How much expensive is to be a celiac in Spain?

by Anabel Elisa Ruiz | Jan 29, 2016 | CARTIF Blog, Health and Quality of Life

Celiac disease is a condition developed by people who are intolerant to gluten and is characterized by an inflammatory reaction, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the intestine as if it were an external aggressor and causes lesions in the mucous affecting nutrients and vitamin absorption. This disease can affect both sexes by equally and can start at any time, from infancy (as soon as cereal grains are introduced into the diet) to adulthood (even when individuals have consumed cereal grains all his life).

The most common symptoms are weight loss, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stunted growth, anemia, abdominal pain, among others. Although sometimes is more complicated because there are people who do not show any of these symptoms or they may be so atypical that the diagnosis is difficult. This condition is detected by clinical examination, an analytical measuring specific antibodies (transglutaminase and immunoglobulin A) generated in the intestine and an intestinal biopsy that allows a reliable diagnosis.

But what exactly is gluten? The cause of this disease is a set of proteins contained in cereals such as wheat, barley, rye and oats, and products derived from them (white flour, white wheat, graham flour, Triticum, wheat, kamut, spelled, germ wheat, wheat bran, etc.). According to Molina-Rosell, gluten serves to give elasticity to the masses, allowing the products have volume and an elastic and fluffy. So far, the part that almost all know. But what not everyone knows is that it is also used as an additive to give viscosity, thickness or volume to a lot of foods such as sausage (chopped, mortadella, sausage, black pudding, etc.), pates, cheeses, preserved by meat and fish, sauces, coffee substitutes, chocolat and cocoa, roasted or fried nuts with flour and salt, candy, snacks and some ice cream. In resume, a celiac has it really hard to have a varied diet safely.

Fortunately, there are some solutions for not including gluten in many foods. In the case of cereals, they are replaced wheat, barley, rye and oats with corn, rice, millet, quinoa, etc. With this, celiac could safely consume bread, flour, pasta and biscuits. The problem comes when we realize that the price of these products gluten free can be up to 448% higher than foods with gluten! A very simple example, according to 2015 Prices Report: normal bread costs € 2.11 / kg. Gluten-free bread € 9.48 / kg.

The next question is why? The answer is that the process of preparing food without gluten is considerably more complicated. Without the natural “glue” that gluten produces, the masses are liquid and cannot be baked. For this reason is necessary to use other products that help to simulate the characteristics provided by the gluten. Then the hydrocolloids (locust bean gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, agar, pectins and β-glucans), emulsifiers, enzymes or proteins, starch, combined with fats and dairy derivatives are chosen to impart viscoelastic properties.

But, besides in the process of developing gluten free food, should be used exclusively equipment and utensils, or have been properly cleaned previously. Cannot use oils or fryers where previously fried foods that have gluten, nor can use trays that previously contained gluten products. According to the Guide to prepare menus without gluten, throughout the production process should prevent cross-contamination with gluten products because, for a food to be considered gluten free, must comply with the legislation (Regulation 41/2009) and contain less than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram of product.

Quite a challenge for food R&D, which is already working on new processes and systems that can streamline production and achieve a significant decline in the price of gluten free food.

Wearables: watchers or assistants?

by Susana San José Alonso | Jan 15, 2016 | CARTIF Blog, Health and Quality of Life

The wearables provide us functions such as view the time and do calculations or improve our capabilities. They are nothing new

Already in 1654, the Qing dynasty miniaturized an abacus on a ring. Today it is considered as the first wearable of the history. At the same time they began to use instruments amplifiers sense of sight and hearing, lends and trumpets. More than a century later appear mechanisms like a marine chronometer by Harrison. In the twentieth century, watches or cameras in vests and helmets are manufactured. Anecdotally, in 1961 Edward O. Thorp and Claude Shannon introduced a computer inside a shoe to cheat playing roulette. But, until 1972 we cannot speak about technologic wearables when the first digital clock was invented by Hamilton.

Concerning these last, today the technological hurdle is connect and measure the broadcast signal by the human body with sensors which can be integrate inside devices easy to wear: for instance bracelets, rings, watches, glasses and clothes.

In terms of functionality, it is focus principality to specialize and group the physiological measures and the vital signs in order to control, detect, and caution physical diseases (cardiological, diabetes, epilepsy) and psychic diseases (stress, anxiety, disorientation)

Although in other areas this devices could be interesting, in the health area could began uncomfortable, even stigmatizing. In times where medical records are so high degree of confidentiality and privacy, who yield to wear a watch that brand, shape or signals emitted, it is telling those around me that I am diabetic? Or in the case of several pathologies, do I have to wear a collection of colorful bracelets to measure related vital signs?

This factor may be one of the biggest problems when entering the wearable in everyday life, so to minimize the visual impact and ease of use are two fundamental reasons why the technology trends are towards devices deriving “merge” with the body (second skins, tattoos) and going a little further, that are integrated into the body. If you can wear the wearables inside the body is not strange if we think that the first external pacemaker, was built in 1957 and only a year after the first internal pacemaker was implanted. Today materials susceptible of being rejected by the human body are numerous and research in the medical, biological and technological fields come together every day new sensors and devices.

Another major inconvenience to the final launch of the wearable comes on the heels of the culture of data privacy and the feeling of control. The challenge is to demonstrate the paradox that the more we control the device, more independence have a device capable of detecting a possible attack, a stressful situation or a seizure (all of them are already), give us greater mobility , increase our ability to travel alone activities without fear of a sudden.

Besides offering the possibility of making calls to emergency services, provide enough medication alarms and storing useful information the next checkup time. Therefore, in the coming years it will be crucial to change the concept of “being controlled” by “security” to receive information in time so as to emphasize the visual discretion devices. This will make the wearables are normal in our lives because we already have the knowledge and technology to develop.