Cross-Contact
People who need to eat gluten free need to check both the ingredients in food and any cross-contact with gluten-containing ingredients that might happen when the food is manufactured, packaged and prepared for eating.
When you think about avoiding cross-contact (sometimes called cross-contamination), you need to realize that crumbs matter. Look around your kitchen to see where there are crumbs – on the counter top, in the microwave, on the cutting board or in the corners of your metal baking dishes? Anywhere you see crumbs is a potential place for cross-contact.
At Home
At home the following practices will go a long way toward avoiding cross-contact:
- Store gluten-free foods separate from foods that contain gluten. When possible, store gluten-free foods/items on shelves above gluten-containing items.
- Wash hands after touching gluten-containing products, utensils or surfaces and before handling gluten-free food.
- Wash hands and toys that have been in contact with gluten.
- Clean all pots, pans, utensils and counter tops very well before using them to prepare gluten-free food.
- Use a separate and dedicated toaster for gluten-free products or a toaster bag for gluten-free products in a shared toaster. Toaster bags are heat-resistant, often reusable, bags that you can put your gluten-free bread, bagel or other food in, and then place in a shared toaster. The toaster bag provides a barrier to protect your gluten-free food from contact with gluten-containing crumbs that may be present in the toaster. You can find toaster bags here.
- Clean rack in toaster oven before toasting/heating gluten-free items.
- Clean air fryer baskets very well before toasting/heating gluten-free items.
- Place gluten-free items on foil or clean the grill well if using a shared BBQ grill.
- Clean wooden, plastic, and metal utensils and cutting boards well between uses. Replace cutting boards once they start to crack, because both gluten and germs can hide in those small spaces.
- Use a separate dedicated pasta colander, flour sifter, and waffle iron for gluten-free items if they cannot be thoroughly cleaner.
- Cook pasta and rice in fresh, clean water.
- When preparing gluten-free pasta and gluten pasta at the same meal, prepare the gluten-free pasta first.
- Use fresh oil for deep frying or cooking gluten-free foods.
- Use condiments from a squeeze bottle when available or have separate containers for those used on gluten-free food (for example, peanut butter, jam, butter or margarine dish).
Tip: Use colour-coded or labelled utensils and kitchen tools for GF foods to reduce the risk of gluten cross-contact.
Away from Home
Use these tips to have more control over your environment when you and your family are outside your home:
- Inform the host ahead of time of your gluten-free needs.
- To reduce risk of gluten cross-contact, keep gluten-free foods separate from foods that contain gluten. For example, do not eat gluten-free foods that are on the same plate as gluten-containing foods e.g. a cheese and cracker tray.
- Ask to be served first when eating at friends, family, or buffets where food with gluten is also served and before gluten cross-contact occurs.
- While there may be gluten-free options at a buffet, this poses a high risk for gluten cross-contact. You can ask the chef if they can bring out a freshly made plate of gluten-free food directly from the kitchen.
- If there is high risk of gluten cross-contact, bring your own gluten-free dish(es) to share.
Updated September 2026. Content courtesy of Celiac Canada, Dietitians of Canada, and PEN (Global Resource for Nutrition Practice).
