Gluten Cross-Contact in Restaurant-Scale Pasta Cooking

What is it about?

Individuals with celiac disease must avoid dietary exposure to gluten, a class of proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and related grains. While gluten-free options are available in a growing number of restaurants and foodservice establishments, there is little guidance on the best practices that should be used to prepare gluten-free meals. This study evaluated whether the use of shared cooking water for preparation of traditional and gluten-free pasta would result in gluten-cross contact. The results of this analysis indicate that gluten cross-contact does occur in shared pasta cooking water, and that the concentration of gluten cross-contact increased throughout the preparation of multiple batches of pasta. Foodservice establishments should use separate cooking water for the preparation of gluten-free pasta meals.

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