Cross-contamination
Contamination of gluten-free foods with gluten-containing foods needs to be avoided by people with coeliac disease because even a tiny amount of gluten may cause symptoms and/or gut damage.
Different situations have different considerations and we address them below:
At home
It is essential that care is taken to avoid contamination with gluten-containing food that may be eaten by other members of the family. Separate toasters (or using toaster bags) and bread boards should be used for handling gluten-free bread. Different butter knives and jam spoons should be encouraged to prevent ordinary bread crumbs from getting in butter, jam or other condiments (mustard, mayonnaise).
Eating out in restaurants
Going to restaurants is not something you should have to give up if you have coeliac disease. It does take a bit of familiarity with menus as well as confidence to ask staff about food preparation.
If menus have sautéed breaded items and non-breaded items (e.g. chicken or fish), for example, you may request to the waiting staff or chef about using separate pans to avoid cross-contamination. Avoid foods containing pasta, bread, batter, breadcrumbs, pastry and croutons. Also, carefully check soups, dishes with sauces or gravies, stock cubes (if used) coatings on chips, and sausages.
You can find restaurants which have been recommended by our Members on our online venue guide, Eating Out Without. Simply log in to the Members area and follow the links.
Ultimately, it is a personal choice to go to certain establishments or eat certain menu items depending on your own gluten-sensitivity and risk consideration.
Bakeries
Cross-contamination is likely to occur in floury environments such as bakeries. It is not recommended buying gluten-free bread from a bakery where it is made in the same environment as conventional bread. People with coeliac disease should be aware that individual meringues and macaroons, bought from bakeries and cake shops, may be made from gluten-free ingredients but may be contaminated by gluten-containing products used in the same establishments.
Fish and chips shops
Chips that are cooked in the same oil as battered products will be cross-contaminated. Even if the chips appear to be cooked separately be aware that the oil is often rotated so the chip oil may have previously been used to cook battered fish.
Grain and flour manufacturing
Although some flours are naturally gluten-free, they can be milled where wheat flour is also milled. Contamination can then occur either because wheat flour is in the atmosphere or traces of it remain in storage vessels. It is possible that flours made from pulses, such as gram and urd flour, may be contaminated although they are naturally gluten-free. Oats are tolerated by some people with coeliac disease but it's vital that the oats are uncontaminated. Pure oat products are listed in Appendix III of Coeliac UK's Gluten-free Food and Drink Directory.
