Cross-Contamination of Gluten

Cross-Contamination

When preparing gluten-free foods, it is important to avoid cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when foods or ingredients come into contact with gluten, generally through shared utensils or a shared cooking/storage environment. In order for food to be safe for someone with celiac disease, it must not come into contact with food containing gluten.

Places where cross-contamination can occur

Toasters used for both gluten-free and regular bread

Flour sifters

deep fried foods cooked in oil shared with breaded products

Shared containers including improperly washed containers

Condiments such as butter, peanut butter, jam, mustard, and mayonnaise may become contaminated when utensils used on gluten-containing food are double-dipped

Wheat flour can stay airborne for many hours in a bakery (or at home) and contaminate exposed preparation surfaces and utensils or uncovered gluten-free products.

Oats Only farm pure oats can be used

Non-certified baked goods e.g. “gluten-free” goods from otherwise gluten-containing bakeries

Bulk bins (most common contamination) at grocery stores 

If In Doubt, Go Without!

If you are unable to verify questionable ingredients, or if an ingredient list is unavailable, don’t eat the product. Regardless of how much you plan on eating, it is not worth triggering your immune system. Remember that for people with celiac disease, damage to the small intestine occurs each and every time gluten is consumed, whether symptoms are present or not. If you accidentally ingest gluten, stop eating immediately, as higher doses can be increasingly damaging.

Be Healthy.. Eat Gluten Free..

Archna Shah

archnashahconsultant@gmail.com