Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Are Bulk Bins Okay?

Crayons574

By Crayons574
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Crayons574 Contributor
Crayons574
Posted

Is it okay to use bulk bins at places like Whole Foods for nuts and dried fruit? Do you guys do it or is this a no-no? And if not, where can I safely get raw, organic nuts? Do they have packaged ones online? I am pretty sensitive anyways, as I am sure many of you are, so I am thinking I need to be more careful...

I know they separate the granolas from the nuts there (and probably at Trader Joes too). I have been nibbling on some raisins I got there the other day, which were located next to the malt balls, and just realized why I have been having a reaction. So, just wondering what you guys do?

Thanks!! :D

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Raven's Mum Newbie
Raven's Mum
Posted

When we talked to the celiac dietician, she said a big NO for bulk bins as you never know if someone was double dipping and contaminated them. lol

Not sure where you are but we have found some health food stores here that carry organic nuts and the label says they use proper handling methods during processing so they don't contaminate them with wheat. I'm in Canada. Might be worth checking the health food stores out where you are. :) Westpoint Naturals is the brand. Westpoint Distrubuters is the supplier for any other Canadians reading this.

ThatlldoGyp Rookie
ThatlldoGyp
Posted
Is it okay to use bulk bins at places like Whole Foods for nuts and dried fruit? Do you guys do it or is this a no-no? And if not, where can I safely get raw, organic nuts? Do they have packaged ones online? I am pretty sensitive anyways, as I am sure many of you are, so I am thinking I need to be more careful...

I know they separate the granolas from the nuts there (and probably at Trader Joes too). I have been nibbling on some raisins I got there the other day, which were located next to the malt balls, and just realized why I have been having a reaction. So, just wondering what you guys do?

Thanks!! :D

No, NOT ok. If cross contamination via the scoops doesn't gluten you, then the "poof" from the flours will. I have seen people open several bins at once and then scoop away not realizing that they are poofing flour everywhere and cc'ing every bin they have hanging open. Or even if they are just opening one, the person next to them getting the wheat flour is poofing everywhere.

My advice? Pass those raisins on to someone else and stay away from the bins!

JillianLindsay Enthusiast
JillianLindsay
Posted

The Safeway we shop at has a dispenser where you place the bag under the chute and press a lever. No one can cross-contaminate the food :) ...at least not at the customer level :P

teacherkd Apprentice
teacherkd
Posted

The health food store I shop at has the flours away from most other things, but it really depends. The yogurt covered raisins and the like are on one wall and most of the flours are kiddiewhumpus on the next wall, or around the wall in the next room. The dried fruit is okay, as is the sea salt and the quinoa. I won't touch the teff or the buckwheat because these are interspersed with rye, barley, and wheat.

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

The packaged raw sunflower seeds at TJ's have never caused me a problem. I avoid bulk bins. If I need something and there is no small package to get it in, I have occasionally ordered and bought a big bag--did that for my roomie so he can make his own tahini from sesame seeds. The bag will last forever, however it also is saving him a bundle.

Bea

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,737
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Ifeanyi
    Newest Member
    Ifeanyi
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      gluten-free stool softener needed for after surgery

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In general with pharmaceutical products cross-contamination is a much lower risk.
    • Scott Adams
      New to gluten-free

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Here is more info about how to do a gluten challenge for a celiac disease blood panel, or for an endoscopy: and this recent study recommends 4-6 slices of wheat bread per day:    
    • trents
      New to gluten-free

      By trents · Posted

      Just so you'll know, once you have been gluten-free for any length of time, it will invalidate testing for celiac disease.
    • QueenBorg
      New to gluten-free

      By QueenBorg · Posted

      Yes. I have not been tested for celiac. It took forever to get diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. lol. I have an appointment with my regular GP later this month and will convey my findings on improved symptoms and see what his thoughts are. Thank you. 
    • knitty kitty
      Refractory celiac disease

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Grahamsnaturalworld, It's never too late.   Have you been checked for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth?  SIBO can cause ongoing symptoms.  Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and Histamine Intolerance (HIT) can also be the cause of ongoing symptoms.  The AIP diet can help with these by starving out SIBO bacteria and calming the immune system. Do you include dairy in your diet?  Casein in dairy can cause an autoimmune response the same as to gluten.  Have you been checked for lactose intolerance?  Some people lose the ability to produce the enzyme, lactase, needed to digest lactose, the sugar in dairy because the villi where the lactase enzyme is made are damaged.  AIP diet excludes dairy. Do you include grains in your diet?  Gluten free alternative grains and ancient grains can be inflammatory and cause symptoms.  Some people with Celiac react to corn and oats.  The AIP diet excludes all grains.  Lectins in grains can be inflammatory and cause symptoms. Do you eat nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant).  This family of plants produce glycoalkaloids, chemicals that promote Leaky Gut Syndrome.  The AIP diet excludes nightshades.   Are you on any medications?  Some medications can cause gastrointestinal symptoms.  Do you take any supplements?  Some herbal teas and supplements can cause digestive symptoms.  Medications for diabetes, antidepressants, and other pharmaceuticals can cause digestive symptoms as side effects. Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?  Malabsorption of essential nutrients can occur with continued symptoms.  Deficiencies in Niacin, Thiamine, and other B vitamins can cause digestive symptoms.  Gastrointestinal Beriberi and Pellagra are often overlooked by doctors because they are not familiar with nutritional deficiency disease symptoms.  Nutritional deficiencies can worsen over time as stores inside the body are depleted.   Have your doctors checked for all these?   I had a horrible time getting my symptoms under control.  I had to answer all these questions myself.  Yes, it's frustrating and exasperating because doctors don't have to live with these symptoms everyday. Interesting reading: AGA Clinical Practice Update on Management of Refractory Celiac Disease: Expert Review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36137844/
×
×
  • Create New...