Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Turkish companies moves in on gluten-free market

by Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL Jan 29, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Anadolu Agency Jan 29, 2015 12:00 am
"I was like E.T. My skin was like a snake's skin. My cheeks were sunken and I was a very weak and small girl before I knew that I had celiac disease," says 26-year-old Yağmur Dilara Şenkal, a customer representative at Istanbul's only 100-percent gluten-free restaurant.

Dilara is only one of the 35,000 people diagnosed with celiac disease in Turkey. It is thought that the real number is much higher, as there are many people who are not even aware that they have the condition.

Celiac is an autoimmune disease which is triggered by a reaction to foods containing the protein gluten-including wheat, rye and barley. It is a sensitive disease, which requires special care and a life-long gluten-free diet.

As gluten is also used as a texture enhancer, stabilizer and thickener in many products, some health experts say 80 percent of foods contain gluten. Maintaining this diet is not easy.

This has fuelled demand for gluten-free foods worldwide. According to a report by U.S.-based research company MarketsandMarkets, North America dominated the gluten-free products market, followed by Europe in 2013.

The gluten-free products market is projected to reach $6.8 billion globally by 2019.

Back in Turkey, awareness about the condition is growing. "Even a small piece of bread can cause sickness like stomachache, diarrhea or nausea," says Hilal Batmaz, a dietitian at the Private Konak Hospital in Kocaeli province. "It is not a fatal disease by itself, but may cause serious diseases if patients are not careful about their diet."

However, if patients stick to their diets, they will live a healthier life.

"Twenty years ago there were no gluten-free products in Turkey," says Oya Özden, 52, president of the Istanbul-based Society of Living with Celiac. "Life was so difficult for me at that time," she adds.

Özden learned of her disease first in 1995 when she was 32. She neither knew what celiac was nor what she would do after her diagnosis. A very difficult process started for her. She had to bake her own bread - an essential part of Turkish cuisine - for a long time, and had difficulty in finding the right things to eat.

Four years later, in 1999, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's affiliate corporation "People's Bread" produced gluten-free bread for the first time in the city. It later expanded its products, ranging from hamburgers to cookies.

Some flour, pasta, biscuit and dessert firms followed the bread company. In the last 15 years, the number of labels producing gluten-free products has increased across the country.

Eskişehir-based biscuit company, ETİ, started selling gluten-free biscuits in 2003 and Istanbul's Sinangil Flour Company produced gluten-free flour in 2007.

Famous Istanbul-based desert company, Güllüoğlu, has also been alerted to this new market for celiac patients. It joined the companies producing gluten-free goods in 2013.

"It is a social-responsibility project. People with celiac are very glad to able to find gluten-free baklava [traditional dessert] here. The interest is increasing day by day," says Nilgun Demirel, a food engineer at Güllüoğlu. "We have also started sending baklava to Germany, France and America as well."
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jan 29, 2015 1:43 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    life
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Eid al-Fitr: Muslims across world celebrate Ramadan Bayram
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021