Cross-reactivity Between Anti-gliadin Antibodies and Proteins in Spices May Trigger Symptoms in Some People with Celiac Disease

This is interesting… especially in explaining why the AIP diet can be helpful for some celiacs. It does beg the question though: were those spices certified gluten free?

Yes, the spices in the study were tested for gluten.

Interesting findings. I wonder if the scope was broadened a bit how many other spices would have effects. I already dislike most peppers because I can’t tolerate the heat (love ginger though). Never liked anise; hated caraway. Sesame, however, I love. Now I wonder if I need to stop eating tahini or other foods with it.

Oh boy…I consume a lot of food with chili pepper/powder in it. Though I guess it’s similar how it is with oats for some celiacs - some have cross-reactivity, some don’t.

This is interesting/concerning to me as an asymptomatic celiac. Wondering whether this testing was done with fresh ginger root and whole nutmeg and black peppercorns, etc. -- or the powdered preserved kind...  

I guess I'm fortunate since I eat all of the above except any form of glutamine which gives me RLS.  Re the non-glutamine spices, I use them liberally according to the dish I'm preparing.  Of course, I use gluten-free brands.  I am curious though and look forward to the end result of the study.  

This is interesting and I am buoyed that more research is being conducted to look at cross-reactivity effects of foods, spices, etc., that are molecularly close to gluten.  I recognized an issue with black pepper years ago, and have nicely substituted it with white pepper.  White pepper is also low in oxalates.  I also have never liked the taste of spicy foods, i.e., Mexican, chili.  Wonder if paprika falls under this same category?

Here is a relevant quote from the paper (I don't think spices are an issue):

"Many polypeptide chains in dietary proteins containing prolamine fractions (e.g. maize), and even some that contain no fractions at all, may contain potentially toxic sequences including tetrapeptides PSQQ, QQQP, QQPY or QPYP. However, these proteins are not etiologic factors in celiac disease. This suggests that the environment, such as presence of additional specific amino acid residues, determines the toxicity of these structural motifs (Cornell & Mothes, 1993). Likewise, spice proteins with peptide sequences homologous with the proteins responsible for celiac disease were recognized in our study by both rabbit (anti-QQQP) and human antibodies. However, the presence of these specific peptide sequences does not necessarily mean that the spices which contain them will be harmful to patients with celiac disease or wheat allergy. This is because the structural environment of the peptides has a critical influence. The amino acid composition determines whether the gluten protein epitopes are active or inactive, enabling spice proteins to be used in a gluten-free diet (Haraszi et al., 2011). Nonetheless, the possibility that these peptides may have adverse effects on the intestinal mucosa of patients with celiac disease cannot be excluded."

Don't forget the last sentence of your quote from this study:

Quote

Nonetheless, the possibility that these peptides may have adverse effects on the intestinal mucosa of patients with celiac disease cannot be excluded.

On 6/1/2022 at 11:37 AM, Yaya said:

I guess I'm fortunate since I eat all of the above except any form of glutamine which gives me RLS.  Re the non-glutamine spices, I use them liberally according to the dish I'm preparing.  Of course, I use gluten-free brands.  I am curious though and look forward to the end result of the study.  

Hi there 

Which spices do you use that are gluten free? Thank you

2 hours ago, Raquel2021 said:

Hi there 

Which spices do you use that are gluten free? Thank you

McCormick organic also Kroger brand "Private Selection" which is their gluten-free brand.  Because I've read about it but didn't see a gluten-free tag under them, I called and went over every Private Selection condiment, spice etc I have and they were all gluten-free.  We did one at a time.  

Sorry, I have about 40 different spices including turmeric and ginger, cumin, dill, nutmeg, cinnamon...I can't name all of them, but there is little I don't use.  I cook a wide variety of dishes.   

1 hour ago, Yaya said:

McCormick organic also Kroger brand "Private Selection" which is their gluten-free brand.  Because I've read about it but didn't see a gluten-free tag under them, I called and went over every Private Selection condiment, spice etc I have and they were all gluten-free.  We did one at a time.  

Sorry, I have about 40 different spices including turmeric and ginger, cumin, dill, nutmeg, cinnamon...I can't name all of them, but there is little I don't use.  I cook a wide variety of dishes.   

 

Thanks. This is very helpful.  I am currently using Clubhouse which is under McCormick. They say their single spices only contain the spice it self and that gluten would be listed if it was an ingredient. I react to cumin, paprika and cinnamon