Are Ice Cream/gelato Shops Safe?

jasonD2 · August 2, 2009

WHenever i travel i always try to find a gelato shop so i can get sorbet...its one of the few treats I can have since its gluten and dairy free. but i just got nervous that there might be cross contamination issues - has anyone had problems? most of the shops i go to serve it in cups but i went to one last night that served the gelato on cones...dont think people typically get sorbet on cones, but ya never know. the workers used separate scopps for each flavor and i dont think they really come into direct contact w/ the cones. i didnt get any type of reaction last night but it goit me thinking as always

darlindeb25 · August 3, 2009

Here on Long Island, we have Rita's Ice's. They came to our celiac support meeting, and gave out some samples and coupons. If you go to their website, it tells you the items that are gluten free. Last summer I did have something from Rita's, yet don't remember what. I did fine with it.

brigala · August 3, 2009

I'm not sure whether there any dairy-free soft-serve treats, but I always opt for soft serve (after checking that it's gluten-free of course, which leaves Baskin Robins out entirely). That way I don't have to worry about ice cream scoops going into the cookies-n-cream first.

I had TCBY last night. Yum.

-Elizabeth

jasonD2 · August 13, 2009

Does anyone have problems with ice cream/Gelato shops? Whenever I travel I always go out for sorbet since its the one treat I can really enjoy (being dairy intolerant as well)- i have been able to find some amazing places with unique flavors but now I'm afraid that there might be cross contamination issues. Usually in gelato shops they have a scoop for each flavor unlike ice cream shops where its 1 or 2 scoopers that they use for all the flavors

Again, since I dont experience symptoms after ingesting small amts of gluten I never really know what im eating. Do I need to avoid this as well? honestly its my only guilty pleasure (not even that guilty) and if i have to cut this out too i'm gonna be very sad.

Gemini · August 13, 2009

jasonD2 said:
Does anyone have problems with ice cream/Gelato shops? Whenever I travel I always go out for sorbet since its the one treat I can really enjoy (being dairy intolerant as well)- i have been able to find some amazing places with unique flavors but now I'm afraid that there might be cross contamination issues. Usually in gelato shops they have a scoop for each flavor unlike ice cream shops where its 1 or 2 scoopers that they use for all the flavors

Again, since I dont experience symptoms after ingesting small amts of gluten I never really know what im eating. Do I need to avoid this as well? honestly its my only guilty pleasure (not even that guilty) and if i have to cut this out too i'm gonna be very sad.

I don't eat ice cream, either, Jason, but do have sorbet from time to time and have never had any issues with it. I think if you tell them you are dairy intolerant and ask them to make sure they use a clean scooper, there shouldn't be a problem. I highly doubt an ice cream shop would CC the sorbet scoop with ice cream.

Dairy intolerance is much more publicized than gluten intolerance....people seem to understand that better.

brendygirl · September 9, 2009

Usually, they'll have no problem opening a new tub for you. With a freshly cleaned scoop, it works! That's what I do at Baskin Robbins!

(If people order a double scoop, and one flavor has gluten, the gluten-free kind could be cc'd) if they use the same scooper or if the scooper touched the gluten ice cream as they put it on top)