Cross Contamination

Perhaps cross contamination is a term you've never heard before, or perhaps they're the words that have echoed in your head for the majority of your life. In my experience, it's always been the latter. Cross contamination has always been the thing that bit at my heels at a party or at a restaurant, whispering warning signs. 

See, with celiacs, it's not just about having gluten free food, it's about there being a lack of gluten in the environment, on the plates, in the plastic spatulas. For some of us, even the smallest amounts can throw us into sickness and struggle, which is why cross contamination is more crucial than it might seem on the surface. In simple terms, cross contamination is when bacteria (in this case, gluten) unintentionally moves from one object to another, often resulting in harmful repercussions. In the case of a restaurant, gluten would most likely be ingrained in a plastic ladle or spatula and would be used in a gluten free dish. However, the title "gluten free" will quickly become redundant after being "infected". The craziest – and scariest – thing is that cross contamination can occur in so many unexpected settings. Whether a restaurant, a friend’s house, one’s own kitchen, there are so many possible danger zones. This is one of the reasons why people with celiac can’t help but fear restaurants; we don’t know what tools are being used, if surfaces really are being cleaned, if gloves really are being changed. Trusting others, putting our health in the hands of others, that’s what many of us struggle with.

So, how to avoid cross contamination? Well, in a restaurant, make sure to confirm that people change gloves/wipe surfaces before making your special gluten free dish. However, if the restaurant truly is five stars, they’ll take the initiative themselves and will simply end up reassuring you instead of worrying you. After making requests and confirmations of a restaurant’s procedure, there’s nothing else to do but have faith.

Remember: you’ve got this! Hopefully, you can find a place you can trust. 

Until next time, 

Genuine GF