rice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye....
is a commonly used alternative for those allergic to wheat. Wheat-free millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
flour, buckwheat
Buckwheat
Buckwheat refers to a variety of plants in the dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, the North American genus Eriogonum, and the Northern Hemisphere genus Fallopia. Either of the latter two may be referred to as "wild buckwheat"...
, flax seed meal, corn meal, quinoa
Quinoa
Quinoa , a species of goosefoot , is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family...
flour, chia seed flour, tapioca
Tapioca
Tapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...
starch or flour, and others can be used a substitutes.
Spelt
Spelt
Spelt is a hexaploid species of wheat. Spelt was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times; it now survives as a relict crop in Central Europe and northern Spain and has found a new market as a health food. Spelt is sometimes considered a subspecies of the...
and kamut are grains related to common wheat
Common wheat
Common wheat, Triticum aestivum, is a cultivated wheat species.-Nomenclature and taxonomy of the variety and its cultivars:-Evolution:...
, but are usually a suitable substitute for people with wheat allergies or that are gluten intolerant. Spelt and Kamut are not options for those with celiac disease.
External links
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
- The National Institutes of Health
- Wheat-free.org
- Wheat Allergy at Food Allergy InitiativeFood Allergy InitiativeThe Food Allergy Initiative is a 501 non-profit organization founded in 1998 with the mission to fund food allergy research that seeks a cure, to improve diagnosis and treatment, and to keep patients safe through advocacy and education. FAI is the largest private source of funding for food...