Whole Foods Market announced the opening of the Whole Foods Market Gluten- Free Bakehouse, the company's first dedicated gluten-free baking facility.

Located in the Raleigh suburb of Morrisville, the new 8,000-square-foot facility will produce 27 products -- including breads, cookies, scones, biscuits, pizza crusts, whole pies and brownies -- to meet the needs of the increasing number of customers whose diets require gluten-free foods.

A gluten-free diet is medically necessary for individuals diagnosed with celiac disease, also known as celiac, nontropical sprue, celiac sprue, gluten intolerant enteropathy or gluten-sensitive enteropathy. The disease causes a physical reaction to certain protein chains -- or glutens -- which are found in some common grains such as wheat, rye and barley. The reaction leads to changes in the small intestine which prevents absorption of nutrients from food.

"As someone with celiac disease, the opening of the Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse is truly a dream come true that ultimately makes life easier and better for our customers," said Lee Tobin, Gluten-Free Team leader for Whole Foods Market.

A longtime Chapel Hill, N.C., Whole Foods Market team member, it was Tobin who developed the idea for the bakehouse after years of perfecting gluten-free recipes. "Whole Foods Market goes to extraordinary lengths to satisfy and delight our customers, and we are truly reaching out to this special population to offer flavorful, delicious foods -- everything from staples to indulgences -- they could not normally consume when made with traditional ingredients," said Tobin.

The gluten-free baked goods are now available at the five North Carolina Whole Foods Market stores in Cary, Raleigh, Durham, Winston-Salem and Chapel Hill. Distribution also includes Atlanta's three Whole Foods Market and three Harry's Farmers Market stores, and the South Carolina store in the Charleston suburb Mt. Pleasant. Expanded availability for stores in Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, south and west New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., is expected by November.

According to a new study by the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore, approximately one in 133 Americans may have celiac disease, but not all who have the condition show symptoms until they experience a significant life event such as surgery, viral infection, childbirth or severe emotional stress. Celiac disease is hereditary but treatable by eliminating all gluten from the diet, a lifetime requirement for most people with this condition.

In addition to the baked items now available from the Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse, Whole Foods Market offers a wide range of gluten-free products from several manufacturers, all of which meet the company's strict quality standards and are free of hydrogenated oils and artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives. A complete list of products is available at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com .

Whole Foods Market Team Member Makes Dream Facility a Reality
Located near Whole Foods Market's existing Wellspring Bakehouse, the Gluten-Free Bakehouse is isolated to ensure the integrity of the gluten-free baking environment to eliminate the threat of potential cross-contamination from wheat and other grains.