The Ministry of Health has issued a tender to subsidize quality flour for celiac patients, who are required to eat a gluten-free diet.
This is instead of the currently subsidized flour that contains sugars and has a low nutritional value.
The cost of the new flour is expected to be five shekels per kilogram, while the price of quality flours today ranges from 17 to 30 shekels per kilogram.
Recall that over the years celiac patients have led a struggle to reduce the price.
1-1.5 percent of the population suffers from celiac disease and require a special gluten-free diet, but the price of these basic food products is 5-3 times higher than the price of similar products that contain gluten.
"Today, the celiac public does not have a quality solution," says Limor Tal-Pony, a dietitian for the Celiac Rights Organization and chief dietitian at Maccabi Health Services.
"If they had marked the flour for them, it would have received a red marking, which indicates a low nutritional value."
She added: "The Ministry of Health defines as a national goal a change in the dietary habits of the general public to prevent disease. The more the environment allows for healthier products, the more we will be able to encourage a healthy lifestyle. The celiac public has no answer. The price of really small bread is about 25 shekels and "A bun for NIS 6-5. The multi-purpose flours cost NIS 20-15 per kilogram. It's very expensive."
Bread without flour, Photo: Afik Gabay
Dan Solomon, of the Celiac Rights Organization, added: "From the moment the organization was established, we sought to abolish confectionery flour, consumed mainly by underprivileged populations, who could not afford to buy quality gluten-free flour. "To the Ministry of Health during the epidemic management period. I am happy that senior officials of the Ministry of Health agree with us."
Dr. Ronit Andwalt, head of the Department of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, said: “We are embarking on a course that aims to make healthier products accessible to celiac patients.
We went out to tender for quality flour from source flours and legumes.
Some people who have celiac disease also have diabetes, and the currently subsidized flour, which is made from cornflour, greatly raises sugar levels.
In recent years, the flours intended for celiacs have greatly improved and it was possible to replace the subsidized flour. "
The Ministry of Health stated: "The ministry has a contract for the production of flour for the celiac patient population. The contract is valid until June 2022. In addition, the ministry formulates the professional requirements for characterizing the tender to continue providing the service in the coming years, after which a public tender will be published. Celiac, we have built a characterization of healthier flour for celiac patients, so that in the next tender it will be included. "
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