Dr. Joel D. Wallace says it's not really an allergy per se, but rather a reaction. Like when ANYONE gets poison ivy oils on their skin, they can develop a contact DERMATITIS. Same thing in the gut... the contact of gluten and OTHER gluten-like compounds with the UNPROTECTED lining of the intestines can cause contact ENTERITIS. Normally, we're supposed to have a bacteria rich mucosal lining throughout our gut to break down, process/convert and absorb what we eat... but the prevalence of consumer-driven, highly-PROCESSED, nutrient-devoid, detergent-laced "food-stuffs" break down this mucosal layer and also starve out the good bacteria which thrive on REAL food to generate and maintain this healthy mucosal lining. It's a hang-ten, chicken-n-egg scenario all started by the big bang of evil factory food.