a mistake with wooden cutting board cross-contamination

[xniehtan]

Hello, I have been diagnosed with celiac disease only two months ago. After hearing the diagnosis I've replaced almost everything in my kitchen to brand new items beacuse I was scared of cross contamination. I don't have a dish washer and everything has to be cleaned manually with soap and a sponge. Me and my grandfather find it really hard to get the suds off of the cutting board's surface (especially after cutting meat on it) so he came up with an idea that we could wash it with baking powder (I didn't question it, he has a lot of tricks he knows from "the old days"). It didn't even cross my mind that baking soda has wheat flour in it, I'm so new to this and still very, very lost. And so my brand new cutting board was washed two or three times with baking soda and was kept in my own separate cupboard with new, clean utensils, pots and pans. Some wooden/plastic/teflon (porous basically) and after washing of course we would put it on a drying rack (which I also bought brand new, just for me). I am currently terrified. Do I have to replace these items again because they were kept together in the same spot? Will hand washing and cleaning out the cupboard suffice in getting rid of the potential contamination? Of course I will replace the cutting board itself but what about other things in the said cupboard that the board was touching? We are very poor, replacing these items the first time was extremely costly and for some time put me and my grandfather in a very bad financial situation.

I feel so stupid becuase I've been so diligent about my diet and messed up on such an obvious thing like baking powder but I'm young and so new to this lifestyle and diagnosis. I'm very scared and very stressed out, please give me some advice. 

I'm sorry if my explanations are a little jumbled, I'm shook-up and English is not my first language. Thank you. 

[GFinDC]

Welcome to the forum!

Mistakes on the gluten-free diet are very easy to make at first.  I don't think baking powder always has gluten in it though.  At least not in the USA.   They use corn starch more in the USA.  It's good to get in the habit of reading all ingredients on every food you buy.  We have to avoid wheat, rye, barley and some of us oats.

I think your cutting board will be fine if you wash it well several times.  Since it's wood (I think)  you could sand it down a little.  Anything else in the cupboard can be washed also.

 

[xniehtan]

20 minutes ago, GFinDC said:

Welcome to the forum!

Mistakes on the gluten-free diet are very easy to make at first.  I don't think baking powder always has gluten in it though.  At least not in the USA.   They use corn starch more in the USA.  It's good to get in the habit of reading all ingredients on every food you buy.  We have to avoid wheat, rye, barley and some of us oats.

I think your cutting board will be fine if you wash it well several times.  Since it's wood (I think)  you could sand it down a little.  Anything else in the cupboard can be washed also.

 

Hi, thank you so much for answering and being so kind to me!

I don't live in the USA and the baking powder we've used had wheat flour as one of the ingredients, unfortunately.

So I don't have to replace these things? You're absolutely sure even the other porous items, or items with holes in them (like a colander for example) that I kept in the cupboard will be fine if I just wash them really well? I'm a very paranoid person and my mental health problems make it very hard to deal with these kind of problems in a proper way. 

My sister advised me that maybe the wooden things I have in there could be replaced, since wood is so absorbent, but realistically I can't tell how much contamination there can be just from an object touching another object, it's the uncertainty that makes it so stressful. I just really want to get better  

Thank you again, your response definitely helped to calm my mind a bit!

[trents]

Since you live outside the USA it is possible some of your baking powder brands do have gluten. Check the labels of different brands and see what the starch component is made from. If they do not specify what kind of starch is used, contact the manufacturer for more specific information. Most of those manufacturers will ask for a UPC number when you call them or email them.

From https://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2018/01/is-baking-powder-gluten-free.html:

"So, is baking powder gluten-free? – It depends on the starch the manufacturer uses. This starch can either be gluten-free (made from corn starch) or gluten-full (made from wheat starch). Even if you find a gluten-free baking powder, this can introduce a problem for those who are gluten-free, but have a corn intolerance. If you cannot have corn, you can make a corn-free baking powder using baking soda, cream of tartar, and arrowroot starch.

The baking powder brands you can find in grocery stores are typically gluten-free – Bob’s Red Mill and Clabber Girl are two brands of baking powder that do not contain gluten and are safe for those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity."

Note: Bob's Red Mill and Clabber Girl are USA brands but they are used as an example. Here in the USA I believe legislation was enacted several years ago that requires food companies to specify what kind of starch they use.

Wooden cutting boards probably should not be shared between people in a household where some members are celiacs and others are not and who are still using gluten. Other cookware should not be a concern if washed thoroughly. Cast iron skillets should be scoured thoroughly with scratch pad of some kind because that is a rather porous metal by nature. I wouldn't worry about cleaned items coming in contact with one another in a cupboard. Don't overthink this. 

And realize that most celiacs will develop allergies/intolerances to other foods over time so consider what else could be causing your reactions. The damage done to the small bowel lining creates a condition called "leaky gut" syndrome that permits larger than normal protein fragments to pass into the blood stream such that normally non allergenic foods become detected as invaders by the immune system.

[xniehtan]

1 hour ago, trents said:

Since you live outside the USA it is possible some of your baking powder brands do have gluten. Check the labels of different brands and see what the starch component is made from. If they do not specify what kind of starch is used, contact the manufacturer for more specific information. Most of those manufacturers will ask for a UPC number when you call them or email them.

From https://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2018/01/is-baking-powder-gluten-free.html:

"So, is baking powder gluten-free? – It depends on the starch the manufacturer uses. This starch can either be gluten-free (made from corn starch) or gluten-full (made from wheat starch). Even if you find a gluten-free baking powder, this can introduce a problem for those who are gluten-free, but have a corn intolerance. If you cannot have corn, you can make a corn-free baking powder using baking soda, cream of tartar, and arrowroot starch.

The baking powder brands you can find in grocery stores are typically gluten-free – Bob’s Red Mill and Clabber Girl are two brands of baking powder that do not contain gluten and are safe for those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity."

Note: Bob's Red Mill and Clabber Girl are USA brands but they are used as an example. Here in the USA I believe legislation was enacted several years ago that requires food companies to specify what kind of starch they use.

Wooden cutting boards probably should not be shared between people in a household where some members are celiacs and others are not and who are still using gluten. Other cookware should not be a concern if washed thoroughly. Cast iron skillets should be scoured thoroughly with scratch pad of some kind because that is a rather porous metal by nature. I wouldn't worry about cleaned items coming in contact with one another in a cupboard. Don't overthink this. 

And realize that most celiacs will develop allergies/intolerances to other foods over time so consider what else could be causing your reactions. The damage done to the small bowel lining creates a condition called "leaky gut" syndrome that permits larger than normal protein fragments to pass into the blood stream such that normally non allergenic foods become detected as invaders by the immune system.

Hello, thank you for taking the time to answer my question, it was very helpful!  

I'll just discard the cutting board itself since there was direct contact between it and the wheat flour and wash everything else to be super, extra sure that everything is fine. Although these other wooden items that the board came in contact with still worry me a bit, even though the baking powder was washed off thoroughly. I just really want to do everything the best I can so I can recover.

Thanks again  

 

[Kate333]

Hi Xniehtan.  Welcome to the board.

Like you, I am a "newbie" to gluten-free diet.  Please don't feel bad or apologize about your stress, fears and worries.  That is a VERY normal reaction for people, especially at first as they learn about their health condition and how to avoid gluten in their lives and diet.  

I've found it much less stressful (and safer) to eat very basic, avoid ALL packaged and processed foods and purchase ONLY simple, fresh food (mostly fish, veggies, fruits) that I can buy and cook from scratch.  Personally, I hate reading package labels (too time-consuming) and because many food manufacturers here in the USA where I live use "hidden" gluten and other additives in their products.  I also avoid eating out (restaurants, other homes) because most people don't understand the nuances and strict diet requirements we have.   

Like you and your family, I am also short on cash these days.  (I lost my job in 2019.) I also hand-wash my dishes.  I just use plates to prepare food (chop, cut, etc.) before cooking it.  Then I use different plates to serve, eat cooked food.  My plates and cups are glass and utensils are all metal.  So It's very easy to clean up afterwards. I use hot water and liquid dish soap.  I have never used baking soda to clean dishes, etc.  Soap works fine and is very cheap here.

If you share a home with people who are NOT eating gluten-free, is really important to use separate food, plates, utensils.   It's also important that your other relatives get tested.  Celiac runs in families and others in your family could have the same problem without even having overt symptoms or knowing they have that problem, so they should all be tested. It may be to their benefit to also adopt a gluten-free diet.

Last, but most important, please make taking care of your mental health a priority.  I know that's not so easy right after this diagnosis, followed by having to adapt to strict, challenging diet changes--and all during a super-stressful pandemic.  But I hope you find comfort in knowing you are NOT alone and things WILL get better for you with the passage of time.  In a few months, eating gluten-free will become second-nature to you, and as your body heals, you will begin to feel better.  And you have time on your side.  You are very fortunate you discovered this problem while so young.  Young folks heal much faster than older ones.  And with research and luck, we will hopefully soon find a cure or highly effective treatment for celiac disease which allows us to happily eat gluten with no risks or problems. 

 

[JamieRmusic]

A little while ago I read a research paper based on the amount of gluten being stuck to kitchen utensils post dishwashing. It was neglible.

I think it's quite safe to say as long as the items are cleaned properly it should be fine, but with porous, I'd be more cautious. Maybe sand down cutting boards like mentioned above, or pawn it off and get a new one.

It's always better to be safe than sorry, but becoming manic WILL make things worse as the stress takes a heavy toll on the body.
Be dilligent, but don't get too hung up on these things. Cross contamination is inevitble sadly. Just do your best.

[trents]

Good words, Jamie.

[GFinDC]

The colander should be fine to clean up if it was just stored in the same cupboard as the gluten.  Where people have problems is when they have used a colander for years to make gluten foods and then try to clean out all the little holes in it.  That's hard to do!

You can try putting wax paper down to cut meat on instead.  Or newspaper as well.  Often that's all newspapers are good for anyway. 

Sticking to a basic diet of meats, veggies, eggs, nuts and fruits is good.  Spices can sometimes be a problem if they are spice blends/combos.  Check the ingredients for gluten.  Barley is sometimes listed as malt.

[knitty kitty]

Xniehtan,

I could not bear to part with the wooden chopping board my mother had given me, so I tried rubbing it with lemon and coarse kosher salt like in this video.  

Maybe I'm not as sensitive as others, but this allowed me to keep my wood board along with a sweet memory of my mother.

It's worth a try.

Maybe shelf liner paper would ease your anxiety about the possibility of cross contact in the cabinet.  

Don't use newspaper as chopping board, the ink is toxic and can get into your food.

Hope this helps! 

[trents]

And the ink in the newspaper will make a mess on the counter as well when it gets wet.

[xniehtan]

13 hours ago, GFinDC said:

The colander should be fine to clean up if it was just stored in the same cupboard as the gluten.  Where people have problems is when they have used a colander for years to make gluten foods and then try to clean out all the little holes in it.  That's hard to do!

You can try putting wax paper down to cut meat on instead.  Or newspaper as well.  Often that's all newspapers are good for anyway. 

Sticking to a basic diet of meats, veggies, eggs, nuts and fruits is good.  Spices can sometimes be a problem if they are spice blends/combos.  Check the ingredients for gluten.  Barley is sometimes listed as malt.

Thank you for getting back to me  

Yes, it was only stored together, only the cutting board had direct contact with gluten (like twice, not for years), the rest is new and was never used for bread/pasta or anything with gluten.

I think I'll just try buying a plastic cutting board this time, it should be easier to wash than a wooden one although it probably will be less sturdy. I'm just glad I don't have to spent a fortune again on replacing everything, that's a massive relief!

 

[AlwaysLearning]

If it were me and I had just bought new, I would probably try to salvage them ... after getting a bit teary eyed over the possible blunder when I was trying so hard to do everything right. Long term, I would try to only buy pots and pans that didn't have non-stick coatings which would eliminate that part of the problem completely. Stainless steel only. Silicone coatings are safe, but all of the others leach toxic chemicals into your food. The cutting board I would just shift over into art/craft supplies where you never know if you'll need a work surface like that. 

When I redid my kitchen, I think I kept a couple items even though they were on the replace list with zero problems. But I did consider how much they would be contaminated. Just being stored next to another item would rank as low risk in my mind. But I would probably give it a really good scrubbing or three anyway. There are lots of things I didn't worry about, such as ceramic plates that had scratches or kitchen counters that couldn't be replaced. 

Also, I recently learned that distilled water is a big time solvent, so if you wanted to come at the problem from a different angle, you could try a soak or scrub with it. I think it is because it is purified, it has more capacity to absorb. Not sure that that includes proteins, but it would be inexpensive to add to the other things you are doing.