In Australia, oats cannot be labelled as ‘gluten free’ due to legislation in the Food Standards Code and new research has revealed findings that may lead to changes in the Code. Currently, those with coeliac disease typically need to go through an ‘oats challenge’ under medical supervision to determine if it’s safe to eat within their diet.

Exciting new research from a team of scientists from Edith Cowan University, the CSIRO, and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), has looked at how oats could have the potential to be coeliac friendly.

By decoding the oat genome to better understand oats and their immune reactions, these researchers have presented interesting implications for the coeliac community. While more research is underway, this ground-breaking research provides needed insights into the suitability of oats for coeliacs and those on a gluten restricted diet.

“We discovered that oats have fewer of the proteins that correspond to gluten in wheat, causing an immune reaction from people with coeliac disease… This allowed us to confirm, on both a gene (DNA) and protein level, that oats contain fewer protein sequences that are known to trigger food allergy and intolerance.”

– Professor Michelle Colgrave, CSIRO

“Concerns that oats harbour gluten-like proteins that may be harmful for people with coeliac disease has meant that in Australia and New Zealand, oats are currently excluded from the gluten-free diet… The findings from this study tells us that the genes encoding potentially harmful gluten-like sequences are infrequent, expressed at low level and the sequences themselves less likely to trigger inflammation…These characteristics mean oats bear closer genomic and protein similarities to rice, which is safe in coeliac disease, than wheat and other gluten-rich cereals.”

-Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din, WEHI

Sources

Coeliac cereal – Research shows oats could be the answer. Edith Cowan University (2022). Access May 2022.

Oat products may be coeliac-friendly, scientists say. FoodProcessing (2022). Accessed May 2022.

Kamal, N., Tsardakas Renhuldt, N., Bentzer, J. et al. The mosaic oat genome gives insights into a uniquely healthy cereal crop. Nature (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04732-y

Disclaimer: Our Freedom Oats Low Gluten Porridges are tested to contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten and meets the claim of ‘low gluten’. To achieve ‘gluten free’ status in Australia, foods must be tested to contain less than 3 ppm of gluten. If you suffer from coeliac disease, our Low Gluten Porridges may not be suitable for you. As per Coeliac Australia, we recommend that coeliacs who are wishing to consume our Low Gluten Porridges should do so under medical supervision and advice to ensure appropriate review and safety.