Alcohol Question On Night Out

[whattodo]

I went for a night out last night. All i drank was vodka and lemonade and vodka and diet coke. I also drank alot of water when out.

My question is when out in an evening how easy is it to get glutened from glasses which have not been washed and rinsed correctly in bars. The potential of cross-contamination must be pretty strong.

Is there also anythig wrong with my choice of drink. Im not sure about the soft drinks that i mix with vodka but i have had a bloated stomach all day. Could it be due to too much fizzy drink?

[hez]

There is always a potential for cc when you go out. I would think vodka and soda would be safe. Not sure about the lemonade, should be safe but one never knows. Maybe you just enjoyed yourself too much

Hez

[Guest j_mommy]

I wonder about their lemonade???? I wonder if it was a mix they mixed themselves????? And there could definetly be cross contamination......usually glasses get washed by hand and at 2-3 am when the bartenders want to go home...how great of a job can you guarentee they do?????(Not a dig on bartenders...i've been one, I know they clean them but are they celiac clean????)

When I go out I drink Captain and Coke....don't have any problems.

Could it be a hangover????Been there done that!

[Lisa]

The lemonade may be an issue. Some of the Tropicana juices are not gluten free. I would stick to the unflavored vodkas and coke or seven-up products. The more elements in a product, the more the risk since you cannot read the ingrediences at a pub or restaurant. Keep it simple.

I am not an expert, but I think that glasses in a restaurant are required to get a double washing (lipstick stains and all). I guess you could get glutened by from an unclean glass with cheeseburger lipstick still on the glass, gross and all....but, I rather suspect the lemonade

[whattodo]

The lemonade may be an issue. Some of the Tropicana juices are not gluten free. I would stick to the unflavored vodkas and coke or seven-up products. The more elements in a product, the more the risk since you cannot read the ingrediences at a pub or restaurant. Keep it simple.

I am not an expert, but I think that glasses in a restaurant are required to get a double washing (lipstick stains and all). I guess you could get glutened by from an unclean glass with cheeseburger lipstick still on the glass, gross and all....but, I rather suspect the lemonade

Regarding the cross contamination i was more worried about the glasses not being washed to a great standard. Especially in dish washers that may use the same water than used to wash glasses that had beer in them

[Lisa]

The detergent and the hot water should loosen any gluten on the glass. Unless, stick to lipstick leftovers. A well washed beer glass should not cause a concern.

[Guest j_mommy]

You've got to remember that not all bars have a dishwasher!!!! Most don't unless there large bars or have a restuarant attached!!!!

[Lisa]

You've got to remember that not all bars have a dishwasher!!!! Most don't unless there large bars or have a restuarant attached!!!!

I would assume that it would be a a health code regulation., ie. water heated to a certain degree and such. If not it should be. But, I don't know.

[Guest j_mommy]

It's kinda scary to think about it!!! I think from now on when I get a mixed drink I'm going to ask for a plastic cup....they throw those away and you don't have to worry about cross contamination!!!

Like you said momma goose, there are alot of variables....it's kinda a 50/50 chance.

[kbtoyssni]

I have rarely had a problem with drinks at bars. The one thing that I can see as being a major issue is that some bars pour the shot into a shot glass to measure and then into the glass, but they're using the same shot glass for every kind of booze... Most place free pour the alcohol, I think it's just newer bartenders that tend to measure.

The other issue that's been bugging me lately is the slice of lime. They reach into the limes with bare hands and I worry that beer has been splashed in or that there is beer residue on the bartenders hands. Haven't come to a conclusion about what to do about that one yet.

[itsgareth]

Hi I'm new!

I've recently read that only some Vodka's are safe (potato based) so it could be from that. I have the same problem as you whattodo, went out on Friday and only drank Vodka and Coke but the past three days I've been in complete agony with my stomach and on the Saturday I had very bad brain fog and nerves

Gonna try Cognac next time me thinks

[ravenwoodglass]

Just a note on the issue of glasses in bars, since you all brought it up. I bartended for years in a couple of different states. Most have a 3 basin law. You have one full sink with soap, one with clear water and the last sink has something that is called sanitabs. The last sink is one of the major reasons I will not drink in bar glasses. I have no idea what is in the last rinse and this stays on the glasses. In a place that is a bar and a restaurant they may run the glasses through the dishwasher but on a buzy night it may still be the bartender washing your glass. At the very least it is a good idea to ask the bartender to rinse your glass and the shot glass with hot water and then hang on to that glass all night.

[hangininthere]

I had a bad reaction to Coca Cola a few months ago, was very sick for three days straight from drinking just a few swallows.

I had e-mailed the Coca Cola company before trying it, and they sent back a very thorough message saying that one of the ingredients they use has a little bit of wheat in it and that although it shouldn't bother most wheat-sensitive people, it indeed could bother those who are super-sensitive to wheat.

So I tried a few swallows, and paid for it sick as a dog for three days.

The first afternoon and evening , after I had drank the Coke that afternoon, I had just a mild reaction, bad enough. Then the next three whole days was when I got sick as a dog. So no more Coke for me.

So maybe it could have been the Coca Cola?

Best wishes to all!

[Lisa]

I had a bad reaction to Coca Cola a few months ago, was very sick for three days straight from drinking just a few swallows.

I had e-mailed the Coca Cola company before trying it, and they sent back a very thorough message saying that one of the ingredients they use has a little bit of wheat in it and that although it shouldn't bother most wheat-sensitive people, it indeed could bother those who are super-sensitive to wheat.

So I tried a few swallows, and paid for it sick as a dog for three days. No more Coke for me.

So maybe it could have been the Coca Cola?

Best wishes to all!

It would be great if you could post your e-mail from Coca Cola. It's aways good to post your source because there is alot of speculation out there, not based on fact.

We try to be as accurate at possible regarding ingredients.

[hangininthere]

Yep, I had deleted it when cleaning out my e-mail inbox and all! Then wished I'd have kept it to post on the gluten-free forums!

But it doesn't bother a lot of people, just the super-sensititive I guess!

I think I'll e-mail them again and see if they send the same answer, hopefully so, then I'll post it here!

It took over a week or more for them to e-mail back, so when I get it I'll post it here!

I asked them this:

"Is Coca Cola gluten-free and soy-free?"

Or anyone could e-mail them too! Because someone could post a fake e-mail from them, so it could be better to get it right from the horse's mouth when in doubt, actually!

I'll post their reply here when I get it!

I thought it was very nice of them to be so thorough in explaining it, instead of the usual pat "no glutens" some places give you when you call or e-mail! They were very nice!

Best wishes all!

[hangininthere]

I just e-mailed the Coca Cola Company again, with the same question:

"Is Coca Cola gluten-free and soy-free?"

I'll post their answer here when I get it!

Best wishes all!

[hangininthere]

P.S.

What was so interesting to me, the reason I thought their reply to me was so thorough, was that they said there was wheat in some ingredient that was used to PROCESS another ingredient, and it was not listed as an ingredient on the label itself.

I thought that was very very thorough of them to know and mention that.

It had a long name, that ingredient in that process they described - I hope they send me the same e-mail, it was very interesting!

Best wishes all!

[Betty in Texas]

I had one margareta today I mix my self and I know better I have hurt all day with terible heart burn acid comming up in my throat and it burns bloating . I had celiac for 4 years and most of the time when I get glutened this is what I have Hope you feel better I been drinking lots of water this kind of helps

[kbtoyssni]

Interesting about the coke. I always thought coke was gluten-free, so I'm looking forward to seeing the answer!

[hangininthere]

My glutened symptoms are severe brain fog, severe lack of concentration, and severe exhaustion, and achiness head to toe.

My son has an even worse reaction, he becomes violently ill with vomiting and chills and weakness, like a mild anaphylactic shock reaction I'm guessing.

Well, after I drank the Coke, I had all my usual symptoms plus was so NAUSEATED that three whole days.

I'm guessing that I had that worst ever reaction because I've been totally off glutens for an entire year, and it hit me harder since I wasn't used to it.

By law, eight particular allergens are required to be listed on the label, wheat and soy included.

But barley and rye is not required, just the wheat.

Plus...

The law allows a small percentage of these allergens to not be listed, if they are a very minute percentage in the whole product.

So it's still hard to tell what has gluten in it or not, scary. Trial and error.

Would you believe that some jars of pickles and relish contain wheat??? Some labels state that, some don't.

I got a jar of pickle relish that glutened me, even though it wasn't on the label.

I'm my son's 'King's Taste Tester' I jokingly call it, I taste everything first before letting him eat it (he's disabled, lives at home), so good thing he didn't eat the ham salad I made, the relish was glutened.

And the same thing happened with a can of generic Aldi's store brand apple pie filling. They 'snuck' gluten in it, probably wheat to thicken it, but it wasn't on the label...sick for three days, that's the time I started testing everything out before my son ate it, I was sick for three days over that one, my son would've had a far worse reaction than me, like he does.

I've read on-line that when an allergen is just a tiny percentage, a certain percentage, a company doesn't have to change the label on the cans and such, when they occasionally change ingredients (such as whichever is the cheapest crop at the time).

Trial and error, trial and error. Scary.

I was so glad to find out that we can have distilled vinegar - was so glad to be able to have pickles and pickled peppers and the like!

But only the AMERICAN MADE distilled vinegar is gluten-free!

In other countries, it can and probably does have gluten that is not lost in the distilling process somehow, this is what I've read!

I'm always so scared my son will get glutened, because of his severe reaction. So far so good though.

He scared me to death one night as he was getting ready to go to a party...he told me he had looked it up on-line and that he could have beer!

I started panicking like I do, yelling "Malt! Beer is made from malt!"

Then I looked up where he had read about it, and it said that some beers the malt is lost in the distilling process.

Then I read further and learned that some beers they put the malt back in after distilling, for more flavor I guess.

I told my son that in the nick of time, right before he flew out the door...

Well, he had three beers that night at the party and didn't get sick! But it was pure luck (or my panicked prayers) that he happened to have a good beer, whew!

And I read at first (for him, I've been on the wagon for twenty-eight years and counting) that tequila is gluten-free...

But then afterwards have read recently that some tequilas do have some gluten in them, yikes!

Trial and error, trial and error.

I'm gonna have to start saving my 'sources' of this info I read on-line, to have it to show anyone who wants to see it. But...who knows whether something you read on-line (or anywhere) is true or not???

Trial and error, trial and error.

Well, for those with deadly allergies, such as with peanuts, it would be so scary, you can't do 'trial and error' in those circumstances. So scary.

That's why I was so impressed with Coca Cola's disclosure to me. But too bad it's not on the Coke can label!!!

Long way to go with labeling practices.

I hope Coca Cola Company sends me the exact same e-mail they did before - hoping it's a form letter they send to all questions about gluten!!!

Best wishes all!

[Glutenfreefamily]

I found a letter online from coca cola, it might be enough to cause a reaction. Im putting it on a new post so more can see it.

[hangininthere]

Oh good! I wonder if it's the same one they sent me! I'm looking for your post of it, but can't find it yet! What section are you posting it in? Thanks!

Best wishes to all!

[CarlaB]

One time I was sitting at the bar in a restaurant and saw the bartender pour a beer into a glass right over the ice. I think there's a risk for cc at a bar ... just like anywhere that's not home.

When I could drink, I only drank non-grain alcohols ... so I'd stick with potato or corn (Smirnoff) vodka. Some people can't handle grain alcohol.

[hangininthere]

As promised, here is the reply I got from the Coca Cola company...

But it's a different reply than the one they sent me before!

It says Coke doesn't have gluten!

It just says some of the other products have a small amount and explains that thoroughly.

Shoot, I got glutened from the Coca Cola Classic - I believe the first reply they sent me a while back was more accurate than this latest reply they sent today, here below!

Date: 1 Jun 2007 08:56:16 -0400

From: "Coca-Cola Support" <coca-cola.support@na.ko.com> Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert

Subject: RE: General Info

To: (I have deleted my e-mail address)

Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate the

opportunity to address your concerns.

We are able to confirm that Coca-Cola classic, caffeine free Coca-Cola

classic, Coca-Cola Blak, Coca-Cola C2, Coca-Cola with Lime, Coca-Cola

Zero, Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla, Barq's root beer, caffeine free

Barq's root beer, diet Barq's root beer, diet Barq's Red Creme Soda, Diet

Coke Black Cherry Vanilla, Diet Coke, Diet Coke with Lime, Diet Coke

Plus, caffeine free Diet Coke, Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda, Sprite,

Sprite Zero, vanilla Coke, Diet Vanilla Coke, cherry Coke, Diet Cherry

Coke, Cherry Coke zero, Fresca, DASANI, DASANI Lemon, Minute Maid Light

Lemonade, Minute Maid Active Orange Juice, Minute Maid Multi-Vitamin

Orange Juice, Nestea Sweetened Lemon Tea, Diet Nestea Lemon, Nestea Peach

Green Tea, Diet Nestea Peach Green Tea, Diet Nestea White Tea Berry

Honey, Nestea Lemon Sweet (hot fill), Enviga Sparkling Green Tea, Enviga

Berry Sparkling Green Tea, Simply Lemonade, Simply Limeade, POWERade

Mountain Blast, and our 100% juice products (without added ingredients)

are gluten free.

Additionally, we can tell you that all of our other products meet

Codex's definition of gluten-free, which is currently less than 200 ppm

(parts per million) (0.02%) gluten. Codex is in the process of reviewing

this standard and we are monitoring the progress closely. At this time

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not have a regulatory

definition of gluten-free.

We can assure you that the exact amount of gluten in all these other

products is very low - perhaps even zero. Some minor ingredients in

these products are manufactured from plants that gluten-sensitive people

could react to, so we are unable to state categorically that they are

totally gluten-free even though they may have undetectable levels of

gluten in them. The Codex guideline provides a very low threshold for

gluten content. However, extremely gluten-sensitive individuals should

discuss consumption of these products with their health care provider.

We do not add soybeans to Coca-Cola brand products. In the U.S.,

brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is added to some of our brands. The

vegetable oil is derived from soybean; however, it is a highly refined oil and

does not contain the soy protein, which is the material that would

trigger an allergic reaction. The ingredient declaration statement will

always list BVO when it is an ingredient.

We hope this information is helpful. If you have additional questions

or comments, please feel free to contact us again.

Jeffrey

Industry and Consumer Affairs

The Coca-Cola Company

[DestinyLeah]

Yay for gluten free Coke products.

I sent an e-mail to Tyson meats about a month ago regarding two of their meat products that have seasonings but are wheat free. Not only did they say that they could not verify the gluten free status of their products, they went on to put in a disclaimer that the e-mail was private, and that in the event that I posted it in a public forum, printed and posted it, or forwarded the e-mail to anyone, thereby causing a public backlash or any further communication from a third party, I would be sued.

I will NEVER eat Tyson foods again.