In my first column in February, I highlighted the rapid growth of the gluten-free market and provided an overview of conditions that require a gluten-free diet for treatment, as well as other reasons why consumers may be following it.

I am 100% sure that you have received a load of “must-have” nutritional advice. The overload of life lessons like this can be quite overwhelming, not to mention scary. I used to go to bed at night questioning my nutrition skills, thinking about how in the world I missed the research proving all of those theories. Well, a quick search or even a phone call to mom (or grams), proved false.

Traditional Portuguese and Spanish dishes and desserts

The explosion of gluten-free products in the marketplace is good news for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

There are 52 million Hispanics in the U.S., representing 16.7% of the total U.S. population. That many people are certainly having an impact on the food industry, and there’s no question that Latinos are quickly changing America’s palate.

There are a growing number of gluten-free products in the marketplace

During the last few years, sustainability has received significant attention from many different groups.

When Columbus first sailed to America, its inhabitants had already developed more than 200 types of maize.

On Sept. 26, the two owners of Jensen Farms, were arrested for shipping adulterated food in 2011. The charge was shipping contaminated cantaloupe, which resulted in the death of 33 people and sickened 147 people. The two brothers were arrested on misdemeanor charges of introducing adulterated food into commerce. 

What can bakers do to improve the health of Hispanics? Plenty, and they should do it quickly. Why the urgency? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Latinos—males and females of all ages—have among the highest obesity rates in the United States. 

Gluten has become Public Enemy Number One. Countless people follow a gluten-free diet, and just about everyone knows someone avoiding foods made with the gluten-containing grains wheat, rye and barley

As a dietitian and mom, I know first-hand that whole-grain breads and snack products have lots of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and some forms of cancer. 

As demand for gluten-free products continues to increase, more manufacturers are entering this niche market, developing a wide range of products in various categories. 

August marked the completion of the gluten-free labeling rule development process. Published in August 2013 by FDA, the final rule put parameters around the voluntary use of the terms “gluten-free,” “free of gluten,” “no gluten” and “without gluten” on food labels.

According to the January 2015 “Gluten-Free Foods in the U.S., 5th Edition” report from Packaged Facts, Rockville, MD, from 2009–2014, sales of gluten-free products in grain-based categories posted a 34 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

“Sustainability” means different things to different people.

Product recalls in bakery and snack categories have remained consistent over the years, with undeclared allergens the primary cause. These costly recalls are preventable!

Fresh, delicious food is the dominant consumer route to health and wellness today.

The number of gluten-free products that have entered the market in recent years is quite large—almost mind-boggling. To some degree, this trend was fostered by FDA’s relatively new rule, Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods (August 2013), which allows manufacturers of foods inherently gluten-free to make such label claims. Thus, we now have gluten-free tomato sauce, a product that was probably always gluten-free.

An engineer’s perspective on cleaning efficiencies is scary on its own merit—and I’m certainly going to date myself here—but remember the old boil tanks sanitation was so proud and protective of?

The cookie mix is the newest product in the brand's lineup of plant-based, gluten-free baking mixes.

A modern twist on Grandma’s classic recipe, the bar includes chewy gluten-free oats and chunky organic chocolate chips.

Partake, the allergy-friendly snack brand, has teamed up with Marvel for another cookie collaboration that will be sure to "save the day."

The debut of Chips Ahoy! Gluten Free cookies comes on the heels of the brand’s MMMproved Chips Ahoy! Original recipe debut, which brought an improved taste to the chocolate chip cookie.

Artisanal buckwheat snack producer Better With Buckwheat is expanding into six regional and ecommerce grocery chains through June and July. 

The brand is introducing a trio of burrito varieties, making restaurant-quality frozen food more accessible.

The launch capitalizes on rising trends in brownie consumption and gluten-free treats.

Skout Organic is launching its newest snack, Vanilla Macaroon Soft-Baked Cookies, as part of the brand’s limited-time Small Batch line of cookies and bars this month.

The redesigned emphasizes the company's commitment to organic, gluten-free ingredients and introduces new convenient sizes for single and family snacking.

Birch Benders Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix uses purple yams, known as ube in the Philippines, to make purple pancakes and waffles with a sweet flavor that is both gluten-free and naturally vegan

Love + Chew, the mom-owned, plant-based protein cookie company, is unveiling a limited-edition product in early August: its Pumpkin Chip cookie.

Pop culture-infused humor, vibrant design, and a catchy Mariachi riff bridge brand awareness from protein bars into savory snacks.

Feel Good Foods, a gluten-free frozen comfort food brand, has announced availability of its Jalapeno Bites, now available at Costco stores in the Bay Area.

The waffles are available in three flavors, including the first-to-market savory Cheesy Waffle.

Handcrafted in small batches, artisanal crackers made with real clover honey are filled with dark chocolate liquor combined with ethically sourced, dry roasted peanuts milled creamy.

The company’s goal was to create a treat with the same appearance, taste, and texture profile as its original brownie recipe.

Stellar Snacks recently debuted grain-free pretzels crafted with superfood ingredients, now officially available at select grocery stores throughout the U.S.

Sweet Diplomacy now has a brick-and-mortar location in Los Altos, CA, a commercial kitchen in Boulder, CO, and an online menu shipping across the U.S.

Wildgrain partners with local artisanal bakers to bring fresh sourdough breads, pastries, and pastas directly to consumers' doors.

Once Again Nut Butter is bringing new stand-alone cinnamon, honey, and chocolate graham crackers to market.

The new addition to the Myna Snacks lineup is made with real cheese and Italian herbs and seasonings that deliver the taste of pizza in a convenient, crispy, nutritious format.

Schär’s gluten-free Speculoos cookies and Panettone offer options for gluten-free holiday celebrations.

The new gluten-free offerings can meal options for consumers with food sensitivities at Publix stores nationwide.

Creating a pleasant stir in New York’s restaurants since 1987, Tom Cat combines the craftsmanship of artisan baking with a cupful of automation plus a pinch of top-quality ingredients

From humble beginnings 40+ years ago in a small bakery near Boston to a 30,000-sq.-ft. plant today in Chelsea, Mass., outfitted with four production lines, Golden Cannoli Shells Inc. now generates more than 100,000 cannoli shells each day. The more spacious plant is also allowing the bakery to significantly increase its capacity.

You will, if you try one from Golden Cannoli Shells Inc. The family-owned, 40-year-old bakery is rolling in the dough at its more spacious, 30,000-sq.-ft. production facility in Chelsea, Mass., to which it relocated in September. The largest national cannoli maker in the U.S. strives for top product quality and strict food-safety standards as well as to ‘just doing things right.’ It’s these and many other reasons that make Golden Cannoli our 2013 Bakery of the Year.

Located in Orem, Utah, Janey Lou’s exemplifies the state’s moniker—the Beehive State. Growing demand for the company’s scrumptious cinnamon rolls, generously-sized cookies, handmade Crispy Treats and numerous frozen dough products is keeping its management team and employees busy as bees.

Celebrating 20 years in business, with its latest cookbook hot out of the oven, Metropolitan Bakery, Philadelphia, delights in baking delicious breads and creating incredible pastries, popcorn and granola, among other foods. 

Crafting artisan breads, café loaves, pastries and more since 1993, Metropolitan Bakery’s Philadelphia production facility mixes clever flavor combinations with a pinch of automation, European equipment and top-quality ingredients to churn out incredibly fresh baguettes, rolls and country breads, seven days a week.

Demonstrating how much the company has grown over the years, John B. Sanfilippo’s impressive 1-million-sq.-ft. production facility/corporate headquarters/distribution center in Elgin, Ill., is outfitted with speedy, state-of-the-art equipment and technology to produce thousands of nut products, snacks and nut mixes.