How the cookie crumbles: A case study of Gluten-free cookies and random utility

Individuals with CD must, at all times, avoid gluten and need accurate and clear information about the presence of it. Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not established regulations on an appropriate label for gluten-free products, though it has reopened the comment period and is proposing a limit of 20 parts per million. Self-diagnosed consumers may not have even seen a doctor, but they believe that if they reduce or eliminate the amount of gluten in their diets, they will experience health benefits. Reports on the Internet and in health and lifestyle magazines argue that avoiding gluten can improve digestion, reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and a myriad of other maladies. Participants spun the wheel to determine which of the ranked products they would receive. Participants were most likely to get their highest-ranked product and least likely to receive their lowest-ranked product because of the design of the wheel.

Duke Scholars

Author Norbert Lance Weston Wilson Divinity School