<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

The question was about eating french fries at
restaurants and how much gluten actually gets on fries
made in a non-dedicated fryer.  Thanks to every who
wrote!  Beth

-- if I am in a place that does not have a dedicated
fryer, but has practically nothing on the menu that is
breaded and fried, I take a chance.  If they have a
lot of items, I pass. 

-- What I consider iffy: anything fried in a
non-dedicated fryer. Plenty of times before adopting
this edict I have ended up with an onion ring in my
French 
fries or gotten sick. I now know which restaurants in
my area have a separate fryer just for fries-- no
problem! A couple places even bake their "fries" 
which is perfect!

-- I avoid french fries.  No matter how sensitive or
not sensitive you are this is a real risk with all
those bread crumbs.  Plus so many places now coat the
fries in flour because they look browner.

-- I will risk french fries as long as they're not
beer-battered.

-- That French Fry matter is a choice, and my question
to celiacs is where you tested for Wheat Allergy when
you where tested for Celiac.  Being Gluten Intolerant
or full blown Celiac is one thing and you can also be
Allergic to Wheat which will make a difference in
reactions to wheat contamination 
or gluten contamination.  I have a wheat allergy and
have different symptoms, I also have some in the house
allergic to wheat and gluten intolerant. 

-- We let him have fries that are not cooked in
dedicated fryers, as long as the majority of food is
not breaded and deep fried.  I know the majority of
the list would say this is wrong, but the reality is
you have to live and part of that means eating in
places that are not 100% safe.

-- I don't know if anyone has done the french-fry
analysis - I'd be interested to know! -  but with most
fries, the issue is not even so much contamination
from other items fried in the same oil, as it is from
the coating common to most frozen fries used by most
restaurants.  I'm told In & Out Burger in the west has
GF fries, fresh cut, exclusive oil.  Otherwise, I
stick to baked potatoes...

-- Must say that even I wouldn't eat fries unless they
were from a dedicated fryer.

-- I've been eating fries that are plain.  Chick-fil-a
and McDonalds claim dedicated fryers and I eat them. 
I've also been eating them at Lone Star and I really
doubt the fryer there is dedicated but the bacon
cheese fries are so good I don't want to ask.  And I
haven't been reacting, so I've avoided asking.

-- I don't eat french fries, I just don't go there. 

-- I am not sensitive either and I often eat fries
out.  I know that MacDonalds fries are gf, even though
the controversy goes on.  I went to a seminar by
Shelly Case in Annapolis, MD and she said the process
really does kill the gluten in their fries and they
are safe to eat, so I eat them. 

-- I eat french fries at McDonald's.

-- If the fries are g.f. and the fryer isn't
dedicated, they can be cooked in an oven on foil if
they have one....

-- I've also wondered this and will be interested to
read your summary. I tested some fries (we call them
chips) bought from a local fish and chip take-away
with a gluten flowthrough test (this is the test I 
used, http://www.elisa-tek.com/Rapid%20GFT%20Page.htm)
and it was negative for gluten. However, I still
wouldn't trust that I could eat the chips just from a
single test. For all I know they may have just changed
the oil and they definitely fry battered items in with
the chips. I have asked on other lists for links to
research into cross contamination in oil but nobody
knew of any. I couldn't even find out 
if gluten is soluble in oil (it is soluble in water).
It's possible that the risk of contamination is from
small pieces of batter that fall off the fish (or
bread crumbs in other places) and are served up 
with the chips rather than gluten dissolved in the oil
but I've been unable to find out for sure. I'm not
sure I would enjoy the chips if I had to examine each
one for bits of batter though!

-- I'd pass on the french fries and the baked potato.
They are both highly glycemic and will show up on your
hips. :-)



 
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