Pass the Mic: talking about celiac disease
Experts from the Canadian Celiac Association and the CFIA answer a question about how they work to protect those who need to steer clear of gluten.
Pass the Mic: talking about celiac disease – Transcript
Colin Hodgson: My mom and I have celiac disease. What can you do to help protect people like us?
Caleigh McAuly, Canadian Celiac Association: That is a great question, Colin. Some people like you and your mom are diagnosed with celiac disease.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where your body reacts to gluten when you eat it. Gluten is naturally found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale foods like bread and pasta. But it can also be found in processed, packaged foods like soy sauce or chocolates.
At the Canadian Celiac Association, we are here to support people like you and your mom. We share information about celiac disease and what foods to eat, or to avoid, along with other ways to help you stay healthy. We also support research and help bring people together so no one feels alone on their journey.
Marie-Soleil Giguère, Longueuil Laboratory, CFIA: Thank you Colin for your question. If a food has an ingredient that could make someone sick, like you and your mom, it needs to say so on the label so you know not to eat it.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency checks that food in Canada is sold with the right label on it.
Part of my job is testing food in our lab here to check if it has the right information on its label. If we do find something wrong with a label, we spring into action right away.
Sometimes, that means telling a company to take the food product off store shelves. It can also mean telling families like yours to check their kitchen and throw away or return food that people with celiac disease should not eat.
If someone has an allergy or an intolerance, whether it's to gluten, nuts or something else, it is really important to always read the label carefully. Grown-ups can help you with this.
And now for the grown-ups watching: protect yourselves and your loved ones. Sign up today for our food recall and allergy alert notifications.
Bye Colin! Stay safe!
[End of recording]
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- Before you shop: food allergies and allergen labelling
- Interactive tool: understanding a food label
- Science in action: protecting people with allergies
- Canadian Celiac Association
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