Jump to content

  • 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

Cross Contamination?

BrittLoves2Run

Recommended Posts

BrittLoves2Run Apprentice
BrittLoves2Run
Posted

How serious do you take Cross contamination at your home? Should I have separate pots and pans? colander? What about dish sponges? What thinks should I think about replacing? My family think i'm crazy when I talk about this saying "I'm sure it's not THAT bad" and things like that

What items do you keep separate at your house??

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


navigator Apprentice
navigator
Posted

My house is completely gluten free. My husband eats gluten out of the house but at home he is gluten free to ensure that there is no cross-contamination. My son-in-law does the same. It's a huge issue and will prevent healing taking place. It's a steep learning curve and a lot for you and your family to get your heads around. I found the cross-contamination issue the most difficult one to get people to really understand and take seriously but it's all about perseverance and education. Good luck!

lynnelise Apprentice
lynnelise
Posted

If your pots and pans are scratched then yes you should buy new. Definitely a new colander, toaster, and dish sponges. My house is 95% gluten free. For the most part if my family wants gluten they can eat it outside of the house. Occassionally my husband will buy a gluten snack but it's always in single serving containers and he is careful not to contaminate anything with it.

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

Brittany, you might want to check this recent thread for additional ideas: http://www.celiac.co...you-get-rid-of/

BrittLoves2Run Apprentice
BrittLoves2Run
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone!! I will buy new things for myself! I don't know that i'll be able to get my house 100% gluten free as my boyfriend is obviously fine. And Sylvia, I will check out that thread!

domesticactivist Collaborator
domesticactivist
Posted

We decided to make our house 100% gluten free for simplicity's sake last year. It made a huge difference in our son's health. He stopped getting glutened all the time!

The past two months I have been doing a gluten challenge. While I tried to be super careful and obviously was up to date on all the details of being gluten-free and not contaminating things, I managed to gluten my son a couple times. I felt so bad for having made him sick with my carelessness.

Even if your bf wants to keep eating gluten, it would be better if he could stick to keeping gluten safely at restaurants and friend's houses, and eat gluten free at home. (and of course remember to wash up when he gets home, brush his teeth before kissing you, etc)

BrittLoves2Run Apprentice
BrittLoves2Run
Posted
  • Author

We decided to make our house 100% gluten free for simplicity's sake last year. It made a huge difference in our son's health. He stopped getting glutened all the time!

The past two months I have been doing a gluten challenge. While I tried to be super careful and obviously was up to date on all the details of being gluten-free and not contaminating things, I managed to gluten my son a couple times. I felt so bad for having made him sick with my carelessness.

Even if your bf wants to keep eating gluten, it would be better if he could stick to keeping gluten safely at restaurants and friend's houses, and eat gluten free at home. (and of course remember to wash up when he gets home, brush his teeth before kissing you, etc)

I checked out the link about getting your house gluten free. WOW. What an overwhelming piece of information!! It seems like so much. I know it has to be done, but WHEW! I emailed a restuarnt today about how they prepare those gluten free items then I get from family members "well it's not like your going to stop breathing!" I've only been reading about Celiac for about a month and discovered I had it 5 days ago, but I understand that you should not ingest ANY! I feel like my family will NEVER understand this. *grumble*

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Show them some info from Celiac Experts:

Open Original Shared Link

Q: Is it ok if I ingest some gluten if I do not experience any symptoms?

No. The majority of patients with celiac disease experience no symptoms when they ingest gluten, either intentionally or unintentionally. This led to the concept that patients, especially children may grow out of the disease. In addition, patients also consider that it is doing no harm to them. However the ingestion of even small amounts of gluten results in damage to the small intestine--regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms--and puts the patient at risk for resulting complications including malignancies and osteoporosis.

Open Original Shared Link

The gluten-free diet is a lifetime requirement. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can damage the intestine. This is true for anyone with the disease, including people who do not have noticeable symptoms. It can take weeks

Katrala Contributor
Katrala
Posted

We use tape (duct tape with peace signs and fun designs) to identify equipment that is gluten-free only.

You need separate just about everything. Definitely sponges. We buy colored "fun" ones for gluten-free and the plain ones for gluten. Each have their own plastic basket to sit in.

And, yes, it's that bad. But also no, it's not. You can't spend your life worrying that some tiny bit of gluten has made its way into your food. If you take good precautions the problems will hopefully be few and far between.

domesticactivist Collaborator
domesticactivist
Posted

It will get less overwhelming as time goes on. You'll make some mistakes at first, but it will get easier. Cut yourself some slack - while no gluten is safe, a tiny bit of cross-contamination as you get things figured out is not the end of the world. Some cc from time to time is inevitable. Gluten is all over the place! The idea is to do your best to minimize your exposure so that when you do get it by accident that's *all* that you've gotten.

As for those relatives, once you have all the details straight in your own head you'll be able to better communicate with them. No doubt they've seen plenty of "gluten-free" people cheat and don't really know to take it seriously yet.

If you do get symptoms, they may not be as instantly dramatic as "not breathing" but they are serious nevertheless. It wasn't very long ago that they used to think people "outgrew" celiac, or that it was ok to eat it if your symptoms were mild. Now we know that there are serious long term health consequences for celiacs who continue eating gluten. My friend's dad was one of those folks, he ended up dying of a cancer specifically associated with celiac. Here is a fact sheet from the University of Chicago that your relatives may take more seriously: Open Original Shared Link

Some people never get it. You just have to learn to set your own boundaries and take responsibility for your own food.

Monklady123 Collaborator
Monklady123
Posted

I have decided not to stress about it too much. I definitely have my own colander since it's practically impossible to get a metal colander completely clean. Mine is pink. B)

We use a toaster oven so there isn't the same worry about crumbs as there would be in a regular toaster. I put my toast on a piece of foil just in case, but I don't worry about it more than that.

We take cold cereal out of its original boxes and put it in tall plastic containers. I have my own labels "gluten free container". Even if it's empty no one is allowed to put any other cereal in there.

I have my own peanut butter, my own jelly,and my own margarine. That's about it.

wildwood Apprentice
wildwood
Posted

In our house, any kitchen item that is to be used for gluten free only (colander, storage containers, whisk, etc) is red in color. I got the idea on this forum. It has worked out very well in our home. I write gluten free on the lids with marker for peanut butter, jelly, etc. It was a little easier in our home because there are no young children so we all understand how important it is not to cross contaminate/mix things.

MomGoneRunning Rookie
MomGoneRunning
Posted

This forum was so helpful and full of good ideas to help prevent cross contamination! Thank you all responders ans OP for posting the question. :D

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I know that without a gallbladder I have no business using a deep fryer. Last week I found a really nice one on sale though and my husband needed a new one so we just bought 2 so I can have french fries occasionally. I just used pink nail polish to mark the dial on mine and the handle of the basket.

After noticing yesterday morning that the new non-stick frying pans look like someone took a fork to them (out of 4 adults I'm the only one who knows that it is never okay to use metal in non-stick pans) I decided I needed my own pots and pans. Now, instead of lamenting the fact that I have no oven save cookware I have a shiny new set of copper bottom stainless steel pans. I figure if someone else uses them at least I can get them clean, unlike non-stick which if scratched up I can never use again.

I haven't gotten around to getting a toaster yet, but it is on my list for when I find one I like. I'm not a huge toast eater so it isn't a priority for me.

I won't touch a blender anyone else uses because even if it's glass it has that rubber seal on the bottom. I picked up a bullet style blender that I can use for smoothies and such.

Other than that, just some basics like cutting boards, measuring cups and spoons, pyrex for storage, dishcloths and my own space in a pantry. Also all of my own containers of anything spreadable. (PB&J, butter, mayo) I tell myself I won't stress about it but it is something I worry about. I don't want to be doing everything I am for no reason at all. If I don't worry about CC sharing a kitchen with 3 other adults I may as well just stuff a loaf of bread in my face.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.