Can I Bake Gluten Free? Advice Needed

[Weddingcakes]

Hi-- I found this forum and it's obviously the place where I can get a definitive answer to this question...

I make wedding cakes, and I bake everything from scratch, so I can adjust for food allergies. I was under the impression that if I use wheat flours in my normal baking (which I do) then I shouldn't do gluten-free cakes because I'll have gluten in the air in my kitchen that can get into the cake batters.

I've recently been told that I'm wrong, and as long as I'm careful to really clean the equipment that I'm using, etc., before I bake gluten-free, I should be okay. I don't want to go on "should be," though, it just makes me nervous. The friend who told me it would be fine has celiac disease, so I tend to believe her, I'm just paranoid about making people sick, which would obviously be a bad thing!

So if anyone has opinions or a definite answer and can enlighten me, I'd appreciate it. I don't know if it's a clear yes or no answer, or if there's room to give the "processed in a kitchen that also uses wheat products" warning and let people make up their own minds about whether to eat it or not.

Thanks!

[Mango04]

"processed in a kitchen that also uses wheat products" warning and let people make up their own minds about whether to eat it or not.

Thanks!

I think this is your best solution. Just make sure people know there is a chance of cross contamination. Maybe getting some dedicated equipment would help too, if possible (especially if you happen to use anything plastic or porous).

[RiceGuy]

I agree that at least some dedicated equipment will be helpful, but it will be necessary for certain things. For instance, a flour sifter. I suppose, that depending on the beaters of your mixer, that you may need to get a second set, if not a separate mixer.

Stainless steel mixing bowls are best. If you use plastic, then I'd think you'll need a second set.

Still, flour does poof up into the air, and can stay aloft for several hours. A really good air cleaning system would probably be helpful. The kind which incorporate an ionizer are supposed to be good at drawing particles out of the air.

Keep the gluten-free flours separate from the gluten-filled ones, so the containers themselves don't get wheat flour on them. Otherwise, it can get into the container and/or on your hands, etc as you use handle the containers.

There are many precautions which can help. I'm sure you'll get plenty more ideas and suggestions.

[Sweetfudge]

So if anyone has opinions or a definite answer and can enlighten me, I'd appreciate it. I don't know if it's a clear yes or no answer, or if there's room to give the "processed in a kitchen that also uses wheat products" warning and let people make up their own minds about whether to eat it or not.

Thanks!

For me personally, I tend to avoid anything that says "processed in a kitchen that also uses wheat products"...so I don't know if that would scare away potential customers. I would definitely use dedicated equipment. Good luck to you though! It's nice to see people out there who are making more effort for those with food allergies and intolerances.

[JNBunnie1]

For me personally, I tend to avoid anything that says "processed in a kitchen that also uses wheat products"...so I don't know if that would scare away potential customers. I would definitely use dedicated equipment. Good luck to you though! It's nice to see people out there who are making more effort for those with food allergies and intolerances.

Dedicated equipment, and a bakery that does gluten free stuff first in the morning after having had no gluten flour used for over 24 hours, and a baker who is truly aware of what they're doing, is good enough for me.

[Sweetfudge]

Dedicated equipment, and a bakery that does gluten free stuff first in the morning after having had no gluten flour used for over 24 hours, and a baker who is truly aware of what they're doing, is good enough for me.

i think, i would be comfortable with that, but i don't know how you would want to state it in your disclaimer....