Mashed Potatoes?

[Nikki2777]

Hope I'm spelling 'potatoes' right

 

Had a waiter tell me the other day that while their mashed potatoes don't have any gluten ingredients, the act of mashing them itself creates gluten.  My suspicion is that while that may be true, it's not the kind of gluten that causes problems for we Celiacs, but I didn't feel like getting into a discussion.

 

Is this true?  Can't imagine a reason why I couldn't have mashed potatoes if it's just milk, potatoes and butter, right?

 

 

[cyclinglady]

In theory they should be gluten free, but that is not always the case. Someone in the kitchen puts in too much liquid (milk, water) and gets a soupy result. Then they add some flour to thicken it up and they never inform the head chef. Or they scoop potatoes from the chafing dish after they scoop some creamed corn or spinach. OOPs! Toss in some cheap garlic mix seasoning which contains gluten. The lowest paid guys are preparing veggies or mixing up the instant mashed potatoes or mashing the real. I worked in food serve during college. Too risky for me!

I always order a baked potato.

[LauraTX]

The act of mashing the potatoes does not create gluten.  A waiter at a restaurant may not be the best source for scientific information, so you probably did the right thing not arguing with that person, haha.  Open Original Shared Link are gluten-free.  Of course, them being in the restaurant around gluteny items, and the examples given by cyclinglady above are all perfectly plausible things that can make them no longer safe to eat for us Celiacs.

 

Potatoes contain two types of starches- Amylose and Amylopectin.  Not gluten.  However, there is some science behind how you choose a variety and treat the starches to have perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes.  Of course, the ideal texture of mashed potatoes is also a debatable, opinionated subject.  LOL  Open Original Shared Link if you want to delve in.  I also highly recommend the "Good Eats" episode on potatoes as well.  Actually, I recommend every Good Eats episode if you are a geek like me.

[Gemini]

Good grief!  I do not know where you people eat out but I have been eating mashed potatoes in restaurants, when I do venture out, for YEARS, and have never been glutened by them.  I do not eat in chain restaurants unless they have been trained by GIG because it is in these chain places where they hire less than knowledgeable people and there is a greater risk of cc or an all out gluten hit.  But all it takes is a conversation with the right people to verify how a side dish is prepared to make the choice whether it is safe to eat.  No one working in a decent restaurant would add wheat to mashed potatoes and then not inform the chef in charge.  `

 

To the OP......no, gluten is not "created" by the act of mashing potatoes.  In fact, if any waitstaff ever said something as ridiculous as that, I would get up and walk out the door.  I wouldn't want them touching my plate, let alone handling a food order.  When dining out, just ask someone higher up on the food chain how their mashed spuds are prepared to verify it's gluten free status but you can eat mashed potatoes from a restaurant without fear. 

[LauraTX]

....In fact, if any waitstaff ever said something as ridiculous as that, I would get up and walk out the door.  I wouldn't want them touching my plate, let alone handling a food order. ....

Me too, lol. Especially when the person is confident in their misinformation.

 

I also order mashed potatoes at a few places I go.  Outback Steakhouse and some local steak places, my standard order is steak and mashed taters.  When they are done well and they treat those starches nicely to get the right texture, they don't even need gluteny gravy.  

[cyclinglady]

Good grief!  I do not know where you people eat out but I have been eating mashed potatoes in restaurants, when I do venture out, for YEARS, and have never been glutened by them.  I do not eat in chain restaurants unless they have been trained by GIG because it is in these chain places where they hire less than knowledgeable people and there is a greater risk of cc or an all out gluten hit.  But all it takes is a conversation with the right people to verify how a side dish is prepared to make the choice whether it is safe to eat.  No one working in a decent restaurant would add wheat to mashed potatoes and then not inform the chef in charge.  `

 

To the OP......no, gluten is not "created" by the act of mashing potatoes.  In fact, if any waitstaff ever said something as ridiculous as that, I would get up and walk out the door.  I wouldn't want them touching my plate, let alone handling a food order.  When dining out, just ask someone higher up on the food chain how their mashed spuds are prepared to verify it's gluten free status but you can eat mashed potatoes from a restaurant without fear.

I stand my ground, Gemini. I never worked in chain restaurants. You would not believe what can happen in a kitchen. Do I still go out? Yes! But I never assume that food is prepared the same way I do at home.

We travel and have eaten around the world, but we (hubby 14 years gluten-free and I am 2 years gluten-free) have been glutened -- in four star restaurants and hole-in-the wall places. The only restaurant we have never been glutened and never have to grill the manger or chef is in a totally gluten free restaurant. I have been glutened in two GIG trained restaurants. People make mistakes. I fought managment staff at our local university who had been trained to serve gluten free food. Their staff of kids made cross contamination errors right in front of us much to the embarrassment to the manager as we stood and watched. I cringe when I think that students who were forced to buy into meal plans were getting glutened. They used to outsource certified gluten-free desserts, but later, to save costs, made their own gluten free cakes using all the same pans, gunked up mixer used for gluten containing items. Thankfully, this has been resolved!

You are right about the waiter who said that mashing potatoes cause them to turn into gluten. That is truly an "Uh, Oh!" Moment that would tell us to leave ASAP or just order a coffee.

I do not want to discourage anyone from eating out. Common sense, good intuition, and a talk with the manager or head chef helps.

Everyone needs to weigh the risks for themselves.

[bartfull]

Yeah, I've worked in restaurants too and I know that when it's busy, all kinds of things can happen, from the wrong spoon to spillage (the gravy is usually right next to the mashed potatoes).

 

I have eaten the garlic mashed potatoes at Outback but they are pretty good about CC. Mostly though if I eat out, which I rarely do, I'll opt for the baked potato.

[Zebra007]

Interestingly enough even before I got sick mashed potato was something I would never ever touch when eating out!  Simply because some instinct told me not to, and that unless it came from my own kitchen it would be suspect.   I think it is too easy to throw anything into it to make it taste better, and nobody would be the wiser.  Also truth be told I am very particular about mashed potatoes and I have never tasted anything that rivelled my own.