Gluten Allergies in Restaurants

Dining out with an allergy can be hard. Why not make it easier on patrons and ensure that your restaurant takes safety seriously? Handling gluten allergies in restaurants doesn’t have to be hard when you have the right knowledge and training to keep everyone safe. From knowing what foods on the menu are a risk to learning how to handle cross-contamination, we can help you handle a gluten allergy in your restaurant. 

What is Celiac Disease?

When it comes to gluten-free in the restaurant, you might hear celiac disease mentioned. This is different from a food allergy, it is an autoimmune disorder. This is different from a gluten or wheat allergy. Whether it’s food allergies or celiac disease, restaurant staff need to be aware of the issue so they can ensure that the dishes served are gluten-free.

Common Gluten Ingredients and Foods

Gluten can be in a surprising amount of ingredients and dishes. Wheat flour or wheat can be added to foods for thickening, flavor, binding ingredients, texture and more. Here are some food and ingredients that could contain gluten:

• Bread/breadsticks


• Soy sauce


• Salad dressings


• Broths and soups


• Bouillon cubes


• Imitation meat


• Beer and malt beverages


• Flavored chips


• Spices and seasonings

Want to figure out a menu that you can safely give to gluten-free patrons? Check out our gluten-free menu ideas article to help you get those allergy-safe options.

High-Risk Equipment

Equipment is the foundation for a functional commercial kitchen, but they are also where a lot of cross-contamination risk can happen. For gluten allergies in restaurants, some high risk equipment include:

• Toasters – This unit is an obvious risk when it comes to gluten allergies. Bread crumbs get everywhere and wherever the bread sits or touches is contaminated for those with severe allergies. Having separate toasters or toasting in an allergy-free oven might be better alternatives than using a toaster that has been used for gluten dishes. 


• Fryers – Fryers are a high-risk appliance when it comes to food allergies. Fryer oil is contaminated once any food with an allergen is fried in it. This means that to cook any allergy-safe food in the fryer it would need to be drained, oil dumped, the fryers cleaned and then refilled with fresh oil. 


• Conveyor ovens/units – Conveyor units like ovens and toasters are also a huge risk for cross-contamination with gluten allergies. The entire belt could have traces of gluten on it and leftover crumbs. This means the belt and any moving parts that touch food need to be cleaned between cooking gluten-free and gluten dishes. 


• Ovens and grills – The usual suspects when it comes to high-risk equipment. Ovens and grills are used frequently in restaurants, and that means they are loaded with food debris and build-up. The only way to combat cross-contamination and risk is having separate units for allergies or having strict cleaning routines and protocols in place. 


• Baking tools – Baking tools are another risky area when it comes to kitchen equipment. From the smallest whisk to mixers and holding pans, any tool used to make flour or gluten based dishes needs to be cleaned and sanitized frequently. Separate and labeled utensils for any non-gluten based baking is another option to help in the kitchen. 


• Countertops – Another area you need to watch out for in kitchens, the countertops are a huge hazard. Food and dishes can spill or leave crumbs without anyone noticing. Wiping down and sanitizing before and after preparing gluten-free foods can make the difference.


• Pasta cookers – Commercial pasta cookers can be handy for quickly cooking pasta, but that means they are heavily used for gluten based dishes. Never use the same water for gluten-free pasta and regular pasta, and be sure to clean out the cooker between uses. 

Food Allergy Safety Tips

Food allergy safety means taking precaution and having procedures in place. Preventing cross-contamination and some of these tips can help your kitchen stay safe:

• Routine cleaning – Staying on top of routine cleaning is the frontline of food allergy safety. Cleaning and sanitizing thoroughly will help to prevent leftover debris from contaminating other foods. More frequent cleaning throughout the day also means it is easier to clean a station or tools before needing to cook a dish for someone with an allergy.


• Hand washing – Essential for every business and health, hand washing is the frontline in helping all restaurant staff to curb cross-contamination. Hand washing before and after cooking allergy-specific dishes is a start, but also having serving staff wash hands before sending out a dish is important. The more often staff are washing their hands, the less likely the spread of germs and contamination can happen. 


• Dedicated area – An allergy station is a great way to make kitchens efficient while still being safe for allergies. This station should not have any of the top allergy ingredients near it and should be cleaned before and after cooking. Having a safe station will help to cut down on risk of cross-contamination.


• Offer alternatives – Keep all staff up to date on the menu items that contain the top allergies. Train serving staff to have allergy-friendly menus at the ready or alternative suggestions for any popular dishes. Having this knowledge ready ahead of time will make dining a smoother process. 


• Labeling & separate storage – Making sure all ingredients and foods are properly labeled and food storage is separated is a key part of food safety. Having all gluten free ingredients and containers labeled and kept separate from any flour, gluten ingredients and food will help to prevent cross-contamination in a busy kitchen. Try color-coding containers, utensils and ingredients so they are easily identifiable. Specific allergy stickers on items will make labeling easy. 


• Gluten-free bread baskets – It might not be the first thought of food safety, but having a separate bread basket and linen for gluten-free bread can help prevent any gluten crumbs from contaminating the basket. This small gesture can help not only protect patrons but make them feel safer when choosing to dine out. 

Symptoms of a Food Allergy

Being aware of what an allergy attack can look like is a great step towards safety. Stay alert for the following symptoms the FDA says to watch out for:

• Face, tongue, or lip swelling


• Red skin or rashes


• Hives


• Vomiting and/or diarrhea


• Wheezing or coughing


• Dizziness


• Difficulty breathing


• Loss of consciousness

Staying Prepared

The important part of safety is being prepared and knowing when to take action. Many foodservice businesses require staff to have training and certification, which can help everyone learn what steps to take. Don’t forget that training and reviewing protocols on a routine basis can make sure everyone is up to date and refreshed on their knowledge. Stay calm, alert management and follow your restaurant’s plan of action when it comes to an allergy attack.

For more help with food allergies and safety in restaurants, check out our guide on maintaining food safety in a commercial kitchen.