wok & cast iron pan cleaning

[Guest guest]

Woks and cast iron pans are meant to be seasoned over time with everything that has been cooked in them. To that end, they are normally cleaned only with hot water and a non abrasive scrub brush. Perhaps public health regulations dictate that restaurants clean woks and cast iron pans with soap; but even if not, I'm not sure that gluten could remain after a good scrubbing with hot water. It's not like gluten is a magical property that needs a magical cleansing agent; and it's not like a bacteria that can live on after the food it contaminated is removed. If there are no visible signs of food, would that be enough proof that the surface is free of gluten?**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

[Guest guest]

I keep reading that teflon pans can't be made GF after cooking with gluten -- even if they're visibly clean. I assume that teflon is too retentive, and that cast iron is too porous for all traces of gluten to go. But, I'm not a scientist -- I don't know.

Harper

In a message dated 12/15/08 12:22:05 PM, TrVerb@... writes:

Woks and cast iron pans are meant to be seasoned over time with everything that has been cooked in them. To that end, they are normally cleaned only with hot water and a non abrasive scrub brush. Perhaps public health regulations dictate that restaurants clean woks and cast iron pans with soap; but even if not, I'm not sure that gluten could remain after a good scrubbing with hot water. It's not like gluten is a magical property that needs a magical cleansing agent; and it's not like a bacteria that can live on after the food it contaminated is removed. If there are no visible signs of food, would that be enough proof that the surface is free of gluten?

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/15/08 2:54:06 PM, narenw@... writes:

You might want to do all that you can to clean it first. And keep in mind that cast iron pans are quite inexpensive, as pans go.

H.

That said, I think I am going to throw caution to the wind and use the pan, since it is so old and I get sick from time to time anyway.  Thought it could be a good point of discussion.

Thanks,

Naren

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[Guest guest]

But isn't the cross contamination on grills only an issue is the grill isn't thoroughly cleaned? Of course, I wouldn't expect a restaurant to be able to thoroughly clean a grill just for my order... seems too much to expect. ??? But at home, you can scrub to your heart's content.

In a message dated 12/15/08 2:54:04 PM, narenw@... writes:

"If there are no visible signs of food, would that be enough proof that the surface is free of gluten?"  I've thought no, because cross-contamination is known to occur from bread heated on grills, and I assume that also happens in an iron skillet because it is porous and gluten is afterall a microscopic compound.

That said, I think I am going to throw caution to the wind and use the pan, since it is so old and I get sick from time to time anyway.  Thought it could be a good point of discussion.

Thanks,

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[Guest guest]

" If there are no visible signs of food, would that be enough proof that the surface is free of gluten? " I've thought no, because cross-contamination is known to occur from bread heated on grills, and I assume that also happens in an iron skillet because it is porous and gluten is afterall a microscopic compound.

That said, I think I am going to throw caution to the wind and use the pan, since it is so old and I get sick from time to time anyway. Thought it could be a good point of discussion.

Thanks,

Naren

On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 1:09 PM, <flatcat9@...> wrote:

I keep reading that teflon pans can't be made GF after cooking with gluten -- even if they're visibly clean. I assume that teflon is too retentive, and that cast iron is too porous for all traces of gluten to go. But, I'm not a scientist -- I don't know.

Harper

In a message dated 12/15/08 12:22:05 PM, TrVerb@... writes:

Woks and cast iron pans are meant to be seasoned over time with everything that has been cooked in them. To that end, they are normally cleaned only with hot water and a non abrasive scrub brush. Perhaps public health regulations dictate that restaurants clean woks and cast iron pans with soap; but even if not, I'm not sure that gluten could remain after a good scrubbing with hot water. It's not like gluten is a magical property that needs a magical cleansing agent; and it's not like a bacteria that can live on after the food it contaminated is removed. If there are no visible signs of food, would that be enough proof that the surface is free of gluten?

**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

[Guest guest]

I just cleaned a bunch of my mom's iron pans etc. in her self cleaning cycle of her oven. I had it on for an hour and it really got everything. My understanding it gets rid of all the gluten since it goes up to 600 degrees.Bea

I keep reading that teflon pans can't be made GF after cooking with gluten -- even if they're visibly clean. I assume that teflon is too retentive, and that cast iron is too porous for all traces of gluten to go. But, I'm not a scientist -- I don't know.

Harper

In a message dated 12/15/08 12:22:05 PM, TrVerb@... writes:

Woks and cast iron pans are meant to be seasoned over time with everything that has been cooked in them. To that end, they are normally cleaned only with hot water and a non abrasive scrub brush. Perhaps public health regulations dictate that restaurants clean woks and cast iron pans with soap; but even if not, I'm not sure that gluten could remain after a good scrubbing with hot water. It's not like gluten is a magical property that needs a magical cleansing agent; and it's not like a bacteria that can live on after the food it contaminated is removed. If there are no visible signs of food, would that be enough proof that the surface is free of gluten?

************ **Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try it now. (http://www.aol. com/?optin= new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00 000010)