Going hunting

Gluten-intolerant sufferers still engage in a treasure hunt when seeking gluten-free products and foods in the UAE, but there generally are more choices out there than a few years back.

On my side of the family it was standard practice to become comatose after consuming a large wheat-heavy sandwich or a lasagna for lunch — it was just expected that like my ancestors, I take an afternoon nap. Therefore, it came as no real surprise when my son was diagnosed with wheat intolerance after a blood test.

A hunt was on to find the right food for him. UAE chains such as Lulu, Spinneys, Park & Shop, Geant, Choithrams and Carrefour have most of the basic gluten-free products. While variety and their being consistently available is often lacking, I have discovered that more new products are cropping up where you least expect them.

Take Carrefour, for instance. Two weeks ago, seven new gluten-free products, from crispy biscuits to tagliatelle were added to its shelves, brought there by Atiq Liusie General Trading, the agent for the French brand Gerblé from Nutrition & Santé. “This is the number one dietetic brand in Europe,” says Donald Liusie, director of the company, adding: “We have noticed that people in the UAE are more aware of when their body just doesn’t feel right — and they want to do something about it.”

The Gerblé range of gluten-free products is currently small but will be adding more products to its portfolio. The company is getting inquiries about their gluten-free products from places as far-flung as Djibouti, says Liusie.

Organic Foods & Café has seen an increase in sales of gluten-free products. Owner Nils El Accad says, “While the demand for gluten-free products has risen, the need was always there — only people didn’t realise they needed it.” He adds: “We are the largest caterer for gluten-free products in the area. We have a lot of these speciality products because the demand for them is still not big enough to be catered for by mainstream supermarkets. It is still way too niche.”