Kitchen issues - pots and pans, dishwasher, cutting board

amccormick · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Longmont, CO

Hi all,

I guess I thought I was doing well, but not so much. I am clearly being cross-contaminated at home.

I assume there is no safe way to clean older cookware that had long been used for gluten-containing food (if there is, I'd love to know before I trash nearly $1000 worth of Calphalon collected over the past 10 years).

If I have to replace it all, is there a kind of cookware (stainless?) that is better for celiac cooking. Is there a better brand?

What about cutting boards? Is stone the only safe choice?

How do I clean my new stuff?

And frankly, my dishwasher bites - is that a problem since I do have gluten in the house for the three non-celiac family members so plates and things could, I suppose, be cross-contaminated.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Amy
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Amy

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

Hi Amy,

Sorry to hear you're running into a bit of a snag. Running short on time now. In the mean time, I'll post this - maybe it'll help. Cross Contamination in the Home - How we navigate a Mixed House.

It does address the non stick pan issue.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

jeant · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 290

I kept most of my Calphalon pans. I'm not necessarily recommending that anyone else do this--that was my choice. The pans I had were used mostly for sauces and stews and were not scratched, so I cleaned them very well (using scrub pads made for nonstick surfaces) and I cleaned them several times. I did ditch my Calphalon frying pan because it had too much residue on it for me to even bother salvaging. Again, I am not saying keeping Calphalon is possible for everyone--I am not as sensitive as many of the people here.

As for everything else, the PDF file Al posted is very helpful. For my cutting boards and utensils, I bought new stuff. I bought things in bright colors so that they could be distinguished from our existing stuff, so my stuff is only used for GF food.

Right now almost all food preparations in my house are gluten free. My husband has gluten-containing cereals and breads for breakfast and lunch, but dinners are pretty much all gluten free. So keeping separate cookware isn't really an issue--but keeping separate toasters and cutting boards is.

Home-Based-Mom · Joined: 12 Aug 2008 Posts: 401 Location: California

That pdf file is a good one. Read it line by line - don't just skim.

You can cover your cutting board with foil until you get a new one.
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Sandi ~ learning to live in a world obsessed and infested with wheat.
"If it wasn't food 100 years ago, it isn't food now." Mike Huckabee
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aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

If your good pots and pans are clean, I'd keep 'em.

I don't think I'd get stone cutting board. It'll dull your knives very quickly.

These sites do not address any GF CC issues:
http://www.helium.com/items/256033-plastic-vs-wood-vs-stone-cutting-boards

http://www.condells.com/kitchens/selecting-a-cutting-board/

If you can, try to get a plastic cutting board that is only used for GF things. If it helps other house members to remember - color code GF items. In our house most things with red are MINE and are not to touch gluten.

Fidissimus · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 1975 Location: Portland, OR.

Personally I'd ditch the pans. I'm living in a mixed household and hadn't been glutened in over a year - until I used the teflon pan that mostly my hubby uses for pancakes, french toast, grilled cheese - etc. It sees a lot of gluten. I scrubbed the heck out of it before using it and that wasn't good enough. I got soooo sick. For me, it really made a difference and I won't touch a teflon pan now with a 10ft poll. The other pans he uses for gluten are stainless and I've never had an issue using those.
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Cheers!
Jenn

GF BD: Feb. 2001
Free of wheat, barley, rye, oats, dairy, eggs, almonds, pineapple and brewers yeast.
http://graindamaged.blogspot.com/

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

Pans would be easy to test. You could get yourself a cheap couple of pans [sizes you use the most] just to see how things go. If you notice an improvement, you'd have your answer.

I'm guessing you feel you have a handle on your GF food selections, that's why you suspect it's coming from CC?

Have you checked all meds, supplements, etc? Those are easy ones to miss.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

I've been doing some more digging on teflon.

CeliacListServ post from 4/13/2004 about teflon pans...

http://listserv.icors.org/scripts/wa-icors.exe?A2=ind0304B&L=CELIAC&P=R3276&I=-3&d=No+Match%3BMatch%3BMatches

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

Deb · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:18 am Post subject:

I found this:

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

I think there needs to be a Celiac Myth Busters. Smile

_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

Home-Based-Mom · Joined: 12 Aug 2008 Posts: 401 Location: California

I have read that cast iron pans can be put into a self cleaning oven and run through the cleaning cycle. The temperature gets so hot the gluten is incinerated along with everything else. Yes you lose the seasoning of the pan, but it becomes like a "new" pan that you start all over with, and it's much cheaper than buying another pan. Wink

_________________
Sandi ~ learning to live in a world obsessed and infested with wheat.
"If it wasn't food 100 years ago, it isn't food now." Mike Huckabee
Support Operation Christmas Child

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10972 Location: WI, USA

http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Cooking-Dummies/dp/0470178108

jeant · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 290

I always thought the rule of thumb is that once Teflon is really scratched up, it should be replaced anyway.

Now for another curve ball: My Calphalon isn't Teflon, it's Hard-Anodized Nonstick. Does anyone know if that makes a difference?

smalltownslackermom · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:22 pm Post subject:

bleah.... that "Teflon Flu" article gets me further away from non-sticks. I still do use one for eggs and pancakes though, and at only low temps. When they start getting scratched, I throw them out. I even had to throw out a Calphalon. 8^(
I need to read more about the CC though as I haven't swapped out all of my cookware. I threw out my bread pans but not my pyrex. But I will read, don't need to coach me right now if you don't have time.
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son - high ttg - 4/09, pos. biopsy 5/09
self - negative bloodwork 5/09, pos. biopsy 11/09
sister - gf for ~3 years and is a new person
niece - positive ttg 2/10, foregoing biopsy