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Celiac Support from EMU to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM)

Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Tourism Faculty, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Academic Staff member Chef Süleyman Engin is assigned as the first ever gluten-free chef of Turkey in the TBMM’s Celiac Research Commission which was established on the 13th of June in 2017.

Celiac Research Commission established in order to improve the quality of life for the individuals with a gluten-free diet, search the reasons and results of Celiac disease and introduce a gluten-free life style related to Celiac disease, is continuing its studies with the leadership of AK Party Kayseri representative İsmail Tamer.  EMU Tourism Faculty, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department has started to have an active role in the commission’s studies in which 2 representatives of each political party, all the Celiac associations in Turkey as well as experts doing research on Celiac disease are participants in the studies.

Supporting the studies of the commission, Turkey’s first ever gluten-free chef Engin made a presentation with a report contributing the commission on how to make life easier for an individual who has Celiac disease. Encouraging the production of gluten-free products and also arrangements and suggestions to make the life people with Celiac disease are in the mentioned report. Contributing the development of menus with gluten-free food in common living environments such as restaurants, cafes and canteens, preventing the influence of tax and analysis costs of imports on product sales, appropriately packing gluten-free products with “gluten-free” labels, creating a public service announcement, education, production, easy access to raw material are some of the issues that the report touches on.

Süleyman Engin

People with Celiac Disease Undergo Difficult Conditions

Chef Süleyman Engin stated that people with celiac disease, regardless of the place they live in, undergo compelling dietary conditions. Unfortunately, up-to-now the community in Turkey was not sufficiently informed about the celiac disease. However, through our cooperation with various organisations, we believe we have raised great awareness regarding the disease. However, while raising awareness, we were also expecting some information pollution with the belief that a considerable number of companies would start producing gluten free food items without obtaining expert opinion. So, at this point, I find it really useful that we are cooperating with the commission. We need to continue to inform the community and raise awareness regarding the disease. As EMU Tourism Faculty, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, we will continue to support the celiac research commission with our expertise. 

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