Pizza Chains & oven

[sella]

Many pizza chains warn me not to order their gluten-free pizza if I am very sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease. I don't understand why they bother to make gluten-free pizza if it can't be eaten by those who need to avoid gluten. How do you know which pizza chains to trust? If they only cook gluten-free pizza in an overn dedicated to gluten-free pizza, is it safe? I noticed that you can only ordr gluten-free pizza in small size. Or I was told this is how it is sent to the pizza chain. Hence, it seems like the crust is precooked somewhere else. 

Since I live in a household with others who eat gluten, I wonder if I can use the same oven as they do. Well, I have no choice. If the reason pizza chains warn customers not to eat the pizza if they celiac disease is that they use the same oven as they do for regular pizza, then I am in trouble because others often use the oven in my household to cook non-gluten food.

Also, which pizza chains have safe gluten-free pizza?

 

 

[PamMS]

I'm not sure about pizza chains that are reliable, but I do have an answer for at home. Our dietitian said a shared oven can "gluten" you. You should cook your pizza on a gluten free cookie sheet or scrub the rack before cooking your pizza. You can also wrap aluminum foil around the rack before cooking your pizza. We have a gluten free kitchen because our celiac family member is two years old, so it was just easier that way. I'm sure the shared kitchen has more pitfalls, but if everyone is careful it should be good. Good luck finding a good chain. I'm interested in the same info.

[Sheena]

My husband works at a pizza chain that makes gluten free pizza. He recommends that I don't eat it from there or anywhere else. There is too much cross contamination. He says there is flour flying around everywhere. It gets in the cheese dispensers and sauce. Sorry for the bad news  I wouldn't risk it.

[kareng]

Baking in an oven won't " gluten" you unless it touches gluten.  The main problem with gluten-free pizza is that the ingredients are cross contaminated.  For instance, they use gloves  or hands to put a gluten pizza crust on a pan, then put these hands in the cheese - the cheese now has flour in it.  A good gluten-free pizza place will have a gluten-free crust (often made in a gluten-free facility and purchased frozen) separate bins of sauce, cheese and toppings, gluten-free only pans ( or a piece or parchment paper on pan) , separate cutters d some space between pizzas.

 

California Pizza Kitchen has these protocols.  This gives you a limited choice of toppings, but they are safe.

[sella]

What about ordering a salad at a pizza chain? Is flour flying around onto the salad, too?

[Sheena]

Yes, I would be concerned about cc in the salads as well. I would not risk eating anything from a pizza place. 

[Gemini]

There are places that are safe for gluten-free pizza but not every establishment has the same protocol.  I have one place that does it right and I am extremely sensitive and have never been glutened by them over visits spanning almost 10 years.  The place is not terribly close to where I live so we only get pizza occasionally.

They cook the gluten-free pizza  separate, meaning they use the same ovens as gluten pizza but only cook the gluten-free pizza alone. They use an aluminum pan to cook them on so it never touches the surface of the oven floor.  They prepare it in a separate area of the kitchen but in the same kitchen.  They have done training concerning cc.  This is not strictly a pizza house but a pub style restaurant serving a full menu.  They also do not advise ordering anything else off the menu except salad and pizza. This is because they have a smaller kitchen and only follow protocol for allergy meals on these 2 items.  It would be too difficult for them to serve full meals to Celiacs  and guarantee safety.  I thought it pretty good they are so open and honest about their practices.  Never gotten even the least bit sick from their pizza.

The bottom line is you have to ask about their practices and knowledge and training before making a decision. Do not write them off because of fear...some places do a very good job with it.

[cap6]

As Kareng said, it is the cross contamination that will get you every time. 

The reason for the small pizzas is that the dough comes from the g.f. manufacturer usually frozen and is kept separate.  So with that you are safe.  Get to know your local pizza place.  Ours changes gloves, takes  the g.f. dough to a total separate area and uses total separate toppings, etc.  Pizzas are cooked in the same oven but on a specially lined dish and on a separate shelf.   

My reason for not eating salad bar any place - tongs, toppings and children who self help.  People at salad bars are sloppy and may use tongs/spoons for several toppings and contaminate those that were safe.  Add to that salad prepared at a pizza place, well, too much chance for accidents.