Catholic church nixes gluten-free bread at communion
The Vatican has confirmed a 2003 directive, instructing parishes that they can’t serve truly gluten-free breads but are allowed to offer believers low-gluten substitutes during communion. The Church saw the need to clarify this policy given that, “[T]he confusion can be great when these ‘breads’ are advertised as gluten-free alongside what are described as gluten-free but are in fact low-gluten altar breads,” according to the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Aussies back low-gluten barley and livestock feed from seaweed
Australia is setting up a $200-million innovation fund — half public and half private money — to try to commercialize breakthrough research from universities, government agencies and other research bodies, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Among the projects are Kebari, an ultra-low-gluten barley and FutureFeed, an additive for livestock rations made from seaweed that dramatically reduces methane emissions by cattle.
Move over quinoa, sorghum joins the gluten-free marketplace
Drought-hardy sorghum is a minor feed grain for U.S. farmers. Compared to king corn, it is grown on a sliver of land, mostly in the Plains. " Now some U.S. food manufacturers are capitalizing on its most marketable trait: Sorghum is gluten-free.
Ag giants Australia and United States eye quinoa
Two of the world's leading grain exporters "are racing to become mass producers" of gluten-free quinoa, native to South America and the world's newest super food, says Reuters.
From staff of life to suspect in disease
Wheat, known for centuries as the staff of life, provides one-fifth of all food eaten worldwide and is the top source of protein in developing countries.
Amaranth, the “hidden wonder”
Variously called African spinach, ramdana and brom-brou, amaranth is usually picked fresh for use in salads or cooked with meat or fish, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, which selected the crop native to the Andes as its "traditional crop of the month."