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Continuing responses.  As I said in my first email, Sum1, the responses I omitted either said yes or no, but didn't have a location or a suggestion. And they were about even. No overwhelming numbers, either way.  Thanks again.  Lin


1. I am the director of a GIG support group in Asheville, NC. Ironically, at
our meeting last week we discussed just this topic. A couple of our members
had eaten GF pizza at Mellow Mushroom here. One person did fine, the other
got really sick. The consensus was that no one was really willing to take
the risk overall.

This led to a very interesting discussion about how so many restaurants and
manufacturers have jumped on the GF bandwagon without fully understanding
the full spectrum of the issues. Our group felt that there needs to be some
kind of standardized system for indicating:

1- are they a GF certified location (manufacturer or restaurant)--Safest

2- do they have GF ingredients and have a system in place to prevent
cross-contamination--Less safe

3- are they catering to the GF fad and only the ingredients gluten
free?--Least safe

I have noticed that restaurants here are beginning to ask: is this an
allergy or a preference? The answer determines how they handle the order. I
think it is very interesting and maybe helpful.

The really honest pizza restaurants will tell you that there really isn't
any way for them to avoid cross-contamination. This is not safe for anyone
with Celiac Disease. There is no way to tell if one is truly being
contaminated either if they don't have symptoms. With such dire, long-term
consequences, why take the chance?

For the record, I have three daughters with CD. The oldest (23) is very
sensitive. We call her the canary in the mine. She would probably get sick
from inhaling the flour in the air! I think the bottom line is, what kind of
risk are you willing to take? Are you willing to face the long-term
consequences?

2.  When Uno's came out with a gf pizza, we ate there a few times.  The
first time was terrific.  The secon time, there had to have been major
cross contamination (something like a pizza cutter or spatula) because
my daughter and I became ill at the same interval after eating - about
20 minutes and had to pull into the first McDonald's we came to and
run to the restroom (sorry to be so graphic).

We have a chain called Pizza Fusion here in Richmond.  They have
dedicated prep space and a dedicated oven.  I've only gotten sick
once.  My daughter and I split a gf pizza - all pepperoni but with
roasted red onions on my half.  I became quite ill after 30 minutes. I
was really surprised because we were there at a non-busy time (4pm
Sat. afternoon).   I have eaten there many times and have gone back
since - but will keep my toppings to a minimum.

Restaurant gf pizza is so expensive, I usually fall back on an Amy's
gf pizza with extra cheese and toppings at home.  I know it's safe, it
tastes pretty good, and it costs less than half of restaurant gf

3. I only eat it in a GFRAP restaurant or one that I am absolutely positive
understands the constraints. I think it's a very dangerous situation for
us celiacs that is being driven by the "fad" gluten-free people. My MD
is at the Columbia University Celiac group and she feels the same
way...stay away unless the restaurant is run by a celiac family or has
undergone the training required to be designated as a participant in
GFRAP. Lots can happen behind the scenes in a commercial kitchen.

4.I had a gf pizza at z-pizza, after talking with the owner. He said they had a separate oven for the gf pizzas, but when I asked him about the toppings and whether they reached their hands into the same containers of toppings when dressing gf & non-gf pizzas, he said they did, and admitted that there was some possibility of cross-contamination there.

5.I had a gf pizza at z-pizza, after talking with the owner. He said they had a separate oven for the gf pizzas, but when I asked him about the toppings and whether they reached their hands into the same containers of toppings when dressing gf & non-gf pizzas, he said they did, and admitted that there was some possibility of cross-contamination there.
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