Abstract

In recent years, the numbers of patients diagnosed with celiac disease has been growing in alarming numbers. One reason for the increased number of patients could be the way foods are processed with the use of additives or other methods of preservation. One of the most common issues with celiac disease is its management. Currently the only treatment is a modified but strict diet. However, patients who are diagnosed find that even with precautionary measures to stick to the modified gluten free diet, exposure to gluten can still be unavoidable. Management of the disease can sometimes be viewed as a hindrance because of constraints in control factors. Celiac disease is triggered by a number of proteins found in gluten. The villi in the small intestine have difficulty aiding in the digestion of these gluten proteins and cause serious medical issues for a patient who has celiac disease. Cross-contact from gluten free foods and gluten containing foods in various forms such as the preparation area of foods, cooking methods, and even person to person contact have been shown to cause damaging affects to a person who has celiac disease. There are several ways to avoid cross contamination such as awareness of the disease, proper preparation and storing techniques as well as proper hygiene practice. The FDA has recently drafted federal regulations to describe for the first time the meaning of “gluten free” in federal standards and for appropriate assays for gluten proteins in foods. However, the new regulations may still have flaws. In this thesis, I intend to present new approaches to help solve the problems of celiac disease, describe methods currently in use compared to proposed methods to managing the disease, and to argue regulatory standards to the term “gluten free” for consumable products. In addition, this thesis is designed to discuss the pros and cons of proposed research to address lingering issues with gluten control, the description of some studies on new oral or injectable drugs to ease tensions associated with the disease, and some new methods for early diagnosis of celiac disease setting a literary foundation for further research.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 5-12-2015

Mentor

Martin L. Brock

Mentor Department Affiliation

Chemistry

Access Options

Restricted Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Chemistry

Presentation

https://www.dropbox.com/l/jiZK6A6WWld7dfivWB0rJs

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