Tampa, FL, October 20, 2009 (PRweb) -- Viitals Specialty Bakery, of Tampa, Florida, recently won the prestigious Product Innovation Award from Baking Management magazine, for its exclusive use of gluten-free and other hypoallergenic bakery products - According to a recent survey in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, almost half of food allergy sufferers experienced reactions to food in a restaurant or other eatery. Viitals Specialty Bakery (http://www.viitals.com) is one of only a handful of hypoallergenic bakeries which addresses this issue.

Viitals Specialty Bakery recently received the Baking Management magazine Product Innovation Award for its use of milk free, egg free, nut free, soy-free and gluten-free bakery products. The annual award honors the best and brightest in the baking industry. The highly regarded magazine reaches thousands in the baking industry, with the latest product and service information.

Nutrition enthusiast Ivan Nikolov opened his wholesale bakery in April, 2009. It is the only gluten-free bakery in the Tampa, Florida area. Overhead is high, due to the cost of specialty ingredients, so Nikolov is focused more on brand recognition and development than on large profits. The Viitals healthy bakery line now appears in seven area specialty stores and sells online nationwide.

In October, Nikolov expanded into retail, with a café-style storefront in Tampa. He plans to work with a distributor to expand his wholesale business, and to open more hypoallergenic bakery cafés.

"Viitals allows me to put the science of nutrition and the art of food preparation to the test." says Nikolov, "I want to see how far I can go in removing potential risk factors from certain food, while adding the necessary, but missing elements that provide for optimal body performance and better health."

Currently, Viitals Specialty Bakery carries high protein, gluten-free muffins, crackers, loaves, cake bars, mousses, dips and healthy drinks, plus organic coffee, and gourmet tea. Some of the items are free of seven common allergens (eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish), while some are free of all eight of them, including milk. Viitals is a dedicated gluten-free bakery--with wheat, the source of gluten, barred from the premises.

In addition to being hypoallergenic, Viitals products are made with extremely low glycemic natural sugars and healthy, monounsaturated fats. They are specially formulated to include a balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates and fiber, transforming them into complete meals. Viitals healthy bakery items contain the highest quality protein available.

Nikolov is planning to add a line of gluten-free breads, soups, cookies, brownies and cakes, and a proprietary organic smoothie. Also in the works are vegetarian and vegan sandwiches and a snack bar made with raw ingredients.

Janet Heitler, leader of the Tampa chapter of the Celiac Sprue Foundation, says that having gluten-free foods baked in a dedicated gluten-free bakery is a great thing for the Tampa area. According to Heitler, "Viitals takes healthy eating to a whole new level." Celiac/Sprue is a serious digestive disorder caused by gluten intolerance.

Viitals Specialty Bakery takes the healthy eating trend to a new and unexpected location--the bakery.

About Viitals Specialty Bakery:
Viitals Specialty Bakery is a wholesaler and retailer of gluten-free, high-protein healthy bakery snacks. They offer delicious and nutritious products for health-conscious consumers.

To find out more about Viitals Specialty Bakery and its selection of baked goods, please visit www.viitals.com.