Overview of Gluten Free Diets and Best Practices

1. Gluten-Free
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

2. Outline
• Learning Objectives
• Key Concepts
1. Gluten is a protein found in 4 main grains: wheat,
barley, rye, and triticale (crossbreed)
2. Gluten can be hidden in many foods so always
read the ingredient label or look for foods labeled
“gluten-free,” “free of gluten,” without gluten,” or
“no gluten”
3. Multiple gluten-free grains, other food products,
and cross-contamination prevention procedures
are available to provide a gluten-free dining
experience
• Questions
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

3. Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
• Identify the four main grains and other ingredients
containing gluten
• Understand the importance of following a gluten-
free diet
• Understand FDA regulations for labeling products
gluten-free
• Identify gluten-free grains, foods, safe
substitutions, and ‘maybe’ foods
• Recognize practices for preventing the cross-
contamination of products
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

4. What is Gluten?
• A protein found in grains such as:
• Wheat
• Rye
• Barley
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise
and keep its shape
• Provides final product with chewy texture
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

5. What is Eating Gluten-Free?
• Consuming food products free of the
protein gluten
• Reasons for following this diet:
– Celiac disease
– Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity
– Personal preference
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

6. Celiac Disease
• Is an autoimmune disorder
• Body attacks itself every time a person eats a product with gluten
• Causes inflammation of the small intestine
• Damages the villi and interferes with the absorption
of nutrients
• Can lead to malnutrition
• If left untreated:
• Can develop other immune disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Thyroid disease
• Cancer
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

7. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
• Those who cannot tolerate gluten and
experience symptoms similar to those
with celiac disease
• Lacks the auto-immune response found
with Celiac Disease
• Also known as Gluten Intolerance
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

8. Symptoms of Both
• Bloating
• Gas
• Abdominal
cramping
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Steatorrhea
• Fatigue
• Itchy skin rash
• Headaches
• Depression
• Unexplained weight
loss with increased
appetite
• Weight gain
• Tingling or numbness
in hands or feet
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

9. Gluten-Free Diet Importance
1. Estimated that 1 in 133 Americans have
Celiac Disease
• About 3 million people
• 83% of Americans that have Celiac disease are
undiagnosed or misdiagnosed
2. About 18 million Americans have non-
Celiac gluten sensitivity
3. Only treatment for gluten-protein
disorders is a gluten-free diet
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

10. FDA Regulations
• In late 2013, a final ruling for gluten-free labeling
was published in the Federal Registrar
• In order to label an item “gluten-free,” it must
abide by one of these rules:
• Contain <20ppm of gluten
– Is the lowest level that can consistently be detected in foods
• Doesn’t contain any type of wheat, barley, rye, or
crossbreeds of these grains
– No ingredients derived from these grains that have not been
processed to remove the gluten
– Can have ingredients derived from these grains BUT must be
processed to remove the gluten and MUST have <20ppm of
gluten
• Labels stating “without gluten,” “free of gluten,” or
“no gluten” must also follow the new regulation
• Currently, an estimated 5% of foods claiming to be
gluten-free contain >20ppm of gluten[3]
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

11. Ingredients to Avoid in a
Gluten-Free Diet
• The four grains: wheat, rye, barley,
triticale
• Products derived from wheat:
• Bulgur, durum flour, farina, graham flour, kamut,
semolina, spelt
• Products derived from barley:
• Malt, malt flavoring, malt vinegar, malt extract
• Ingredients with the word “wheat” in the
name
• Exception: Buckwheat
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

12. Gluten-Free Foods
• Beans, seeds, nuts (in their natural unprocessed
form)
• Fresh eggs, most dairy products
• Some processed cheeses may contain gluten
• Fruits and vegetables
• Fresh meats, fish, poultry
• As long as it is not breaded, batter-coated, or marinated
• Gluten-free flours
• Soy, rice, corn, potato, bean, almond, coconut
• Amaranth, flax, hominy, quinoa, soy
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

13. The “Maybe” Foods
• Dextrin
• Can be made from wheat but would be labeled as such
• Flavorings
• Usually are gluten-free but in rare instances may contain wheat or
barley (malt flavoring)
• Processed Cheese
• Example: spray cheese
• Seasonings & Seasoning Mixes
• May contain gluten but ‘wheat’ would be noted on the label
• Soy Sauce
• Usually fermented from wheat, but there are gluten-free options
available
• Modified Food Starch
• Most are derived from corn, waxy maize, tapioca, or potatoes,
meaning they would be gluten-free
• If it is derived from wheat, ‘wheat’ will be indicated on the
ingredient label
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

14. What About Oats?
• Studies have shown the consumption of oats
to be safe as long as they are pure and
uncontaminated[7]
• Most commercial oats and oat products are
cross-contaminated with wheat, barley, or
rye[7]
– May happen during harvesting, transportation,
storage, milling, processing, or packaging
If using oats, make sure they are certified
as being gluten-free
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

15. And Vanilla Extract?
• The alcohol in vanilla extract has been
distilled
– Pure distilled alcohol is gluten-free regardless of
the starting material
• Distillation
– Liquid from a fermented grain mash is boiled
– Resulting vapor (alcohol) is captured and cooled,
causing the vapor to become liquid again
• Protein doesn’t vaporize thus there are no gluten
proteins in the cooled liquid
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

16. Gluten-Free Flours
 Non-Wheat Whole Grain
– Brown rice
– Buckwheat
– Corn
– Mesquite
– Millet
–Oat**Certified GF**
– Quinoa
– Sorghum
– Sweet potato
– Teff
 White Flour/Starches
– Arrowroot flour
– Cornstarch
– Potato flour
– Potato starch
– Sweet rice flour
– Tapioca flour
– White rice flour
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

17. Gluten-Free Flours
Nut Flours
– Almond
– Chestnut
– Coconut
– Hazelnut
Bean Flours
– Fava bean
– Garbanzo bean
– Kinako
• Roasted soy bean
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

18. The “Binding” Agents
• Xanthan gum and guar gum are used to bind,
thicken, and emulsify gluten-free ingredients
– If don’t use, products tend to fall apart
– Can use a mixture of both to achieve desired texture
and shape
• Different Properties of Each
– Xanthan gum is derived from fermented corn
• Exhibits a gelling feature; no distinct taste
– Guar gum comes from guar beans
• High in fiber; very good emulsifier; bean-like taste
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

19. Cross-Contamination
• Gluten-free foods come into contact
with foods containing gluten
• May happen during the manufacturing process
• Can occur in the kitchen when prepared on
common surfaces or common utensils are used
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

20. Cooking Gluten-Free in a
Commercial Kitchen
• Handling Ingredients
– Separate storage, preparation, and packaging
areas
• Stored in closed containers and packages
– Employees need to have clean garments and
hands
• No food/beverage allowed in production area
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

21. Cooking Gluten-Free in a
Commercial Kitchen
• Production Areas
– Best case would be to have two separate
production areas to minimize chances of
contamination
– In reality, likely one shared area so have
freshly cleaned pots, pans, and utensils
readily available for any gluten-free orders
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

22. Cooking Gluten-Free in a
Commercial Kitchen
• Equipment
– Should own separate pieces if cannot be fully washed
or are prone to absorb residue from items cut, cooked
or baked in it
• Possible need for duplicate equipment: commercial mixers,
toasters, cutting boards
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

23. Cooking Gluten-Free in a
Commercial Kitchen
• Baking - If using gluten-containing flours:
– Schedule gluten-free production at least 24 hours
AFTER the last gluten-containing production has been
completed[10]
– This includes packaging the product as well
– Example: Schedule any gluten-free production on Monday
mornings after a thorough wipe down has occurred and no
baking took place over the weekend
– Waiting at least 24 hours allows airborne flour dust
time to settle
– Clean equipment that appears dusty
– Clean utensils exposed to air before production
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore

24. Questions?
Thank you for your participation!
Presented by Arena Food Service, Inc. | Shaun M. Moore