Sneaky Gluten

Beware of sneaky gluten! Even if you're certain that you are purchasing gluten free food, is it still gluten free when you eat it? Often times gluten free foods can become contaminated between the time they are purchased and the time they reach your lips. Here are some things to be weary of:

• When buying items in bulk out of bins careful. There is a risk of scoopers being switched and other items falling into other bins.
• Restaurants are another danger area, especially when ordering fried or grilled foods. The grill and/or grease is often contaminated with gluten from other products. Example: if French fries and onion rings are fried in the same oil, the gluten onion rings can contaminate the ordinarily gluten free French fries.
• If you live with others who consume gluten products, look for crumbs in things like butter and jelly. In addition, wipe down counters to keep areas free from crumbs. It's also a good idea to keep your own personal margarine tub and to buy condiments in squeezable containers.