What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac Disease is a genetic disorder of the small intestine and is characterized by sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats. When affected people eat gluten, their small intestine becomes damaged and they cannot absorb nutrients properly.  Some common symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, increased appetite, bloating, weight loss, irritability and fatigue.  

According to the Celiac Sprue Association, approximately 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease making it the most common inherited genetic illness in the country. Based on these estimates, only about 3% of these people have been diagnosed. Celiac Disease is generally diagnosed with a series of blood tests (Celiac Blood Panel) followed by a duodenal biopsy. The only treatment for Celiac Disease is to follow a lifelong diet without gluten. Once gluten is removed from the diet, most symptoms subside within three to six months.

What does Gluten  Free mean?

The level of gluten that is tolerable for individuals with celiac disease has been the subject of debate for many years.  Research establishing a safe threshold of gluten consumption for those with celiac disease was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  The study, conducted by members of the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA) at the University of Maryland concludes that  celiacs can safely tolerate up the 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten in  food.  

In 2006, The FDA released its proposal for labeling products as gluten-free which was required as part of the Food Allergen  Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA). The FDA listened to patients, food manufacturers, and members of the scientific community in developing the  well-thought out proposal.  Click here for a copy of the proposal. In this  document, the FDA proposed a definition of "gluten free" that food companies  would need to meet in order to make this claim on their label.  The key recommendation is that any food labeled "gluten free" must not contain more  than 20 ppm of gluten.  

Amy’s Kitchen Products

Amy’s Kitchen manufactures a number of “Gluten  Free” products all meeting the FDA guidelines for "gluten free"  (i.e., <20 ppm gluten).  We strive to make these products as delicious as our popular gluten containing products. We currently have over 60 products that are “Gluten Free”.  

>> Gluten Free Products
+ Download a list of Gluten Free products

Amy’s Kitchen Policies and  Practices

Amy’s has always had strict Good Manufacturing  Practices (GMPs) to avoid cross-contact of our non-gluten products with gluten  and we continue to strengthen these practices. The GMPs include strict raw material control, sanitation practices and employee training. We are constantly improving our practices to include more separation, a higher degree  of testing and more in process checks.  In the last year, we have increased our screening of critical ingredients to verify they are “gluten  free” when they arrive at our plant.  We continue to make efforts to minimize gluten in areas where gluten free items are processed.  We have instituted a screening program to verify that equipment has been thoroughly  cleaned between manufacturing runs.  In addition, we now have an in-house lab so that we are able to quickly screen more ingredients and finished products to verify they meet  our “gluten free” standards.  

Find out more about eating without Wheat with this great book by Karen Fine.

After my 22 month old son was diagnosed with celiac disease (now almost three years ago), we were unable to find any toddler-age book that would help us explain to him that everything was going to be okay. We didn't want him to go through life thinking that just because he had a different diet than some other children, didn't make him any less "normal." There are a lot of children on special diets for different reasons and we emphasized at home "not to make a big deal." He's now almost five years old and thriving thanks to the new products on the market from increased awareness about celiac disease, gluten intolerance and wheat allergies. A change in diet has changed our life and I hope to inspire other young children to live happy, healthy lives.
 

Consumer Comments
Said best by our consumers and supported by our employees, Amy’s is dedicated to providing our gluten-intolerant consumers with delicious natural and organic convenience foods:

Dear Amy,
I have been suffering from Ulcerative Colitis over 3 years now and decided to fight it with a change in diet as opposed to the awful steroids and meds they wanted to keep me on. In the process of all of this, I found out that many of my favorites; almonds, dairy products, shrimp, lobster, and eggs were what my body was rejecting when I ate them. THANK YOU so much for developing a product for those of us who have to substitute. I still love to eat, but there are so few options out there for those of us with limitations. I am excited to try the pizza with soy and the Mexican dishes! I already LOVE the soups, but need some variety in my life :)

THANKS AGAIN! Keep up the great work!

From Sam Keller

Dear Amy,
Thank you so much for your gluten-free meals!  I used to eat several of your products as a vegetarian, but now I also have celiac disease. So, knowing everything is vegetarian and then finding many items gluten-free AND available at my grocery store is just a super treat!  And I can't wait to try the pizza! 

The Tofu scramble was my most recent purchase and I loved it!  Thanks a bunch for making my busy (but gluten-free) life easier.
From Kristen Nowicki

Dear Amy,
Thanks so much for your frozen meals that have no wheat! My 22-month-old son has multiple food allergies and cannot have soy, wheat, peanuts or eggs. He loves the rice macaroni and cheese. He recently tried the rice crust pizza (which I know does have soy lecithin). I was so excited to find something "normal" that he could eat. Do you have any other products that have those limitations? Please let me know. There are several stores where I can buy your products (health food and Major supermarkets). Thanks so much for making feeding my son with multiple allergies a little bit easier.

Colleen

Dear Amy,
I am allergic to wheat and think I have celiac disease, but am not diagnosed. I am also a vegetarian the vast majority of the time. I want you guys to know how much I love your food and how much I love being able to buy frozen dinners that don't make me sick. Sometimes I get grumpy looking at all the food I can't have, but being able to enjoy your products eased that a lot for me. Plus, when I have to eat at my desk at work, the smell of your food makes my coworkers jealous!

Thank you!

From Aimee H

>> Click here to read more rave reviews by our Celiac Consumers

>> Click here to read more from the CT Newtown Bee

For more information on Celiac Disease, visit the following websites:

+ Celiac Sprue Association
+ Celiac Disease Foundation
+ Gluten Intolerance Group
+ Celiac.com
+ The Celiac Site

For more Celiac web links visit our Links page in the FAQ section.