POWELL - A Bighorn Basin man has begun producing gluten-free oats to help the 1 in 133 people with an allergy to gluten.

Gluten occurs in grains such as wheat, rye and barley, and allergy to it is known as celiac disease. Symptoms include abdominal pain, joint pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.

Oats often are safe for people with celiac disease, but health professionals warn that most oats are contaminated with glutinous grains, according to Utah's Gluten Intolerance Groups.

Seaton Smith, of Powell, is president of Gluten Free Oats, which has begun receiving orders and expects to have oats available at the beginning of the year.

Smith's family is part of a support group for people who are allergic to gluten. "I have celiac, my son has celiac, my wife has it and my mother-in-law also has it," he said.

Orders for Gluten Free Oats are being taken online at a cost of about $3.80 per pound, compared to $1.70 per pound for Quaker Oats at a Powell grocery store.

Associated Press

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