Andorra Celiac Association Launches Awareness Campaign for Safer Gluten-Free Practices and Aid

**Andorra's celiac association launches awareness campaign amid calls for financial aid and safer food practices**

The Associació de Celíacs d’Andorra (ACEA) has kicked off a month-long awareness drive in May, focusing on street-level activities to highlight celiac disease and the strict need for gluten-free products to be entirely free of traces and cross-contamination. The main events began Thursday and continued through the weekend, aligning with International Celiac Day on May 16.

In Andorra's central parishes, including Avinguda Carlemany, volunteers offered food samples to passersby, then revealed they might contain traces of arsenic—a slow-acting poison—to illustrate the daily risks faced by those with the condition. ACEA members emphasized that celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder, not a mere intolerance or trend, where even minimal gluten exposure can damage the intestines and trigger issues like anemia, nutritional deficiencies, or more severe conditions such as diabetes and intestinal lymphoma.

ACEA secretary Laura Prados highlighted the economic burden, estimating an extra annual cost of €1,000 to €1,200 per person for gluten-free staples like bread or pasta, which can be 150% pricier than standard options. "Our diet is our medicine," she said, noting that if it were a pill, public health coverage would likely apply. Families often adopt the full gluten-free diet to avoid cross-contamination at home, multiplying expenses. Prados shared that her daughter's bread costs €12 per kilo, and some households skip the diet due to costs, risking health complications that burden the public system.

The group acknowledges progress—restaurants now recognize gluten, supermarkets stock more options, and regulations since 2017 require allergen labeling—but warns that "gluten-free" labels often overlook cross-contamination from cultivation, shared kitchens, or handling. The gluten-free trend has expanded supply but trivialized the disease, Prados added. Examples include lentils labeled gluten-free yet carrying wheat traces, or eateries offering celiac menus without separate fryers or protocols.

To address this, ACEA plans to relaunch its safe dining initiative, guiding restaurants on protocols, technical sheets, and handling without needing dual kitchens—"just knowledge and willingness," Prados said. Some establishments, like Restaurant l’Orri, claim rigorous cross-contamination controls with no reported incidents, while others, such as the Kanalla group, admit limitations despite gluten-free items.

With a new board, ACEA seeks renewed talks with the government for targeted aid, citing emerging supports in Catalonia, Spain, and France. A recent Spanish proposal for an IRPF tax deduction of up to €600 annually bolsters their case. Celiac prevalence globally affects 1-2% of people, potentially 200 in Andorra, though 70% go undiagnosed for years due to subtle symptoms.

Personal stories underscore the stakes: Esther Jover was diagnosed at 39 after lifelong stomach issues dismissed as nerves, while Núria Pablos endured severe crises into her 30s before confirmation. Both stressed recovery from accidental exposure takes months, urging society to grasp the lifelong "sentence" beyond fashion diets.