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Cost, Nutritional Content and Number of Gluten-Free Staple Foods Available in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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Abstract

Data has indicated that gluten-free (GF) foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional value than their gluten-containing (GC) counterparts. The aim of the present study was to compare the cost and nutrient content between GF and GC staple foods and determine whether the number and price of GF staple foods differed based on type of store or location within Winnipeg, Canada. Twelve grocery stores (2 chain stores/quadrant;1 local store/quadrant) in the four quadrants (northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast) of Winnipeg were visited to identify GF staple products (bread, flour, cereal, pasta) along with a GC comparator. A total of 819 GF products along with GC comparators were identified. The median cost of GF products ($1.50/100 g) was 131 % greater than that of GC ($0.65/100 g) (p < 0.0001). The greatest difference in cost was between GF and GC flour, with the least difference occurring between GF and GC cereal. GF products were 58, 36 and 100 % lower in iron, protein and saturated fat (p < 0.0001) than their GC comparators, respectively. The number of GF staple products was 370 % higher (p < 0.007) at chain stores than at local stores, whereas store location did not significantly affect the number of GF products available. The greatest difference in number of different GF foods based on store type was for cereals, with the least being for flours. These results confirm that GF staple foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional value (mainly due to lower iron and protein content) compared to GC foods.

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Data Availability

Please contact Dr. Heather Blewett.

Code Availability

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

CD:

Celiac disease

GC:

Gluten-containing

GF:

Gluten-free

NCGS:

Non-celiac gluten-sensitivity

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Funding

OJ is a recipient of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Awards.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Olutola Jegede, Avery Enns, Marianna Kantounia, Taryn Preun, Kathy Vagianos, Miyoung Suh & Heather Blewett

  2. Department of Nutrition and Food Services, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Kathy Vagianos

  3. Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St. Boniface Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Miyoung Suh & Heather Blewett

  4. Morden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Government of Canada, Morden, MB, Canada

    Heather Blewett

Authors
  1. Olutola Jegede
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  2. Avery Enns
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  3. Marianna Kantounia
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  4. Taryn Preun
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  5. Kathy Vagianos
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  7. Heather Blewett
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Contributions

OJ, AE, MK and TP conducted the research and analyzed the data, and OJ prepared the manuscript. HB was the principal investigator, designed the study and directed the overall research and had primary responsibility for final content. KV and MS also directed and guided the study. All authors read, edited and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Heather Blewett.

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Jegede, O., Enns, A., Kantounia, M. et al. Cost, Nutritional Content and Number of Gluten-Free Staple Foods Available in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 76, 196–202 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-021-00889-5

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