Rice Flour Winning Big as Gluten Free Foods Go Mainstream

The trend towards gluten free foods is continuing its meteoric rise. Both Kellogg and General Mills have recently announced that they will be offering gluten free products at the same prices, and in the same grocery-store aisles, as standard baked goods and cereals.

As a result gluten free flours, and rice flour in particular, are becoming more popular alternatives for gluten free food manufacturing.

The interest in gluten free foods can't be attributed to celiac disease alone. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, and those who suffer from it become very sick from even the smallest amount of gluten. Since gluten is the protein found in wheat, wheat products are off limits for them, as well as many condiments, prepared foods, and even deli meats.

But only 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease. What's more likely fueling the interest in gluten free foods is the larger segment of the population suffering from gluten intolerance, a condition in which stomach pain, gas and diarrhea are brought on by consuming gluten.

At the same time there are many consumers who purchase gluten free foods because they feel that wheat products aren't healthy.

Rice flour has become so popular in gluten free foods because of its texture. White rice flour is very fine and soft, and suitable for baking that requires a delicate crumb. Brown rice flour, on the other hand, is a bit heartier, and is useful for a whole variety of products.

For those food manufacturers interested in substituting rice flour for standard flours in order to appeal to the gluten free demographic, it's important to remember that you can't do so without several additions that make rice flour act more like traditional wheat.

Most products feature a mix of gluten free flours - including rice flour, chickpea flour, soy flour and almond flour - along with additional starches to help lend gluten free products better form and texture.

This market continues to be a big one. For savvy food manufacturers who want to be involved in it the two most important means of establishing customer loyalty for gluten free foods is to create products that taste good, but that won't cause reactionary illness.