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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not know this about gluten free

56 replies

guiltynetter · 31/12/2017 17:06

Was in a cafe in a museum today and went to help myself to a slice of chocolate loaf cake. there was only one pair of tongs (they were on the next plate of cakes) so i used them to put it on my plate.

As i went towards the till a guy who worked there said ‘excuse me, did you just use those tongs to get your cake?’ i said ‘yes...’ and he said ‘sorry you’re not to do that, those tongs are for the gluten free only cake, i’ll have to wash them now’ and whisked them away to the sink in a bit of a huff.

i did point out there were no other tongs available so he produced several pairs from under the counter.

aibu to not know you needed to use different utensils for different cakes? surely that’s a bit bonkers? (i didn’t know the cake next to it was gluten free btw, there were no signs)

rude man 😡

OP posts:
HarrietKettleWasHere · 31/12/2017 17:07

Well what on earth were you supposed to do if there was only one pair?!!

themorus · 31/12/2017 17:10

It isn't bonkers, if you touched a piece of cake with gluten in it then someone else used them for gluten free food then cross contamination would occur which has serious consequences for those who have allergies. Its lucky the server saw you and was able to wash them...

There should have been a sign to indicate the gluten free food

Lonecatwithkitten · 31/12/2017 17:12

If you are a coeliac even a tiny contamination with gluten can have serious consequences including increasing the significant risk of bowel cancer.

BanjoStarz · 31/12/2017 17:13

Not bonkers - although not a lot you could do if there was only one set and no obvious sign saying the other was gluten free.

My coeliac friend can get ill from sharing the same butter knife for toast 😢

marriednotdead · 31/12/2017 17:13

For someone with coeliac disease, gluten is an allergen i.e. a poison.

So yes, definitely shouldn't be sharing tongs. But then again, gluten free cake should not be stored openly next to regular cake either to avoid cross contamination so the guy sounds a bit clueless!

SandyDenny · 31/12/2017 17:14

You're not a mind reader, they should have a sign, he was silly to be annoyed with you.

SparkleFizz · 31/12/2017 17:17

No, not bonkers.

It’s to stop cross contamination - crumbs from a normal gluteny cake could get onto the gluten free cake if the same tongs were used for all. And even a few normal gluten containing crumbs could make someone ill if they had coeliac disease.

The cafe should really have a more robust way of stopping people from using the wrong tongs though. I think under the circumstances you describe, most people would have done what you did without even thinking about it.

Idontevencareanymore · 31/12/2017 17:17

If they're that narky about cross contamination then they should have tongs per plate of cakes.
Sounds a bit dickish really.

Els1e · 31/12/2017 17:18

I didn’t know this either. But I do think man was rude. How were you suppose to know

AnotherDunroamin · 31/12/2017 17:18

YWNBU at all! I'm coeliac and echo the PP who said even a crumb can have serious effects from short term gastro disturbances to long term increased cancer risks. BUT the onus isn't on you, as a member of the general public, to be aware of that; the onus was on the cafe to make it clear and to ensure there are enough utensils etc available.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 31/12/2017 17:19

He was right, that could make me ill for a day or so, but there should be signs and I would only eat out like that if it was either cakes only served by trained staff or prewrapped. They are asking for trouble letting anyone help themselves. You were not to know that the cake was gluten free.

RavingRoo · 31/12/2017 17:19

I’m really impressed. Most bakeries / cafes/ restaurants don’t give a toss about cross-contamination hence why severe gluten allergies cannot usually be catered for outside of the home. What’s the name of the cafe? I’ll definitely be popping down with my neice

Boulshired · 31/12/2017 17:20

The problem with the tongs is the person needing the gluten free cake would not trust the tongs anyway for this precise reason. Many people would pick up one tong and pick up numerous items. Especially with the gluten avoiders where the tongs make no difference.

SleepingInYourFlowerbed · 31/12/2017 17:20

My mum wouldn't touch a gluten free cake that was uncovered and next to gluten cakes due to the cross contamination risk so if all the cafe is doing is using different tongs then it's not really enough.

It's not your fault that you didn't know.

Jamboree05 · 31/12/2017 17:21

He was right but he didn't have to be a dick about it.

ScreamingValenta · 31/12/2017 17:21

If there was only one pair of tongs there, what else were you supposed to do? 'Telling you off' after the event served no purpose at all. Very poor customer service. They should have a separate pair of tongs, labelled as being for the GF food only.

MrsHathaway · 31/12/2017 17:22

This is partly why many cafes will serve gf cake individually wrapped (also because they may not sell enough).

If a cafe doesn't have reasonable barriers between gf and gluten foods then someone requiring gf would be well advised not to eat there. I don't think I'd be very pleased about the cake being available for everyone to help themselves to without tongs even without allergy considerations. Basic hygiene, surely?

Movablefeast · 31/12/2017 17:22

My 14 yr old dd was diagnosed with celiac disease last year. It is not an allergy it is an autoimmune disease where gluten damages the body, so she cannot come in contact with Gluten, even tiny particles.

If course they should have different tongs which should be clearly marked. But also gluten free food should be completely separate and not mixed in with other foods.

If you are not familiar with Celiac I am not surprised as I had never heard of it! Confused

eggsandwich · 31/12/2017 17:25

You weren’t to know, they were at fault for not putting a notice up and not having enough tongs out.

My Dd is coeliac and cross contamination is the hardest thing to control because your reliant on other people understanding the need for different utensils and not using those that are only intended for gluten free food.

At home I’ve got two different utensils pots either side of the cooker one for gluten free use and the other for normal use, I’ve also got a draw with baking trays, pizza cutters and toast bags for her bread, I’ve found it reasonably easy, but don’t beat yourself up about it now you know that they can get really sick with cross contamination.

Rebeccaslicker · 31/12/2017 17:26

It's not unreasonable to expect people to use different tools for gluten free food.

It's ridiculously unreasonable not to provide those tools in your cafe!!

MongerTruffle · 31/12/2017 17:26

If I had coeliac disease I wouldn't want to eat there. They clearly take no precautions if they only put one pair of tongs out.

Rebeccaslicker · 31/12/2017 17:27

Also thanks for posting OP, I suspect lots of other people didn't know, so this could help to raise awareness.

BrutusMcDogface · 31/12/2017 17:31

It's not bonkers! Everyone has already said, cross contamination is a very real risk and I also wouldn't touch a so-called gluten free cake that has been stored openly next to gluten containing cakes. Not worth the risk. I've refused the gf cake in cafe Nero before, explaining why, and I think it's rubbish that a chain doesn't know that they should keep gluten free separate.

Anyway. Now you know.

RidingWindhorses · 31/12/2017 17:31

It's the café's responsibilty to label the gluten free tongs and keep them with the gluten free cake, and provide tongs for the ordinary cake.

Notso · 31/12/2017 17:32

I did know about cross contamination and I don't think the man was especially rude from what you posted.
He said excuse me and sorry and has also informed you so you'll know for next time. I suspect you think he was huffy because you feel told off.
I heard a woman in the corner shop accuse me of being mardy when I intercepted her giving her peanut allergic DS a snickers celebration, the other day. All I said was "sorry he can't have that he's allergic, thanks though" with a smile but she obviously took it as a ticking off.