Cross-contamination occurs when a gluten-free food comes in contact with a food or a surface than contains gluten. Cross-contamination is a very real problem for those who follow a gluten-free diet. There are steps you can take to avoid cross-contaminating the gluten-free food. Gluten is invisible to the naked eye, but can contaminate surfaces such as counters, cutting boards and utensils.
A good example is making two peanut butter sandwiches. One sandwich is made with gluten bread and the other is made with gluten-free bread. You set two pieces of gluten bread on the counter. Then, you spread the margarine and peanut butter on the gluten bread. You cut the sandwich in half and place the halves on a plate. You remove the knife you used, the margarine and the jar of peanut butter. Now you are ready to make the gluten-free peanut butter sandwich. You take out the gluten-free margarine, the gluten-free peanut butter, the gluten-free bread and a new knife. You set the bread on the counter . . . . . and you’ve just contaminated the gluten-free bread with the gluten that is on the counter from the previous sandwich! You can’t see the gluten, but it’s there on the counter.
If you are going to make toast with gluten-free bread, you will need two separate toasters. Once you place a slice of gluten bread in a toaster, it is contaminated and cannot be used for gluten-free bread. You can share utensils between gluten and gluten-free food, but they must be washed thoroughly between the two foods. It is not necessary to purchase a new set of pots, baking pans or utensils to be used specifically for the gluten-free food. However, you do need to pay close attention to how you take care of these pans and utensils. A thorough washing will remove the gluten from them. If you use wooden spoons, I would suggest using separate wooden spoons for gluten and gluten-free foods as gluten can be absorbed into the wood. Plastic storage containers need to be separated, also. Plastic can absorb gluten (the same way they absorb orders and colors) and may contaminate any gluten-free food you store in it. Be sure to mark the gluten-free plastic containers clearly. Foods that will not be consumed in one serving, such as margarine, peanut butter, mayonnaise, etc. need to be kept separate. If you use a knife to spread margarine on a piece of gluten-free bread, the knife is contaminated and cannot be put back into the margarine without contaminating the entire container. We keep separate containers for each of these types of foods. The same “keep it separate” rule applies to gluten-free flours. Do not store gluten-free flours in the same cupboard as the gluten flours. The possibility of cross-contamination is too high. We store all non-perishable gluten-free foods in a separate cupboard. We also separate gluten-free foods in the refrigerator – they have their own drawer.
Cross-contamination can be a very big problem when eating in restaurants. A restaurant may advertise that they offer gluten-free foods. However, if they cook their gluten-free foods alongside the gluten foods, you no longer have gluten-free food. It has been contaminated by the gluten foods. If a restaurant uses the same utensils on gluten-free foods and gluten foods, your food is no longer gluten-free. Many people understand that foods need to be prepared with gluten-free ingredients. Unfortunately, they don’t always understand the cross-contamination issues. Always check WHERE the restaurant is cooking their gluten-free foods, and if they use separate cutting boards, pans and utensils.
You need to remember that even though a product is listed as gluten-free, it must also be manufactured in a gluten-free plant to be truly gluten-free. Many manufacturers make products with gluten-free and/or dairy-free ingredients, but also manufacture products that contain gluten or dairy in the same plant. If so, there is a risk of cross-contamination. To be truly gluten-free and dairy-free, a food must be manufactured in a separate area where there is no chance of cross-contamination. Many companies state on their labels that the food is manufactured in the same plant as gluten and/or dairy products. I am very sensitive to the smallest amount of gluten and have discovered (the hard way) that I need to avoid all products that state they were manufactured in a facility that also manufactures wheat – or dairy.
The best way to find out if a product contains dairy or gluten or is manufactured in a gluten-free or dairy-free facility is to call the manufacturer or ask. You may need to talk to more than one person to get to the right department, but it is well worth the effort.
Food isn’t the only thing to be concerned with. Products such as toothpaste, lotions, shampoos, band-aids and medicines can also contain dairy or gluten. Gluten products are used as thickeners. Dried milk and/or dairy solids are commonly found in hair and body products. Some people are sensitive to personal products that contain gluten, some are not. READ INGREDIENTS before purchasing anything. Believe me, this becomes second nature. Each time you pick up a product, you automatically turn it around to read the ingredient list before you consider purchasing it.
As always – it is up to those following the gluten-free, dairy-free diet to determine if a product is safe for them.
