Prevalence of Exposure to Hidden/Undeclared Wheat

Abstract

Background: Wheat is one of the eight major food allergens in the U.S., and yet few studies have been conducted on wheat as an allergen, possibly because allergic reactions are primarily not life threatening. Exposure to undeclared/hidden wheat in food is a concern, not only for those who are allergic, but also to those with celiac disease, because it is used so widely in our culture. Objective: To quantify the prevalence of exposure to undeclared/hidden wheat when dining in a restaurant or other foodservice establishment. Methods: An online survey with 34 questions was developed and online food allergy organizations, online forums, and allergy clinics were contacted to have their members or clients complete the survey. Participants must have a wheat allergy or intolerance or have (a) child(ren) who have a wheat allergy or intolerance. Minimum age for participants was 18 years old with no maximum age, and the target number of participants was between 300–400 people. Results: This study showed that exposure to undeclared/hidden wheat is prevalent in the foodservice industry, especially within the restaurant industry, and even though many of the subjects discussed their wheat allergy with either the server or the chef/cook, over 49% of the subjects still experienced at least one allergic reaction to hidden/undeclared wheat per month. Discussion: This study suggests that foodservice workers require additional training on food allergens and ingredients in order to serve safe meals to their customers.