Invisible/dried Gluten

[StrongerThanCeliac]

I’m pretty sure I have some irrational anxiety about gluten cross contamination and I’m probably not the only person that does. 

 

I don’t think it’s a good idea to continue to wash my hands after every time that I potentially touch gluten. 
 

Obviously, if I stick my hand in a bag of flour…..I’ll wash my hands asap. But let’s say I’m carrying a pizza box to the trash that someone had. Or I’m grabbing a beer for someone. Or I’m touching a surface that once had gluten on it but has no visible crumbs and it’s dry. Would it be necessary to wash my hands in that situation before opening up a bottle of water and taking a drink for example?

 

Thank you. 

[Grlybrainiac]

18 hours ago, StrongerThanCeliac said:

I’m pretty sure I have some irrational anxiety about gluten cross contamination and I’m probably not the only person that does. 

 

I don’t think it’s a good idea to continue to wash my hands after every time that I potentially touch gluten. 
 

Obviously, if I stick my hand in a bag of flour…..I’ll wash my hands asap. But let’s say I’m carrying a pizza box to the trash that someone had. Or I’m grabbing a beer for someone. Or I’m touching a surface that once had gluten on it but has no visible crumbs and it’s dry. Would it be necessary to wash my hands in that situation before opening up a bottle of water and taking a drink for example?

 

Thank you. 

I guess it depends on your sensitivity level? I’m extremely sensitive. For example, when I had movers move me from one apartment to another, I specifically told them I had allergies and if they were going to eat that they need to wash their hands afterwards. Unfortunately, I think they ate between loading my boxes and then unloading them at my new place (they were an hour late between the locations without telling me, but that’s another story). It took me a couple of weeks to unpack everything and I was getting sick every day during that time period. Maybe when the gluten is in some sort of oil, it hangs around for longer? I don’t know. Another recent example is my apartment management dropped off some documents and hung them on my door knob. I started getting sick within 5 minutes of handling the paperwork, so I’m guessing someone was eating while putting the packets together. I’d feel safe grabbing a sealed beer can, but hesitant to grab a glass from a bar that had just been filled with beer, or an open can. I would probably wash my hands afterwards, or use a napkin to grab it. But again, everyone is different! 
 

Side note, I get sick from skin contact without ingestion so, I’m extra careful.

[StrongerThanCeliac]

5 hours ago, Grlybrainiac said:

I guess it depends on your sensitivity level? I’m extremely sensitive. For example, when I had movers move me from one apartment to another, I specifically told them I had allergies and if they were going to eat that they need to wash their hands afterwards. Unfortunately, I think they ate between loading my boxes and then unloading them at my new place (they were an hour late between the locations without telling me, but that’s another story). It took me a couple of weeks to unpack everything and I was getting sick every day during that time period. Maybe when the gluten is in some sort of oil, it hangs around for longer? I don’t know. Another recent example is my apartment management dropped off some documents and hung them on my door knob. I started getting sick within 5 minutes of handling the paperwork, so I’m guessing someone was eating while putting the packets together. I’d feel safe grabbing a sealed beer can, but hesitant to grab a glass from a bar that had just been filled with beer, or an open can. I would probably wash my hands afterwards, or use a napkin to grab it. But again, everyone is different! 
 

Side note, I get sick from skin contact without ingestion so, I’m extra careful.

Thanks for your input. Do you mean you get a skin reaction? I’ve read it’s impossible to get an actual celiac reaction to gluten from anything but ingestion. But the problem would be you touch gluten and then you eat something else later, is my understanding. 

[Scott Adams]

Some super sensitive celiacs, and those who have dermatitis herpetiformis, have reported symptoms with skin contact. I don't doubt this, but for most celiacs skin contact would not be a trigger for celiac disease symptoms. We've had members here who have worked as bakers, at pizzerias, etc., which make regular wheat products who didn't have issues, but we've also had some who have had issues.