Gluten-free: shopping made easy

People with celiac disease and those following a gluten-free diet soon may not have to spend hours poring over a product's ingredient list. A proposed rule by the Food and Drug Administration would give manufacturers the opportunity to add "gluten-free" to their packaging. Celiac disease is an inflammatory disorder in the small intestine triggered by proteins found in gluten-containing grains, which include wheat, spelt, kamut, farina, semolina, vital gluten, rye and barley. To learn more, visit the Gluten Intolerance Group's website (gluten.net), which also features a list of companies whose products have been certified gluten free.

Is it gluten free? It's not always easy to tell, especially with breads, crackers and other typically gluten-laden foods. For now, careful label reading the best safeguard.

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