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Gluten Free Information - Gluten Free Raw Materials
 Gram
(Cicer Arietinum)
Gram or channa
dahl is a member of the chick pea family and is not a grain It mills into a fine
yellow flour which is a rich, natural, and gluten free. It is a good source of
protein and dietary fibre.
Rice (Oryza Sativa) Undoubtedly
originating in the orient rice is one of the oldest grains in the world. It is
grown in quantity on every continent and features in the diets of many cultures.
The climate in the United Kingdom is not suitable for the cultivation of rice
while the warmer climes of Italy make them the largest European producer of rice. There
are many varieties of long and short grain rice, which can be produced in conditions
ranging from flooded paddy fields to irrigated terraces. Rice is easily digested
making it suitable for those with a delicate digestion or on a special diet.
 Buckwheat
(Fagopyrum Esculentum)
Having no
relationship or connection with wheat, the triangular black or dark brown buckwheat
seed is produced by a member of the rhubarb family. Growing to a metre in height,
producing distinctive small pink flowers in late summer, the seed ripens in the
late autumn. Mechanical removal of the inedible outer husk is required to yield
sweet tasting buckwheat. This is a
traditional food in many parts of Russia and Northern China where, after hulling,
the whole grain sometimes known as 'kasha' is boiled and eaten. Buckwheat has
also been adopted by many other cultures and is typically used for both pancakes
in Northern France and Noodles in the Far East. Buckwheat
produces a sweet and speckled naturally gluten free flour. While buckwheat is
not suitable for bread making it imparts a distinctive and pleasing flavour to
baked goods.
 Maize
(Zea Mays)
Maize or corn originates
from South America and was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus and Sir Walter
Raleigh.
Tapioca
Starch (manihot escalenta) Cassava
is the chief source of tapioca. The cassava plant grows in a bushy form, up to
2.4m (8ft) tall, with greenish-yellow flowers. The roots are up to 8cm (3in) thick
and 91cm (36in) long. The term "tapioca" is used to designate products
made from cassava like starch and dried chips. The inner part of the root is called
the parenchyma, this is processed to produce tapioca starch. Cassava
is the staple food of at least 500 million people and is the third most important
food source in the tropics after rice and maize. It originated in Brazil and possibly
also in Central America and was introduced into Africa hundreds of years ago.
It is a hardy crop that is resistant to drought and gives good yields on low fertility
soils, it is of great importance for subsistence farmers throughout the tropics.
Potato Starch (Solanum tuberosum) Potato
is an edible starch tuber. The plant, native to the Peruvian Andes, was probably
first taken to Europe in the mid 16th century by Spanish explorers. The cultivation
of the potato spread rapidly, especially in the temperate regions. The
potato plant grow up to 1m (3ft), with pointed leaves and white/purple flowers.
The tubers form on the underground stem with some varieties producing up to 20
tubers. Potatoes grown for starch manufacture may
contain up to 22% starch dry matter. Fresh
potatoes are carefully cleaned before starch extraction. The starch granules and
juice are separated from the cell walls (the pulp) producing a starch milk. The
starch milk is purified and dried to remove the water resulting in the starch
granules.
 Carob
(Ceratonia Siliqua)
Carob pods
are the fruit of the carob tree, an evergreen. Carob originated from the Mediterranean
region and the western part of Asia. Today it is grown mostly in Mediterranean
countries. Ripened pods are dark brown
in colour and are 10 to 20 centimetres in length. The pod has a high content of
natural sugars (40 - 45 percent) and fibre, but a low caloric content, due to
its low fat and high fibre content. It is also well known for its nutritional
value and health properties as it is rich in both vitamins (A, B1, B2, D) and
minerals (iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium). Carob is naturally gluten
free. To produce carob flour the pods
are roasted and then finely ground.
Xanthan Gum Xanthan
is a natural gum produced by the fermentation of sugar with friendly bacteria.
The bacterium used is Xanthomonas campestris, hence the name xanthan gum. Because
bacteria produce the gum xanthan is known as a biogum. The
sugar most commonly used for the fermentation process is corn syrup which is mixed
with the bacterial starter and treated with nitrogen and trace elements and allowed
to ferment. When fermentation is complete
the syrupy broth is pasteurised to kill the bacteria. After filtering and washing
the resulting solids are dried and ground to produce the gum.
Sugar Beet Fibre As
its name suggests this is the dietary fibre from the sugar beet. Once the sugar
has been extracted the sugar beet pulp is dried by overheated steam under pressure
in a patented drying method. No chemicals are used in the process. The resulting
fibre is a natural dietary fibre with high fibre content of 73%. Sugar beet fibre
is by nature free from gluten and it is therefore an excellent fibre source for
coeliacs. Sugar beet fibre contains
a natural balance of insoluble and soluble fibre. It is the soluble fibre that
is nutritionally active in terms of influence on cholesterol and blood sugar.
Fibre is playing a steadily increasing role in our health and well being. Sugar
beet was first identified as a source of sugar in 1747. By 1880 sugar beet had
replaced sugar cane as the main source of sugar on continental Europe. Sugar beet
was introduced to England during the First World War when Britain's sugar imports
were threatened. Sugar beet now accounts for 30% of global sugar production; the
root crop is grown mostly in the temperate zones of the north.
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