Medical researchers have revealed the main factor in wheat gluten that causes coeliac disease, a condition that results in inflammation and damage to the small intestine. A three-year study by a team at St Thomas's Hospital in London, partly backed by the charity Action Medical Research and Sainsbury's, showed that a small section of protein causes tissue damage to the intestine. The findings were published in the December edition of the journal Gut. Researchers hope to develop a modified form of wheat that retains the baking qualities of flour but is not toxic to individuals who may be susceptible to coeliac disease. The disease can cause death in children if left untreated.
The disease can cause death in children if left untreated.
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