What Made Me Sick?

[kpryan]

Ugh we were at my in-laws yesterday and they really make an effort to accomodate me.

I had a burger (plain) and some gluten-free macoroni salad that my mother-in-law made. She's made it before and it has Brown Rice pasta, mayo (Hellmans), onion, carrot, celery, egg, salt and pepper. I really think that is all the ingredients.

Well ever since eating it yesterday I've been sick like I was glutened.

I don't know what it was....I just texted my sister-in-law to double check the ingredients (I don't want to tell my mother in law yet b/c she goes through so much trouble to make it just for me you know?). Unless its just cross-contamination which just royally sucks b/c it seems like the longer i go without gluten, the worse my reactions are.

So frustrating...and the kicker was that I brought my own lunch, but figured it was safe...

We're going away this weekend and that makes me really worried....

[GlutenFreeManna]

If you have had the salad before without a problem I would suspect CC or the burger. How was the burger cooked and were any seasonings or sauces (like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc) added? I hope you feel better soon! Getting glutened is no fun.

ETA: I would not trust any gluten-free pasta cooked at someone elses' house that makes regular pasta in the same pans and used the same colander. It's very difficult to get all the nooks and cranies of the colander cleaned to de-gluten it.

[kpryan]

Yeah the burger was plain....must be CC...so frustrating...like even the grill could be contaminated which never occured to me....

And I guess I just have to be super diligent when we go away this weekend...

If you have had the salad before without a problem I would suspect CC or the burger. How was the burger cooked and were any seasonings or sauces (like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc) added? I hope you feel better soon! Getting glutened is no fun.

[GlutenFreeManna]

For the future ask that your burger be grilled on some foil. Grills are gluten death traps because if they have ever used any sauce on the grill with gluten in it (or grilled meat marinated with gluten) the grates will have gluten and CC your burger. Also consider the tongs used to turn the meat and ask yours to be flipped with separate tongs OR place foil on top of your burger as well as under. I visited some family this summer and we grilled out when they asked why I wanted foil under my burger I reminded them of the time they made pizza on the grill. Then they understood and complied and were extremely careful to not let my burger touch the grates.

[kpryan]

Great ideas...thanks!!!

For the future ask that your burger be grilled on some foil. Grills are gluten death traps because if they have ever used any sauce on the grill with gluten in it (or grilled meat marinated with gluten) the grates will have gluten and CC your burger. Also consider the tongs used to turn the meat and ask yours to be flipped with separate tongs OR place foil on top of your burger as well as under. I visited some family this summer and we grilled out when they asked why I wanted foil under my burger I reminded them of the time they made pizza on the grill. Then they understood and complied and were extremely careful to not let my burger touch the grates.

[jerseyangel]

I'm sorry you got sick --it's especially frustrating when people try so hard to make us gluten-free food.

I think it was probably cross contamination if she drained the pasta in the same colander she uses for "regular" pasta. That alone could do it. Then of course, the grill could have been contaminated, or the cutting board used for the salad ingredients.

Feel better!

[K8ling]

I am going to go ahead and say it was CC. This happened to me a number of times this past week, especially with inlaws who insisted that the grate was safe (it wasnt). FEEL BETTER!!!

[i-geek]

Yeah the burger was plain....must be CC...so frustrating...like even the grill could be contaminated which never occured to me....

And I guess I just have to be super diligent when we go away this weekend...

It was probably the grill surface. That's enough to do it for me.

[knittingmonkey]

Having been glutened by a grill, I'm betting it's that that got you cc'ed. When it happened to me, I just wasn't thinking

[kayo]

I would also suspect the mayo. If it's the jar kind (as opposed to squeeze bottle) and used to make other non-gluten items (sandwiches, regular macaroni salad, etc.) it could be contaminated with crumbs.

[kpryan]

That's a very def possibility too....

so lesson I guess is I can only make the food I eat....sigh.

I would also suspect the mayo. If it's the jar kind (as opposed to squeeze bottle) and used to make other non-gluten items (sandwiches, regular macaroni salad, etc.) it could be contaminated with crumbs.

[chasbari]

If the mayo has soy in it that may also be a problem. I know I react to soy as violently as I do to gluten. If you eat soy products regularly then disregard this suggestion. Plenty of other opportunities already mentioned by the gluten sleuths for CC.

[Takala]

The vegetables for the macaroni salad could have been cut on a regular cutting board that is used for gluten bearing items.

The pot or colander could have been used for wheat pasta.

The mayo jar could have been cross contaminated from other dipping into it to make sandwiches, etc.

The bowl could have been plastic or Tupperware. Or any of the smaller bowls, if used, could have been that.

Somebody could have dipped a spoon into another thing and then this.

"I really think this is all the ingredients." Alas, "thinking" is not enough because people place other ingredients in food all the time, a dash of this or that, without thinking about what they are doing. And they may not tell anyone.

A "plain" burger- on somebody else's grill. That's asking for it. The burger could have extenders in it that you don't know about, and nobody mentioned. The grill grate on on the bbq if that was used, is the most likely culprit because of past ingredients/sauces. Charcoal can have wheat in it, also. Tongs/spatulas could have been used on another item.

What annoys me the most is people touching other things that I know have gluten in them, not washing their hands, and then touching things like the ice that goes in my glass. I've caught my spouse doing this more than once, without thinking, and I always read him the riot act. You could have gotten somebody's suntan lotion, for instance.

It's better to bring your own food, and a covered dish to share that you've served yourself out of before anyone else gets to it.

[K8ling]

The vegetables for the macaroni salad could have been cut on a regular cutting board that is used for gluten bearing items.

The pot or colander could have been used for wheat pasta.

The mayo jar could have been cross contaminated from other dipping into it to make sandwiches, etc.

The bowl could have been plastic or Tupperware. Or any of the smaller bowls, if used, could have been that.

Somebody could have dipped a spoon into another thing and then this.

"I really think this is all the ingredients." Alas, "thinking" is not enough because people place other ingredients in food all the time, a dash of this or that, without thinking about what they are doing. And they may not tell anyone.

A "plain" burger- on somebody else's grill. That's asking for it. The burger could have extenders in it that you don't know about, and nobody mentioned. The grill grate on on the bbq if that was used, is the most likely culprit because of past ingredients/sauces. Charcoal can have wheat in it, also. Tongs/spatulas could have been used on another item.

What annoys me the most is people touching other things that I know have gluten in them, not washing their hands, and then touching things like the ice that goes in my glass. I've caught my spouse doing this more than once, without thinking, and I always read him the riot act. You could have gotten somebody's suntan lotion, for instance.

It's better to bring your own food, and a covered dish to share that you've served yourself out of before anyone else gets to it.

This is exactly what I was trying to tell people this past week and everyone looked at me like I was crazy! The ice was touched by people eating Wheat Thins (aka "Death In A Box") and everyone looked at me like I was stupid when I asked for the first ice out of the ice bag before anyone else could touch it! I am EXTREMELY reluctant to let other people cook for me OR make drinks for me now!!

[i-geek]

What annoys me the most is people touching other things that I know have gluten in them, not washing their hands, and then touching things like the ice that goes in my glass. I've caught my spouse doing this more than once, without thinking, and I always read him the riot act. You could have gotten somebody's suntan lotion, for instance.

Yep. My husband has been amazing with this, and even he has done things like pull a hamburger bun out of a bag and then grab cabinet doors/fridge door/condiment bottles without washing his hands- not five minutes after I've reminded him to wash his hands after he touches the bread. And the bread ALWAYS gets crumbs all over everything. And then I have to scrub down the entire kitchen and make sure I wash my hands before and after touching anything. After I read him the riot act for that last month (especially after he toasted said buns on the new grill and forgot to clean it before putting on next night's dinner- I was sick for a week and made him scrub the whole grill down with soap), it was his idea for the kitchen to be gluten-free except for his beer (and brewing supplies, but he has his own pans for that) and occasional takeout. I had to scrub off the TV remotes after he brought pizza home for dinner last week and my gut has been funny since so I think the next rule is going to be that all gluten foods must be eaten with a fork and knife or else they don't come in the house. He's terrific and understanding, it's just that he doesn't think about little things like that because they don't affect his health.

[K8ling]

You know, I do have to say, my house has NEVER been cleaner since being diagnosed. (silver lining silver lining silver lining!!!) Also, are there any good gluten-free hamburger buns? That last post made me want a cheeseburger BAD!!!

[i-geek]

You know, I do have to say, my house has NEVER been cleaner since being diagnosed. (silver lining silver lining silver lining!!!) Also, are there any good gluten-free hamburger buns? That last post made me want a cheeseburger BAD!!!

I don't know. Some people swear by Kinnikinnick but I haven't tried them yet. I usually either eat mine with a knife and fork or between two slices of Udi's bread (or between two slices of homemade bread, but it's been too hot to bake lately).