What is ‘1 in 133’?                                             

It is first and foremost, a statistic – one that describes the prevalence of Celiac Disease & gluten intolerance in our society.

It is also the name given to a clever marketing campaign, designed to draw attention to food labeling laws.

Yes, this weeks’ post is a bit different from the norm.

However, I was motivated to get on the bandwagon, due to my personal interest in this common digestive disorder.

Since May is National Celiac Awareness Month, this is a fitting time to drum up support.

Whether referred to as Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, it all boils down to the same thing – an inability to digest gluten, a common protein in food.

The only known cure does not involve medication or surgery – a big plus – but it does require life-long adherence to a special, gluten-free diet. (Please note that his has nothing to do with the current fad to adopt a gluten-free diet in order to lose weight).

The ‘1 in 133’ website neatly sums up their mission with the following statement:

‘In 2007, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) tasked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finalize standards for gluten-free labeling. Four years later, the FDA has failed to fulfill that mandate. To the millions of Americans who eat gluten-free food, this inaction is a big deal’.

So, here’s where it really gets fun:

To highlight their cause, the campaign has set out to create the world’s largest Gluten-Free Cake, which will ultimately be 12 feet high!

This is no small feat for gluten free baking!

For anyone not familiar with gluten-free baking, it’s problematic at best, since gluten is the very substance which lends elasticity and moisture to baked goods.

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