Colander Question

[abby03]

Over the weekend I was away from home and didn't have access to my own kitchen tools. I was with other family and on Saturday they used their colander to wash fruit for a fruit salad and I ate it.(And it was delicious.)I was really nervous about eating it but my dad convinced me that it was safe because he said that the stuff the colander was coated or painted with (I forgot what it was called..) that any traces of gluten would just slide off. I was weary but the fruit salad was kind of made for me and I didn't want to be rude and it looked so delicious so I just ate it. Now it's Monday and I'm freaking out thinking that maybe it wasn't safe. Here's the type of colander it is:

http://images.replacements.com/images/images5/china/N/noritake_colorwave_purple_5_quart_metal_colander_P0000124259S0042T2.webp

At home I have my own colander that I use but was it safe to eat something in that type of colander? I won't do it again but I'm just paranoid that I'm still really new to this and paranoid that I'll get glutened. I've felt fine so far but I don't know what a reaction would feel like so now every time I feel the slightest pain, tingle, or sting I start to panic, thinking it's the beginning of a reaction from that stupid colander haha.

Anyway, if someone could just put my mind at ease and hopefully tell me whether or not I need to be worried about it that would be great.

[Adalaide]

I got super paranoid about colanders when I first saw what everyone here said. I realized after some time that they meant what I would call a strainer or sieve, that is wire mesh. Anything with the huge holes on it like that should be relatively easy to clean and keep. Not to feed your paranoia but since it's coated the possibility of it being scratched up is a concern since that would provide all sorts of hiding places for gluten. I'm a bundle of walking paranoia and I'd use that colander.

Also on a side note, they make purple colanders?!?! I have GOT to get one.

[psawyer]

Yes, the issue is the wire mesh. The contact points where the wires intersect trap traces of food, and the pinching keeps them there.

[VydorScope]

  On 6/11/2012 at 10:43 PM, psawyer said:

Yes, the issue is the wire mesh. The contact points where the wires intersect trap traces of food, and the pinching keeps them there.

I tend to agree. You might have gotten lucky this time. I'll put it this way, if I was there with my son, I would not let him eat from someone else's colander.

[abby03]

Thanks for the responses. I definitely won't use it again but you guys did put my mind at ease a bit.

I have another kitchen question and it's not on the topic of colanders but I didn't want to start a whole new topic for it. Hopefully it's okay if I ask it here? If not, I apologize. I got a really nice waffle maker as a Christmas gift last year that has only been used once (maybe twice). It's nonstick and the plates aren't removable so you can't take them out and run them under hot soap and water or through a dishwasher. You just have to wipe the plates with a hot soapy rag or sponge. Can I still no longer use it even though it's only been used once? I'm assuming the answer is that it would be risky and unsafe but I just wanted to make sure. They're making gluten free waffles on Rachael Ray this morning and it's giving me the biggest craving for them. Funny how in the beginning of this you don't even think about some of the things you can't have anymore and then once someone mentions it all you want to do is eat nothing but that one thing you can't have haha. Anyway, thanks again for the help! : )

[kareng]

On the waffle iron...

If you think you can get it clean, use it! If it doesn't have a lot of little cracks for dough to get in. You could make some gluten-free waffles and feed the first few to a gluten eater. That might clean any lurking things out? You have to judge if you can get it clean.

[Adalaide]

I cleaned my waffle maker. I used paper towels and made sure I got into every nook and cranny of the thing. Like three times. I haven't gotten sick from waffles although to be perfectly honest I prefer pancakes and don't use it often.

[sa1937]

I kept my waffle iron and cleaned it well since it had only been lightly used. It was expensive when I bought it and the company was no longer in business. I haven't had a problem with it although I did make an entire batch of waffles using the cheapest ingredients I had...and then threw them all out.