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[Spelt wheat and celiac disease]
1Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Lebensmittelchemie, Garching, Germany.
Zeitschrift Fur Lebensmittel-Untersuchung Und -Forschung
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) contains toxic alpha-gliadins similar to bread wheat, posing a risk for individuals with coeliac disease. This study confirms spelt wheat is unsafe and must be avoided by coeliac patients.
Area of Science:
- Wheat genetics and immunology
- Cereal chemistry
- Gastroenterology
Context:
- Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten consumption.
- Spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) has not been previously assessed for coeliac toxicity.
- Ethical considerations preclude clinical trials on coeliac patients.
Purpose:
- To compare the coeliac-toxic potential of spelt wheat and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).
- To analyze the N-terminal sequences of alpha-gliadins, implicated in coeliac disease.
- To determine if spelt wheat alpha-gliadins exhibit toxicity similar to bread wheat.
Summary:
- Alpha-gliadin fractions from spelt and bread wheat were isolated using RP-HPLC.
- N-terminal sequence analysis revealed no significant differences in the first 25 amino acid positions.
- Further analysis of pepsin and trypsin hydrolyzed peptides confirmed sequence identity from positions 3 to 56.
Impact:
- Spelt wheat possesses coeliac-toxic properties due to its alpha-gliadin composition.
- Coeliac patients must avoid spelt wheat consumption.
- This research provides crucial data for dietary recommendations for coeliac disease management.