Gluten free diet cross-contamination can be a problem. You can reduce or eliminate this problem by knowing the sources of gluten contamination.
If you are on an elimination diet to see if you have a gluten allergy, this test will not be accurate if the food you think is gluten-free actually has gluten in it.
If you are on a gluten-free diet because you know you have a gluten allergy, or you have celiac disease, then cross contamination could be one reason why you don’t feel great as often as you should, despite all the hard work you are already putting into avoiding gluten.
The key to a successful gluten-free diet is to know where gluten might enter your food chain, so you can avoid foods and situations that might expose you to gluten.
Gluten Contamination of Grains
Gluten can contaminate otherwise safe, gluten-free grains, such as rice, quinoa, amaranth etc.
Much of the equipment used to haul, store, process and package grain could be used for any crop.
The real problem starts at the facilities that process the grain. You can imagine the dust generated from processing a large amount of grain. If the same facilities are used for wheat and rice or quinoa, then your nominally gluten-free grain could end up with a small but significant amount of gluten in it.
The only way to be sure that your food is clean is to eat grains specifically processed in a gluten-free facility. This is generally more expensive than the same thing from your average brand.
When you buy grains, make sure the label says that they have been processed in a gluten-free facility. Bob’s Red Mill is an example of a brand that produces their gluten-free grain in a dedicated facility that is never used to process wheat or other gluten-containing grains such.