Scientists Recommend Sorghum For Celiac Patients

NAPLES, ItalyNew molecular evidence confirms that the ancient cereal grain sorghum lacks the proteins toxic to people with celiac disease, according to a new study published in the ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The findings suggest food-grade sorghums should be considered as an important option for all people, especially celiac patients.

In Western countries, sorghum traditionally has been an animal feed. But in Africa and India, it long has been a food for people. Recently, U.S. farmers have begun producing sorghum hybrids that are a white grain, known as food-grade" sorghum.

Researchers at the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics said gluten proteins, present in wheat and barley, trigger an immune reaction in people with celiac disease that can cause abdominal pain and discomfort, constipation, diarrhea and other symptoms. The only treatment is lifelong avoidance of gluten. They said sorghum has emerged as an alternative grain for people with celiac disease.

The researchers set out to make a detailed molecular determination of whether sorghum contains those toxic gluten proteins. They describe evidence from an analysis of the recently published sorghum genome, the complete set of genes in the plant, and other sources, that verify the absence of gluten proteins.