More gluten- and allergen-free options are being launched to not only cater to consumers with celiac or food allergies—but to provide a higher level of clean safety than ever.
Did you know there are people who can touch a poison ivy plant and not suffer from horrific itching? That’s because the itch response is an individual allergic response. But there may not be a human alive who does not have a single allergy—or sensitivity—to anything. That person who can frolic in a poison ivy patch and not feel a thing may have celiac disease.
Dietary supplement research and development teams have been working diligently with suppliers and processors to formulate a widening berth of supplements that incur no side effects born from sensitivity or allergens. And when it comes to gluten, we know by now it is not a buzzword and it is by no means a fad. Not only is gluten free the necessary choice for those with celiac disease (CD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), it is also a conscious choice considered to be “cleaner.”
Natural practitioner Robert Kachko, ND, LAc of New York-based Inner Source Natural Health and Acupuncture, described why more people are being diagnosed with CD and NCGS. “Gluten sensitivity has become seemingly ubiquitous because more practitioners, especially naturopathic physicians or integrative practitioners, are looking for it in their patient,” he said. “Celiac disease is a severe destruction of the small intestine from an immune reaction to components found in wheat, barley, rye and occasionally oats. Eliminating gluten and watching for symptom reduction is often noticeably helpful, leading to diagnoses of NCGS.
“NCGS, on the other hand, may present in a myriad of ways that often are non-specific,” Kachko continued. “This means that symptoms may manifest which can also come from other disorders.”
The most common symptoms, he noted, are mood disturbances such as depression or anxiety, difficulty concentrating as in ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and “foggy brain;” digestive issues (abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, constipation) and pain (joints, headache) and fatigue. When some customers—who may suspect they have celiac sensitivity (NCGS) but haven’t seen a natural practitioner—ask you what’s best, try creating a poster with the headline: “Do You Feel These? You May be Gluten-Sensitive. Ask Us” and list the symptoms. Those who ask may be referred to your naturopath of choice as well as any of the safe gluten-free supplements.
Kachko explained that NCGS is rather easy to test for, with a few simple blood tests (the same as the ones done to rule out celiac disease—though celiac disease often requires more invasive diagnostic tests to be clearly ruled out)—that are typically covered by insurance. “On occasion, a systematic elimination diet may be useful and even necessary as an alternative when blood work is negative but the patient presents with a clinical picture indicative of gluten sensitivity,” he said.
Consumers are definitely concerned about gluten and other substances that may trigger a host of reactions. Shannon Hoffmann, president of Green Acres Markets (Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma), observed that “The awareness is definitely growing. It is not, however, as developed as with foods. But as consumers begin to eliminate harsh chemicals, fillers, binders and preservatives from their supplements, they find themselves next asking about allergy free and gluten free as well—just to be safe. This is true especially if they have already made dietary adjustments.”
At Paradise Health & Nutrition in Florida, consumer awareness and concern over gluten and allergen-free dietary supplements is definitely a growing category, reported Tom Sokoloff, president. “We are seeing more and more consumers turning to allergy-free foods to see if it improves their health and/or improves a health challenge they are dealing with,” he stated. Debbie Cerankowski of Debbie’s Health Foods, Florida, pointed to the success of the groundbreaking books, Wheat Belly and Grain Brain which have motivated “more and more people to become aware of what gluten free is. Also, the GF (gluten free) symbol is even in the mass market. Consumers are coming to us every day for gluten free products, but not only gluten free food and supplements, but deodorant, shampoo and make up,” she commented.
Whether the supplement you consider bringing to your shelves says “gluten free” or “allergen free,” there are frequently numerous steps of rigid testing involved.
Ryan Sensenbrenner, marketing manager, Enzymedica based in Florida, opined that when launching a new product, manufacturers have a responsibility to consider their entire supply chains. Often issues that arise are due to not having transparency in the production of their raw materials. Third-party GMP (good manufacturing practice) certification from agencies such as NSF International are crucial for establishing best practices of quality, he said. To ensure compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) cGMP regulations, Sensenbrenner noted that Enzymedica maintains GMP certification via biannual audits from NSF.
New York-based American BioSciences insists that all its suppliers provide certificates of analysis of all ingredients, with allergen testing, according to David Wales, president. The company also incorporates standard operating procedures (SOPs) to eliminate potential cross contamination between ingredients, plus third-party testing services to confirm allergen levels in products it labels as free of that allergens.
“Our primary concern is with gluten, and although the FDA will allow us to label products with less than 20 ppm of gluten as gluten free, we use the most sensitive tests that enable us to ensure that our gluten-free products contain less than 5 ppm,” Wales offered.
He added that American BioSciences works closely with scientists who understand the research demonstrating the connection between allergies, immune function, quality of life and the development and progression of serious illnesses. Several years ago the company ensured that its signature supplements—ImmPower, SugarSolve, FlexSolve, DigestSolve—along with others (except its fermented wheat germ extract), were gluten free.
Raw Materials
At North American Herb and Spice (NAHS), Illinois, Judy Gray, president and founder, noted that conscientious manufacturers are cognizant that gluten is a major concern for a significant portion of the population. Therefore, all NAHS products are gluten free and as allergen free as possible, she noted. The company controls its sources of ingredients by hand-gathering raw, wild materials from wilderness throughout the world, Gray said. Thus, raw materials are carefully monitored from the beginning to the end of production, and any gluten or gluten-allergenic sources are never used.
“NAHS never uses toxic substances such as alcohol, propylene glycol, benzene, acetone, titanium dioxide and hexane,” she explained. “Plus, all NAHS products are free of fillers, binders, and flow agents such as magnesium stearate and talc. There are no artificial sweeteners, flavorings, colorings, or shellacs of any kind in any of the supplements. Instead, real whole, organic, and wild foods are the sources.”
Enzymedica offers a wide range of products for people who have food intolerance. According to Sensenbrenner, one of the company’s best-selling products is Digest Spectrum, said to be one of the only supplements on the market that support all of the major intolerances.
“Unlike celiac or food allergies, individuals may find relief from intolerances by taking digestive enzyme supplements, which break down problematic foods,” he said. “Intolerances, by definition, are deficiencies of the enzymes needed to digest a type of food.”
Enzymedica also offers products specific to different food groups. GlutenEase Extra Strength contains protease and DPP-IV enzymes to break down both gluten and casein. And the company’s Lacto contains lactase and eight other enzymes that work synergistically to digest dairy sugars, proteins and fats.
Essential Formulas of Texas has a new line of gluten-free products, Reg’Activ, that will reportedly stimulate the body’s production of “master antioxidant” glutathione, reported Alexandra Charles, director of education. Additionally, the company’s Dr. Ohhira line is all gluten free.
American BioSciences has just introduced Metatrol, a potent fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) dietary supplement, and reportedly the only one which is gluten free, Wales noted. Although many physicians recommend FWGE because of extensive research showing it supports regulation of cell metabolism and immune function, it naturally contains gluten, so not everyone can take it. American BioSciences developed technology that concentrates the bioactive fraction of FWGE (called FWGE-SC) and discards the non-active molecules, including gluten. Just 41 mg of FWGE-SC is bioequivalent to 5,500 mg of FWGE, so the daily dose of gluten-free Metatrol is much easier to take, said Wales.
In Charles’ viewpoint, today’s retailers are in tune with the natural product industry and their customers, so they know that these issues are extremely important. “Consumers are educated and are asking the hard questions and the retailers are helping them make an educated choice,” she said.
According to Sensenbrenner, Enzymedica’s retailers are “tremendously passionate” about food intolerance, and work diligently to educate their customers about these and other digestive issues. He reported that Enzymedica just completed a food intolerance contest where retailers around the country have developed their own end-caps that offer intolerance-friendly foods and supplements.
“Some of the submissions we’ve received have been spectacular and have gone above and beyond what we could have hoped for this program,” he remarked. “We have also worked with retailers who wished to brand their entire store concept around food intolerance. One example of such a store is Marietta Health Foods in Georgia.”
There are some challenges inherent in any growing category niche, and the sector of gluten- and allergy-free supplements has a few, according to manufacturers.
Wales believes that gluten-free and other allergen-free products are perceived by consumers as being expensive. However, he asserted, they are almost always of higher quality, made with higher purity ingredients and more exacting quality control standards necessary to ensure they are indeed free of potential allergens.
Additionally, there are also some retailers Wales has spoken with who still feel that this category, notably gluten-free, may still be a fad. However, research is showing that the prevalence of food allergies is increasing, due to unknown causes, he noted.
Retail Opportunity
Sensenbrenner agreed. Food intolerances, he said, significantly impact tens of millions of individuals in the United States. “Often, however, people don’t realize that their digestive issues are tied to the food that they eat,” he said. “Retailers have an opportunity to offer consultative services with their customers to help them identify food intolerances, and to establish a protocol to minimize symptoms, which may include elimination diets or enzyme supplementation. Retailers should be encouraged to actively promote their expertise in food intolerance with their customers and to display signage and literature educating them on the differences between intolerance and allergies.”
He added that Enzymedica offers free signage to its retailers, customized with their logos and available in multiple sizes, to create food intolerance sets. “Enzymedica branding is de-emphasized on these materials because we really want to encourage retailers to display a variety of food and supplements,” Sensenbrenner noted.
Essential Formulas’ Charles observed that some products don’t have enough room on their label to make gluten free prominent enough for customers to notice while scanning shelves. She suggested, “Creating gluten-free tags to place with the objects on sales would make it much easier for customers to spot them when shopping.”
Paradise Health & Nutrition sponsors a weekly live radio show broadcast and features this topic from time to time, and brand partners have been supportive with extensive training for staff, Sokoloff said. The store also features signage in the front windows and shelf talkers to alert shoppers to the allergen-friendly foods and supplements.
“It’s common for our staff that once we learn a customer has food sensitivities we walk them around to all the departments to point out their choices. Many are amazed by the fact there is so much variety in this category. You can sense they are relieved that switching to this lifestyle is not so difficult after all,” he commented.
At Green Acres, the staff goes through training with the vendors and also speaks to their customers to find out their priorities and needs so that they may be directed to the most suitable products. “We don’t just promote a line because we want to,” Hoffman emphasized. “We offer choices to provide the best fit for each individual.”
Unlike a clear-cut sector, such as stress/anxiety or cardiovascular, this category can be quite expansive, as any supplement can now be allergen- and gluten free. This brings up the question of best display practices.
“Because gluten/allergy free products can span from probiotics to multi-vitamins to immune support supplements, creating a separate category may be confusing to the customer coming in for a specific type of supplement,” remarked Essential Formulas’ Charles. “I think creating ‘Gluten or Allergy Free’ tags to put by the products that fit would be the best way to streamline shopping for customers with those health concerns.”
Rather than gluten free, Sensenbrenner said Enzymedica recommends retailers create comprehensive “food intolerance” categories and endcaps, because while many Americans are gluten intolerant, often individuals with one intolerance are actually intolerant to multiple food types like lactose, casein and phenols.
“With the strong media attention around food intolerance, retailers have the opportunity to brand themselves as food intolerance resources for their communities and reach a large audience, rather than limit themselves specifically to gluten,” he stated.
More specifically, Sensenbrenner explained, these food intolerance sets can bring together products from a variety of categories within the health food store. Retailers should consider incorporating their best-selling intolerance-friendly foods and supplements into these sets. “This type of cross-merchandising encourages repeat store visits and can increase basket size at the register,” he said.
Wales believes that hunting for these supplements and having to read all the fine print on the labels is “tedious.” As a consumer, he said he much prefers to find them all in one spot, “but most of my retailer friends would find it impractical to have a buyer just for allergen-free products.”
Debbie’s Health Foods, said Cerankowski, has a huge selection of gluten-free and allergy-free supplements and groceries, and has dedicated significant space in its food and makeup aisles along with six freezer doors of space. “It was bothering me years ago when parents would bring their children in to see the gluten-free food and they had to go all over the store, and with packaging the way it is being so colorful, the children would see and want the wrong things,” she related. “That made us decide to put it all in one section so it would be easier for everyone.”
Sokoloff summarized, “Independent retailers like myself and others are always looking for niche areas like this in a growing and competitive market. Early on I kept hearing that the ‘gluten-free lifestyle’ is just another fad that will quickly fad away. It certainly has not!” VR
For More Information:
American BioSciences, Inc., (888) 884-7770
Enzymedica, Inc., (941) 505-5565
Essential Formulas, (972) 255-3918
North American Herb & Spice, (800) 243-5242
