Working At A Pizza Place?

stonezeppelinpilot · December 8, 2010

Hello,

This is my first time posting here. After a very long struggle of being extremely sick I went on a gluten-free diet about 1.5 years ago. I felt amazing! Lately, I have been feeling quite terrible again. I go to work and school and it seems impossible to even think in school, let alone get my projects done. I have been in a ton of pain.

My question is: am I completely insane for working at a pizza place with flour all over?

I have been trying to figure out if some other food besides gluten, dairy, and soy have been making me sick but I haven't been able to pinpoint anything as all food seems to make me sick. I am very careful at work. I always wash my hands really well before I eat. I even make sure to not lick my lips at all. Could breathing flour in be a problem? Could ingesting a tiny amount of flour the night before cause breakfast to make me sick?

Thanks much

Dixiebell · December 8, 2010

Hi, welcome stonezeppelinpilot!

I would think that yes, you working at a pizza place with flour flying around could make you sick. The problem with flour is that is stays in the air for several hours, someone has actually posted the time before, I can't remember, and it will settle on any and everything in the resturant. So if you are eating there you could be getting it into your system. You also could have an allergy to it along with the gluten intolerance.

NorthernElf · December 9, 2010

I'm mom in a family of 5...the only gluten-free one. I have segregated all the gluten stuff on to an island in my kitchen. I rarely ever bake - leave that up to my kids now. I have made home made pizza crust and cookies & glutened myself - while trying not to so I just quit. It's not feasible to make my house gluten free at this point - expensive ! However, I do have my areas and pans, etc. so it helps a lot. I recently glutened myself coming home from a hockey tournament on the drive home, after handing out food to my family (cinnamon buns and helping DH unwrap his sub)...and then eating my food. I'm pretty sensitive but it gives you an idea just how easy it is to get glutened. I would think in a pizza place it would be everywhere !

sahm-i-am · December 9, 2010

Hey Stone,

Sorry you haven't been feeling well lately, but I would say it is probably all the pizza dough and flour flying around. I read somewhere (don't you love that vague expression) that flour can stay in the air for up to 3 days. Whether the time frame is accurate doesn't really matter, but the fact that you are around it while it's flying is cause enough to believe that you are being glutened while working there. Small amounts, bit by bit, can make you sick over time. Gluten Free Pizza parlor anyone?

I've actually stopped baking at home with non gluten-free flours. My GI doctor said my antibody numbers weren't going down as much as they should and told me to be hyper-vigilant about gluten. So, I've changed the dog's treats to gluten-free, refuse to touch gluten bread, etc. and don't bake with gluten flours. My non-gluten-free family members understand and have to do for themselves a little more, but hopefully it is working!

I hate to think about what you are going to have to do - can you possibly find another place to work? I know, stupid question in today's times, but maybe you can???

kareng · December 9, 2010

I don't know officially how long flour stays in the air but I think it's at least a day. It also gets in the air ducts and can get pushed around again. Hub made some cookies with reg flour. Wiped the counter. Next morning, a light dusting of flour on the counter and top of mixer. When you get your wood floors sanded and re- finished, you get wood dust settling for about 3 days.

Hopefully, you can find a new job that you like. If you explain to your manager why you have to leave, maybe they would give you a good recommendation.

stonezeppelinpilot · December 9, 2010

Thanks everyone!

It does feel like I have been getting progressively more sick. I am definitely going to try to find a new job. It's going to be difficult right now though. So hectic this time of year with christmas and finals.

Much appreciated!

Ox on the Roof · December 10, 2010

Until you find something else, could you use a mask? I don't know if that would work, but maybe some "old-timers" would know.

Richterface · September 1, 2012

I saw this post on google and I wanted to ask an even more specific question. I was diagnoised with cealics diease at the age of 16, however due to lack of knowledge I havent followed my diet as strictly as I should. However I've decided to research and follow my diet as stict as possible. I have been a manager of 2 pizza places for the past couple of years. First at dominos and currently Donatos pizza in Columbus Ohio. At dominos we used corn mill to stretch our wheat dough and currently at Donatos we do not use corn mill or flour, the dough comes pee pressed with corn mill on the outer layer. I've recently started washing after everytime I've touched the dough or wheat buns (and as of yesterday I've started wearing plastic gloves for the better part of the day. My question is am I at risk of breaking my diet or causing any further damage to my body by working around wheat? I do not ingest it however sometimes flakes or bread or cums fly at my face or water from our sinks splash me in the face.