5 tips to avoid cross contamination if you have celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people. It is characterized by a permanent intolerance to gluten , a protein present in cereals such as wheat, oats, barley and rye . But often, other foods come into contact with this protein through cross-contamination , a process that can be harmful to your health if you have celiac disease .

evita la contaminación por gluten

What is cross contamination and how to avoid it?

Cross contamination is very common and difficult to control. It happens when food comes into contact with foreign and harmful substances. In the case of celiacs , a microscopic amount of gluten , like a single breadcrumb , is enough to trigger the immune system .

In principle, pollution usually causes reflux, heartburn, abdominal pain and swelling, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, as well as tiredness, dizziness, fatigue, headache, dermatitis , among others. And although symptoms do not always appear immediately, in the long run this damage accumulates and can become serious.

From the origin , in transport , during storage , preparation , or at the table itself during consumption, we must be vigilant and very careful to avoid contamination .

Some suggestions to keep in mind if you are gluten intolerant

1. Get informed and make good purchases

Some of the cross-contamination problems are related to the presence of a certain allergen in small amounts in processed foods from another food that is present in the same facility.

There is the possibility that foods that are initially gluten-free may come into contact with gluten at some point, which would make them unfit for consumption. Hence the need for celiacs to have a system that verifies production processes, in order to inform which products are suitable for consumption, even if their components are suitable. YOU MUST CONSULT AND READ THE PACKAGE VERY WELL BEFORE EATING.

Pay attention to the labeling of the products you buy and never take risks if you have any doubts. Avoiding cross-contamination at home is something that depends solely on us, and for this we must learn to cook gluten-free, identify which foods contain gluten, which ones are suitable, what are the identification seals of gluten-free products, etc. We must also know the different procedures so that the moment of cooking is 100% safe and no contamination occurs. We will also have to know how we can use the oven, the microwave with gluten-free products.

2. Maintain hygiene at all times

Use utensils (boards, knives, forks, etc.) that are perfectly clean to cook and handle gluten-free foods. having certain exclusive utensils for cooking without gluten, due to the difficulty of cleaning them correctly and not running the risk of traces of gluten remaining (strainer, slotted spoon, rolling pin and fundamentally the toaster). there are certain utensils in the kitchen that should not come into contact with gluten. For example, wooden spoons or wooden cutting boards. Wood is a more porous material and it is possible that despite cleaning well, traces of gluten may remain. Before cooking, clean all the surfaces you use to prepare food without TACC. In the case of some utensils, such as slotted spoons, toasters, pasta strainers or others in which food remains may remain, we recommend that you do not use them for handling gluten-free products. they can store food remains that can contaminate a gluten-free food, therefore it is essential that they are in an adequate state of hygiene when making any preparation suitable for coeliacs.

3. Store separately

We suggest you store all those gluten-free products separately from those that contain it: you can allocate a shelf of a piece of furniture specifically for gluten-free products. Store gluten-free foods in covered containers, separate from those that contain it. A place in the kitchen can be designated exclusively for flour or products suitable for coeliacs. Properly close the packages or containers where you store the products with TACC. The volatility of the flours means that the products that are nearby can be contaminated very easily. In the refrigerator, store all gluten-free foods in hermetically sealed containers. We recommend you store gluten-free products in the upper part of the refrigerator, to avoid contamination by spillage. Meats: If you buy prepared milanesas or any other breaded product, do not put in contact with the rest of the meat that a celiac could consume. Label your jam (even if they are the same), with expressions that keep it safe. When you store the purchase or have to travel with food, always use clean reusable bags or well-sealed individual containers . On the shelves and refrigerators we must always store gluten-free products on top and gluten-free products on the bottom so that no substance can fall that contaminates our suitable foods. The ideal is to have a specific cabinet for gluten-free products.

4. Cook gluten-free first

Gluten-free meals and/or preparations must be prepared before the others. You can share the oven to work with and without gluten at the same time, as long as the preparation without gluten is placed on top, the one with gluten on the bottom and the fan function is not activated. We recommend cooking in different containers, and place the preparation with gluten in the lower part of the oven and in the upper part the gluten-free container. In the case of the toaster, you can place a piece of aluminum foil on top and then the bread to avoid direct contact, if it is used for different breads. Do not use the same cooking medium for a food with and without gluten (oils in which food coated with breadcrumbs has been cooked, or water in which wheat-based noodles have been cooked). Never use oil or water used to previously cook gluten-containing foods. So it is better to have two well-identified and separate oil cans to avoid mistakes, and even better if we use clean oil. If we have a fryer, use it only for potatoes, they will be tastier and there will be no doubt, it will be totally suitable oil. However, if at any given time we make croquettes with gluten in that fryer, that oil will already be contaminated and cannot be used to make gluten-free products. Do not use the same cooking medium for a food with and without gluten (oils in which foods coated with breadcrumbs have been cooked, or water in which wheat flour noodles have been cooked).

5. At the table…talk

When serving gluten-free foods, put them in exclusive containers and without coming into contact with foods that may contain gluten.

The products and condiments to spread serve them in containers that must be exclusive for the use of the celiac as well as the utensils used. The most advisable thing is to have your own utensils. Products to spread, such as butter, jams, cheeses, etc., store them in an exclusive container to avoid contamination when toast or cookies that may contain gluten are spread. And the fact is that if someone takes a knife, inserts it into the jam, spreads their wheat bread and then returns to the jam with that same knife, possible remains of wheat will have already contaminated the jar of jam and the celiac will not be able to consume it.

Currently there are some restaurants that offer dishes prepared for celiacs. In the event that they do not have them, you can opt for a menu with naturally gluten-free foods, and make sure that it does not contain added sauces, dressings or any product that may have gluten in its composition.

References

  • Pérez, L. (2020, June 4). Cross contamination: how to avoid it . Celicity. https://celicidad.net/contaminacion-cruzada-consejos-aevitarla/
  • Europe Press. (2020, January 14). The problem of cross contamination in celiac patients . infosalus.com. https://www.infosalus.com/nutricion/noticia-problema-contaminacion-cruzada-celiacos-20200114173027.html
  • Celiac, SNE (2020, February 5). Cross-contamination with gluten: what it is and how to avoid it . I’m Celiac, Not Extraterrestrial. https://www.soyceliaconoextraterrestre.com/contaminacion-cruzada-con-gluten/