Helen Pengelly, who lives in Worthing, suffered anaemia, tiredness and nausea for years, but was only diagnosed with coeliac disease – an intolerance to gluten – in 2003.

Last year, her son Joe, 19, who lives in Littlehampton, was diagnosed with the condition, too.

If left untreated the disease can cause infertility, osteoporosis and cancer.

As Food Allergy and Intolerance Week got underway this week, Mrs Pengelly claimed not enough was being done to offer people alternatives.
The former teacher said: "When I got my diagnosis I was so relieved because I had been so ill and suddenly I knew why.

"But I had difficulty in getting gluten-free products and eating out. I found it very frustrating."

It led Mrs Pengelly to set up Johnsons Dietary Provisions, in Shoreham, selling "free from" foods to the public and to the hotel catering industry.

She said: "I was fed up with traipsing around different supermarkets and not finding what I needed, so I started my own business supplying wholesale to restaurants, hotels and independent health stores as well as directly to the public."

But she added there was a long way to go before people with food allergies and food intolerances were not treated as faddy eaters or an inconvenience.

Mrs Pengelly said: "You should be able to get the proper food in a restaurant but it's not always the case.

"It's a bit like vegetarians were treated 20 years ago when they were seen as different, but now there are always vegetarian options and even vegetarian restaurants.

"Hopefully, the same will happen for people who can't eat things like wheat, gluten or dairy."

Patty Priest, whose son Michael, 14, was also diagnosed with coeliac disease two years ago, agreed that it was often difficult to eat out or find suitable substitutes for him at school.

Mrs Priest, from Worthing, said: "I think a lot of people do think you are being faddy and some people might be doing it just because it is trendy, but if Michael were to eat something with gluten in it he would be really poorly for several days after."

Mrs Priest said she also made sure her son had packed lunches for school because she couldn't be sure the meals were gluten-free.

Visit www.allergyuk.org for information. Johnsons Dietary Provisions can be found online www.johnsonsprovisions.co.uk