093_HR0492

                                     LRB093 12743 HSS 17937 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Celiac disease is a genetic  disorder  affecting
 3    children  and  adults; celiac disease can affect one in every
 4    133 Americans; this makes celiac disease twice as  common  as
 5    Crohn's  disease,  ulcerative  colitis,  and  cystic fibrosis
 6    combined; and

 7        WHEREAS, People with celiac disease  are  unable  to  eat
 8    foods  that contain gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and
 9    barley; these grains are used as ingredients in  many  foods,
10    or  are  processed  into  other  ingredients that in turn are
11    included in foods; and

12        WHEREAS, In people with  celiac  disease,  eating  gluten
13    sets  off  an  autoimmune  reaction that causes damage to the
14    small  intestine;  untreated  celiac  disease  can  be   life
15    threatening  and  has  been  linked  to  an increased risk of
16    certain types of cancer, especially  non-Hodgkin's  lymphoma;
17    it can lead to growth failure in children, and it is known to
18    cause  osteoporosis,  anemia,  infertility, and depression in
19    adults; and

20        WHEREAS, The only known treatment for celiac  disease  is
21    adherence  to  a strict, life-long, gluten-free diet; current
22    labeling laws do not adequately address the needs of  persons
23    with  celiac  disease  or food allergies; because gluten is a
24    binding protein, it can be used in many food products,  which
25    would make them unsafe for people with celiac disease to eat;
26    food  processors do not define gluten the same as the medical
27    community, therefore, a peron with celiac disease  might  not
28    recognize  some ingredients as containing gluten when reading
29    a food label; individuals with  celiac  disease  must  go  to
30    great  lengths  to  determine  if a product is safe for their
31    consumption; therefore, be it

32        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
 
                            -2-      LRB093 12743 HSS 17937 r
 1    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
 2    we urge  the  United  States  Congress  to  pass  legislation
 3    regarding the labeling of food products containing gluten and
 4    other  known allergins in order to address the needs of those
 5    with celiac disease and food allergies; and be it further

 6        RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented  to
 7    each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.