What's Your Worst Cross-contamination Story?

[Guest ~wAvE WeT sAnD~]

I have a few cross-contamination stories.

At our 4th of July party, my uncle dipped one of those Nonni mini Italian bread slices (they're toasted) in the gluten-free dip that my mom picked out. Usually, she gives me my own small bowl of whatever dip that everyone else is having first. But, since my uncle cross contaminated it (it was garlic dip, too! Good stuff!), my mom had to write "NOT gluten-free" on the container. She also writes "gluten-free" on certain containers of products that we have more than one of (ketchup, etc.).

Oh, wait. I just thought of a worse story.

I was in the cafeteria at school, getting my breakfast food. It was probably a month or so after my diagnosis, since this incident was what really got me in touch with what cross-contamination really is, and HOW BAD IT IS.

I watched two guys, who were probably freshmen (I'm a senior---they're pretty easy to pick out). They were standing in front of the egg griddle talking, and I noticed the bread on their plates. I watched them (in HORROR--it's just freaking TORTURE to watch people cross-contaminate your food!) touch the bread with the egg spatula (one of them played with the bread while he waited for his eggs to cook), and then TOUCHED THE GRIDDLE. I was mad---and told one of the ladies about it later. She simply took a DRY paper towel and wiped it. She SMEARED GLUTEN all over it, and then said, "Is that OK?"

Silly me just lied and said "yes," making a personal vow to purchase separate cooking utensils and machines. I then got a George Foreman, an egg griddle of my own, and a fryer.

Those are two of many.

[frenchiemama]

Stephanie,

This is so weird. I remember seeing you post about nightshade intolerance before and thinking "man, I'm glad that's not me!" (I love tomatoes and potatoes). But I *know* that something has been bothering me still after going gluten-free, and I have been just grasping at straws trying to figure out what (without shelling out $$$$ for tests). Not only have I been having really bad headaches for the last few days, but I've had indigestion and bloating. I know it's not gluten because my skin isn't breaking out. Also, my mom gets really sick from tomatoes and peppers. I don't know why I didn't think of this before, denial I guess. Today is day one of nightshade avoidance, it will be interesting to see if there is a difference.