Dirty plate from dishwasher. Help

[Sandra85]

Hi everyone. Last year around March I found out I have celiac disease and it has been extremely difficult to adjust to a new diet considering I live with 2 other people which are not celiac. This evening my husband served me some gluten free food of course but after I finished I realised the plate wasn't cleaned properly from the dishwasher and there were some red little string stains on it form the pasta my little one had two days ago. Now I am concerned I accidentally consumed gluten. I am really stressed out ATM and my husband feels super guilty for not checking the plaint Also. How long would it take potentially for my body to recover from it now ? Please help 

[Sandra85]

Hi everyone please help me understand what can potentially happened if I consumed gluten by accident and how much damage this could cause me. Thank you 

[trents]

@Sandra85, welcome to the forum!

Did you get ill from this small exposure? I mean did it cause you any particular symptoms? I assume not since you do not mention any. Please here me. I'm not saying that no illness from a gluten exposure equates to no inflammation of the villi. What I am saying is that it isn't the occasional exposure to gluten that you should worry about causing damage but rather regular exposure from sources you are systematically missing over time.  But you can't obsess over what might have happened to your gut every time you get gluten exposure. It's probably not the first time and it won't be the last time. There are some celiacs who get violently ill over any exposure to a very small amount of gluten. There are some who seem to experience no reaction at all even when getting a more significant exposure. I'm talking only about symptoms here. Life happens. Learn from it and move on. Don't make mountain out of a mole hill. Your husband probably feels guilty enough for not catching it.

Edited January 14, 2024 by trents

[RMJ]

A reaction to or damage from gluten will be related to the dose.  So one time contamination from a tiny stain on a plate will be a tiny, tiny dose of gluten and shouldn’t cause much, if any damage.  Many people with celiac disease can handle the amount of gluten in a small crumb or two of bread.

If the dishwasher cycle couldn’t remove the material it may not have even gotten into your food at all!

[patty-maguire]

This whole thing is hard to navigate at first, but you'll get it.  It does get easier, I promise.

Most people with celiac can handle up to 20ppm of gluten or about 10mg per day.  For food to be labelled gluten-free it needs to test below 20ppm.  I would guess the gluten you got from a stain on a plate would be much less than this.  If you didn't get symptoms, don't worry.  Even if you make a mistake and do get sick, don't worry so much about the long term.  You may have a rough day or few days but your body can heal.  The real damage comes from repeated exposure.  I suggest working with your doctor on follow up care.  Repeat bloodwork is a good idea after a period on the gluten free diet to ensure that the diet is working and your antibody levels have gone down to normal.

All the best.

[Scott Adams]

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