Slicer At The Deli?

[Nikki2777]

I've avoided eating Boars Head Turkey or Roast Beef that would need to be sliced at the deli counter, because I'm afraid they would have sliced something with gluten on the same slicer and there could be residue. But I'm wondering if I'm being over-cautious.  Do you buy cold cuts that need to be sliced, or just buy packaged (which usually means over-processed)?

 

Thanks.

[kareng]

Ask what else they slice. If they only slice Boars Head - that's great. Usually only cheese is sliced on the cheese, so that should be Ok.

[bartfull]

You're not being over-cautious at all. The slicer can be easily contaminated. For example, a lot of the roast beef deli's sell is cooked with a coating to make it brown nicely. And often that coating has flour in it. And of course there are other things in the deli that contain gluten. I even know of one place that will slice bread on their slicer if a customer asks them to.

 

If you get there first thing in the morning and are the first customer of the day, have them slice away. Otherwise I would ask them to get a clean knife and cut off a chunk that you can take home and slice yourself. (Don't know if they'll do it but it's worth asking.)

[kareng]

Y Otherwise I would ask them to get a clean knife and cut off a chunk that you can take home and slice yourself. (Don't know if they'll do it but it's worth asking.)

 

 

They should.  I used to get meat that way, because, when the boys were little, they liked their meat in little chunks they could stab with a toothpick!

[Alwayssomething]

Deli's should be slicing cheese on one slicer and roast beef on it's own slicer (rare/blood can't touch other meat) then other meats on their own. If they do not have separate slicers they should be cleaning between the beef and other meats or cheeses. Also you can ask for it to be cleaned before you have yours sliced. Publix supermarkets by me have all separate slicers but I still ask to have it cleaned and have actually seen others request it as well. You can even asked for a new packaged to be opened, they are not always happy, but who cares, your health is more important!

[Frustratedmom]

I have had them clean the slicer in the past, but was still a little uncertain about it.  Publix (and maybe other stores) now have online ordering and I can place my order the evening before I need it and in the instructions tell them that my son has celiac and ask them to slice first thing in the morning while the slicer is still sanitized.  This has eased my mind that I am not cross-contaminating my son.

[Nikki2777]

Thanks - these are good suggestions.

I really miss getting my cold cuts at the deli.

[MichLab]

I only buy Boars Head Cold Cuts and I call my deli and ask if they could cut my meat for me first thing in the morning before they open the next day.  So i know that machines are really clean.  Before I started calling them I went in and explained my situation - they were very nice and went out of their way for me  - as a matter of fact they did the same thing for others in the community that were Celiac.  It is worth a try.

[StephanieL]

We choose to only buy pre packaged lunch meats to avoid this issue. We also deal with life threatening allergies to nuts and mortadella scares me even more than gluten.   I do know people who place orders and have them sliced first thing in the morning when the machines are cleaned at night (they are "more" cleaned at night at most places).