Can anyone tell me how far you have to go with kitchen hygiene?

[jan44]

Recently diagnosed with cd and have just seen the dietitian. I had understood some of the basics with toaster utensils etc but was shocked to be told my old baking sheets, cake tins (of which I have a good collection) and the breadmaker could no longer be used by me. I hasten to add these things are all washed up thoroughly after each use. Has anyone else got any sensible tips they could pass on. I thought dietitans were supposed to discuss food and nutriton!

[judithr]

I share my breadmaker with my husband but do make sure that it is clean in between use. I have not thrown away any of myold baking tins although over the years have slowly replaced as the only bking I do now is g/f. I would have thought that hygiene was the important thing here & having separate, tasters, breadbins, spreads etc & always using separate spoons for jam, honey, chutney etc.

[jan44 in reply to judithr]

Thanks for your commonsense reply, this was what I was doing until the dietitian went over the top.

[maidforit]

I have been wondering this too. I have been eating food at my dads place and I keep getting ill (only mildly but tired enough to through me out of sync) and I've come to the conclusion that it is most likely from a frying pan that he uses to make me GF pancakes once in a while. I'm replacing it now so I will find out if it is.

With regards to the kitchen generally it's best to keep one area seperate for Gluten containing foods. I tend to make the majority of the kitchen GF and leave a smaller area for other people to prepare gluten containing foods. I now make people use seperate sponges and different chopping boards too.

Apparently wooden chopping boards can have little bits of gluten in even after they are washed so it is definately better to keep these seperate and buy a new one for you to use.

Did your dietician explain about diet as well?

[jan44 in reply to maidforit]

I was given a bit of advice about prescriptions and a sheet about foods with calcium in.

[maidforit in reply to jan44]

Wow, that's not very much information is it?! I found that I knew pretty much all my dietician told me after researching online. I found a good list of foods: coeliachelp.me.uk/qikguide.... I hope that this proves useful.

I found out I was Coeliac last July but wasn't officially diagnosed until November. It is hard work getting a grasp on everything but you will get the hang of it.

Just check every label.

I tend to go for products that say that they are GF on them. Sainsburys and Aldi are pretty good at doing this. It makes me happier knowing that there's no chance of Cross Contamination or tiny traces.

Weird things that you wouldn't expect include: Soft Cheese (Thickening agent in cheap soft cheese)/Grated Cheese (anti-caking agent), Chocolate can be a pain because of cross-contamination but Thorntons are good for GF and so is Aldi.

If you find Modified Starch find out if it is wheat based.

Even check your vitamins and tablets (Superdrug is good for GF).

Good Luck with all your Kitchen antics.

[ailsamary]

I share with my partner whom is not gluten free and make my gf sandwich etc before his to help prevent any stray crumbs, but i still use my old baking pans and dont seem to have any issues, but some are a lot more sensitive than others so you will need to see to suit yourself

[barny in reply to ailsamary]

yes i do aswell got 2 choping boards and do my toast under grill so far no probs x

[jan44 in reply to ailsamary]

I too prepare my food first it's so much easier. The dietitian did say that I'll be able to recognise symptoms more as time goes on. I was symptomless when I was diagnosed except for tiredness due to anaemia.

[philaustin]

We use the same pots, pans, plates, baking trays, chopping board and cutlery. It all gets washed in the dishwasher. I use toaster bags in a shared toaster. I don't get tummy troubles, but often I feel tired by about 9 pm. I suppose that could be down to a long day of hard work, the daily 3 mile walk and daily 20 mile bike ride.

How far do you go? It depends on the individual. There must always be gluten around if you live with a non-coeliac. I suppose the ultimate precaution for the most sensitive coeliacs would be to get a divorce or live in seperate houses.

If your spouse had been eating gluten and you 'snogged' them there would be a good chance that you would get glutened.

Your best chance if you're a coeliac is to marry a coeliac.

[Hidden in reply to philaustin]

Hi Phil, you're a laugh! I can just imagine what the divorce court would say if a coeliac reason for a divorce was their partner was a wheatie.

Going back to the original question I think it's good practice for the coeliac to have their own butter or marj, marmalade and jams etc. And to have their own chopping board. Another thing that is a good idea is to prevent cross contamination by putting a jug of hot soapy water in a shared microwave oven and giving it a quick blast on full power for 90 sec's and then just wipe it out, to keep it clean. This can also be an issue with a fan oven so worth bearing in mind.

Really what you need to do is a risk assessment when you are not hungry or tired by having a good look at your kitchen objectively and then eliminate the obvious risks.

[meanioni in reply to philaustin]

My wife started off wheaty, but recently developed an allergy to gluten (no history or coeliac in her family), which worked out well as we can now share food

No, you can't have her, she's mine

[philaustin]

Hi Jerry. If I couldn't see the funny side of being Coeliac I would go insane. I have my own spreads and jams and keep my food in my own cupboard.

My missus is on the verge of leaving me now and I'm sure she would if I insisted on cleaning the oven or having my own chopping board. She cooks her Yorkshire puddings in the fan oven when we have a roast. Can gluten really get transferred to my gluten free joint or chicken in the oven?

I don't think putting soap in the jug of water in the microwave works. When the water evaporates only pure water evaporates and the soap stays in the jug, raising the concentration of soap to water.

I've thought about this and the only solution is a seperate kitchen, but the trouble is I can't afford one and I've used up all of my %area allowed for extensions. There is my covered barbeque down the garden where I could move into,with my hammock to sleep in, but cooking down there is a problem because everyone insists on cooking their gluten-loaded food on it. I'm sure the chimney must be full of gluten residue. It has got a hi-fi and fridge and I could live on my prescription gluten free bread down there. Only trouble is it gets cold in the winter.

[Hidden in reply to philaustin]

Hi Phil, putting washing up liquid in a jug of water and heating in the microwave is a brilliant way to clean it as it basically steam cleans itself and all you do is give it a quick wipe afterwards. It's important not to program the timer for more than a couple of minutes at a time or the soap bubbles explode.

I think its only fatty foods that splatter the fan in a fan oven or contamination occurs when pizza's are cooked resting on the oven shelves, otherwise I'd have thought that any gluten was carbonised by the oven.

My advice on jams and spreads was aimed at Jan44 and not old hands like us.

As for living in the garage, make sure that you get planning permission...

[barny]

hiya i dont have any probs with sharing kichin with my hubbie just are carefull got separate boards and butter ect and have had no prob so far beed cd for 11 months had a few misshaps but hey carnt be perfect lol x

[Penel]

My husband was quite happy to go gf along with me. It has made life so much easier! I tend to make all our food from fresh and all bread, cakes, pies. He will occasionaly buy himself beer, but there's no worry over cross contamination with that.

[TraceyFairclough]

Penel you are so lucky!! what a fab husband you have there, mine would die of fright if I even mentioned the possibility!! He really doesnt get this Coeliac thing at all. Lately I have been mentioning stuff I have read on this site and he seems suprised almost in disbelief!! It doenst make it very easy for me ; (

Phil your a cracker!! a GF one of course : )

[Penel]

Tracey - some of my husbands conversion to gf was done by stealth ... it does depend a lot on what kind of food you eat. If you do a lot of the meal preparation just use gf without mentioning it (until afterwards, possibly). We didn't often buy ready made food anyway and when I made his favourite meat pie with gf pastry he was converted. He decided to cut out bread to lose weight. I have the time to make our food but if you are going out to work I appreciate that it will be more difficult. Good luck.

[Hidden]

I share a ktchen, oven, microwave with my wife a wheattie. I am carefull about what I do but am always in tune with the fact that living with a coeliac is pretty hard to a non coeliac so do not make a great deal of it. I want to stay alive if you guys know what I mean.