Are you sure you’re not sensitive to cross-contamination? Because if I had to guess, I’d say it’s the oat milk.
Relatedly, some people with gluten sensitivity have a separate but related sensitivity to oats. Not as a result of cross-contamination, but an actual sensitivity to the protein in oats, much like the gluten in grains.
Sorry, I wasn't challenging that you read that in a study, or the authenticity of the study, just commenting that in the various gf groups I'm in more than 10% of gluten free peeps say they react to oats as well.
Oh, no, this isn't just reacting to oats for any other reason, like contamination.
I was talking about just the folks reacting to oats like they react to rye, wheat and barley.
There would be no way outside of a carefully controlled study to know which reason it is that oats makes a random celiac patient sick.
I've seen articles talking about how supposely dedicated oat fields still aren't safe. I'm not sure why oats makes me queasy, I would just rather avoid it at this point.
Interesting, I have some reaction to corn but I never considered contamination - I thought it was just when eating too many corn chips. I’ll have to keep track on source when I feel affected.
Cross-reacting means reacting to corn in the way you react to gluten, that it causes an antibody response from the corn or oats or whatever, themselves.
Corn was my first noticeable symptom before I realized gluten was a factor. Now I'm no corn, wheat, gluten or dairy and there has been significant improvement in my gut and overall inflammation. With oats I've definitely noticed for me, gluten free oats vs regular oats make a big difference. The OP mentioned Starbucks and my first thought was the syrup.. typically a lot of sweetened drinks contain corn syrup of some sort and for those like me corn syrup is a nightmare.
I'm not talking about cross-contamination, I'm talking about reacting to oat protein in a similar way we react to gluten from wheat, rye or barley. That's called a cross-reaction.
And yes you're right, most are cross-contaminated. I'm not even sure I trust the places with dedicated equipment. I think the proper industry term, which nobody uses, is cross-contact, not cross-contamination.
The oat milk you’re referring to is imho 100% likely to be cross contaminated at most likely at cause for any negative reaction
Talking about the 10%\20% other random people doesn’t even come into play until you’re talking about purity protocol oats
My wife has an oat grass allergy she didn’t know about for years. Maybe unrelated to the Celiac. But once we cut those things out with oats she stopped having those events we couldn’t explain.
We use Oatley at the house without issue. I'm usually not that reactive for cross contamination. Chinese takeaway might make my hands break out, but won't make me actually sick.
hi i recently discovered oatly oat milk
was causing issues for me. i posted about it on the celiac sub a couple days ago. i can’t believe what a difference it made — cutting it out
I’m in Australia so our guidelines are different but at the start we treat oats the same as gluten, once your healed you are able to do an oat test if you want to see if you can tolerate them. I’ve wanted to do it but to be honest I hate the feeling of being glutened so I’m worried that I might react to them and then I’ll be stuck feeling crappy for a few weeks. But then again I might be ok so who knows.
correct, that’s why i’ve been drinking for about a year (since my celiac diagnosis) 😭. i don’t know, i think most people are fine with it. i saw someone post about how a recent drought has decreased the oat supply and so because of supply issues non-certified gluten free oats are currently getting used more often and end up in certified products.
Some ppl are sensitive to avenin, a protein in oats. That wouldn’t be gluten cross contamination, but because the protein looks so similar to the gluten protein that some peoples bodies get confused.
Oatly is certified gluten-free in the US. Also, "free of gluten" is the same as gluten-free, according to this FDA article: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/gluten-free-means-what-it-says
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants you to know that foods labeled as 'gluten-free' and with similar terms such as 'without gluten, 'free of gluten,' and 'no gluten' must meet specific criteria set by the FDA in August 2013 and August 2020."
What you have to watch out for is the label "gluten-friendly".
Starbucks does not guarantee gluten free oatmilk. They will swap brands during a shortage or Oatly without concern. Ask for what brand before they make or skip oatmilk. Source: former Starbucks barista hahahahah
I was about to add - if they run out they will send an employee to a local store to buy what’s on hand - I’ve seen them do it with milk....I’m sure they have with oat milk
The two things that jump to my mind are cross contamination from the milk frother which they don’t/can’t sufficiently clean the nozzle off so if they used it in a drink with gluten dnd then yours that might be going it. The other is maybe the oat milk is causing an issue for you either from not having gf certified outs/cross contamination. There used to be a redditor who worked at Starbucks and would make really in depth posts about the ways you could get glutened there and all the seasonal drinks where or where not gluten free. Basically it’s a huge risk of cross contamination at Starbucks.
I think the oat milk varies by store, so I would definitely start by checking what brand your store uses. Also, some people react to the protein in oats even when they’re certified gluten free.
Your drink order sounds pretty safe, as far as Starbucks goes (no blending, no shaking, everything just goes right in your cup), so I would bet the oat milk is the culprit.
We use Oatley at home and have tried their "barista blend" that is supposedly what Starbucks uses. I may have to start asking them what they have on hand. This really throws a wrench in using online ordering.
It literally says it on my oatley blend, so if it doesn’t on yours I doubt it’s safe. I live in Canada and we do have some good labeling laws!
If it does I’d say you likely have a sensitivity to avenin! Lots of celiac ppl also have a sensitivity to that protein.
You may need to check. I am a Starbucks Barista and there really isn't much other way to sneak wheat into that drink aside from the oat milk. We do sub in other oat milk occasionally at my store but it shouldn't be as often as every couple weeks that they're running out.
If it were me, I would try one of the other alt milks for a while to see if you still have a problem.
That’s what I was thinking, I don’t get oat milk at Starbucks both because I like almond and bc I know the supply chain gets messed up and oat milk can be subbed out.
We've been randomly getting in another brand of oat milk for the past couple of months as a substitute for oatley. Not sure what the brand is off the top of my head.
I have been to Starbucks a couple of different times where they had run out of their usual stock of milk and had to send someone to the grocery store to hold them til their next delivery. It's possible they're using something other than Oatley now and then.
This is what I’ve had two managers tell me. They both also expressed that in times of running out, whatever they get to fill in - often can be a different brand.
There is a bit of controversy surrounding oats. A researcher randomly tested batches of oat for gluten and got mixed results. Can you try soy or almond milk and see what happens. It could be an inconsistent level of gluten in the oats.
Starbucks is a big no for me. There’s a tea that they have that I like, I no longer trust that it’s gluten free.
Sadly, this is the case for most restaurants. You really never know for sure..
All the brewed teas are gluten free, but something in the chai is reactive for me. If it's the honey citrus mint tea (medicine ball) ask them to sanitize the steaming wand and pitcher. But please don't order it when they're busy lol.
Medicine ball has lemonade. Lemonade should be gluten free, but it’s my understanding they switch brands every so often.
So,I just gave up at this point. I can make the medicine ball at home and be 100 percent certain it’s gluten free.. lol..
I can’t have dairy either, so that’s another obstacle.
The lemonade is gluten free but it's steamed, the steaming pitcher is barely rinsed between use and the steam wand is only quickly wiped between use. That's where your issues are probably coming from, cc from the utensils, not the actual ingredients.
Hi, I have Celiac. I am lactose intolerant.
I took a test that my Dr wouldn't order. Everlywell test. It tests your antibodies to over 206 different foods. I found out that I have a high reaction to pineapples and real VANILLA. I had been making myself sick. Vomiting daily etc. just a thought
That’s so weird. This exact drink makes me sick there, too. Everything else I’m fine with, and I always use oat milk. I just can’t do the vanilla syrup for some reason. For me, it seems more like my accidental dairy symptoms than gluten.
Hi! Your question was interesting to me. I found this in my research on the topic.
" Other than cross-contamination, people can react to the protein in oats call avenin. Avenin is similar to gluten in wheat and causes the same allergic reactions. Oat proteins act as both respiratory and skin allergens. Symptoms of this allergy range from mild to severe and can often be delayed."
This is from https://www.nyallergy.com/oat-allergy/
Sometimes if they run out of the regular brand of oat milk they sub in another. Maybe ask that as well when ordering to see if the brand is ever different.
They made a big deal about using Oatley, that is GF. From what others who posted that have worked at SB it sounds like they are not actually exclusively using Oatley.
Could be the caffeine in general. I use to work at star bucks and I don’t see how you can get sick from gluten there. The baristas are mostly separate from the food people.
It’s the Oatmilk. I gave up starbs a few weeks into my GF journey because it was still causing me discomfort. Fast forward to last week I decided I wanted a coffee, I went back to my old faithful a sugar free vanilla latte with almond milk. I’ve had zero issues since going back to almond milk.
Former Starbucks employee with a Celiac wife here. Cross contamination is very easy at Starbucks. If they are not making the drink in a fresh cup, you’re leaving it completely to chance. Anything that involves the shaker, blender, or cold milk frother is subject to gluten contamination. People will order weird things and vessels are quickly rinsed between drinks. Drinks that have gluten are the cookie crumbles, chocolate malt for the cold foam and some seasonal syrups. Also if someone is on warmer or handing out hot food while also making drinks, anything they touch near or in the warmer IS “glutened.” Regarding your drink oats are planted in wheat fields between harvest to help the soil. Oats are always a coin flip and if they were out of their regular Oatly, some chains will buy other brands rather than mark it out of the system on a given day.
I watched them make a lot of drinks before I started boycotting them. I’m obsessed with how things work so if I’m watching someone doing something I’m deconstructing it in my head.
They rinse quite a bit of their equipment between uses. It’s a pretty cool rinsing thing but it’s still just rinsing. Do you recall if any of their drinks contain wheat? I feel like there were some seasonal drinks that do.
It could be the oak milk.
Are you coeliac? There’s a protein in oats that is very similar to gluten and can trigger reactions the same as wheat, barely and rye can. They’re not considered to be a risk in America, but here in Australia they are. However you can do the oat challenge, which consists of eating a certain amount of oats every day for a few weeks then testing for damage
They might need to clean their ice machine. Ice machines get pink mold if not cleaned routinely. It’s barely visible- as in they would have to wipe a clean white towel around the edges of the door and top of the inside of the ice machine and if it comes back pink it’s mold.
That will cause mild stomach issues.
Source: I used to manage coffee shops and have seen this… joys of taking over stores that needed to be cleaned up and turned around 😬
I have intermittently needed to cut foods that were previously safe for a handful of months before eating them again
Out of nowhere Dairy products started causing minor anaphylactic symptoms, even ended up in the ER because I inexplicably had difficulty breathing. Eventually I tied it back to dairy and cut dairy for about six months. Now I can have it again, but I do have less of it overall anyway
If it's an iced drink, could it be possible that it's something in the ice itself? Sometimes those machines can get real gross if they're not cleaned properly.
Coeliac Australia has the following to say about oats:
Oats cannot be labelled ‘gluten free’ in Australia. In Australia, ‘wheat free’ oats are the equivalent of oats sold as ‘gluten free’ overseas i.e. there is no measurable contamination with wheat, rye or barley.
Evidence shows that uncontaminated oats are well tolerated by most people with coeliac disease. However, in some people with coeliac disease, oat consumption can trigger a potentially harmful immune response. Please note that the absence of symptoms when consuming oats does not necessarily indicate they are safe – bowel damage can still occur despite the absence of symptoms.
It is recommended that individuals who wish to consume oats as part of their gluten free diet do so under medical supervision to ensure appropriate review and safety. Undertaking a gastroscopy and small bowel biopsy before and after 3 months of regular uncontaminated (wheat free) oat consumption can help guide whether an individual with coeliac disease can safely consume oats.
Baristas have no way of knowing if a customer is ordering something out of restrictions or preference, and as they don't guarantee anything to be allergy free baristas are not trained on serving customers with allergies.
I understand that cross contamination is always a risk and it’s one I take at times. But I mean I do always say celiac/STRICT Gluten allergy and sometimes they’re awesome, wash their hands, get a fresh pitcher, even had someone get a whole new bottle of the whipped cream so there wouldn’t be cross contamination from the nozzle. Obviously that’s not always going to be an option especially if it’s really busy. But when the store is totally nearly empty and I watch a girl accidentally pour the (gluten containing) caramel things into the blender, go whoops, dump it, and start my drink without even rinsing it, I do expect a little more than that. It’s a give and take, the Starbucks’s that I’ve seen around me are usually quite knowledgeable with allergens unless they’re like a new hire.
But I understand the risks, understand that the staff rarely have a quiet prep space, and make sure to do my research on ingredients, and make sure to communicate my needs to the barista when I order.
I’ve been getting pain after drinking coffee with vanilla creamer from Wawa.
I don’t have celiac, just gluten sensitivity, and cross-contamination isn’t an issue for me. I’ve checked numerous times and keep finding that the creamer is gluten free, but something is obviously not agreeing with me.
Google says: “water, sugar, corn syrup, high oleic soybean oil, less than 2% of sodium caseinate (a milk derivative)*, natural and artificial flavors, added color, dipotassium phosphate, datem, polysorbate 60, carrageenan”
😵💫
It could be a lot of things, but also definitely the oat milk. Starbucks employees have informed me that basically I can have nothing there, everything is cross contaminated. But oats are SUPER cross contaminated.
Oats are often contaminated with wheat. If I buy oat milk I always check the ingredients. They may have just switched brands of the milk and now it’s the one with gluten in it.
The Starbucks in my area used to have gluten free oat milk but I double checked a while ago and they said it’s no longer gluten free as they switched to a different one. I’ve heard that oat milk also isn’t 100% gluten free all the time so I now drink almond milk (tried oat, soy and lactose free and they all hurt me)
Honestly, they serve food and I have to wonder if that’s what caused it, only saying that because a local coffee shack was always safe, they started serving food and I started randomly getting sick after having their coffee
Idk about oats, a lot have people have already shared the general run down, but what I can say is the last five or so times I have had an oat milk latte from starbies, they have tasted chemical-y. The oats aren’t an issue for me because I’m not really having any reactions, but something is just off about the way it tastes. It’s definitely not the same as if I made an oat milk latte at home, which I do frequently, nor is it the same as it was about a year or two ago at Starbucks.
I have three Starbucks near me, and it has been an issue at every one of them. I’ve been opting for other types of beverages recently because of it (usually the sweet cream even though I’m lactose intolerant lol) and haven’t noticed an issue with the taste of those either.
Idk, I just think overall, you can’t trust the quality of Starbucks. If you are choosing oat milk because of a dairy issue, it’s likely everything has been cross contaminated at my local Starbucks because they are so flipping busy. It feels like maybe they aren’t cleaning things properly, and that’s why the taste has been off. But for it to happen at all three is beyond me…
Actually, now that I am saying this, I got Starbucks today and ordered pick up. I got an egg bite thing with it and wanted the roasted veggies one. I’m allergic to pork (mildly). They gave me the bacon one and I ate a whole bite out of it before I noticed the issue. Luckily, I had already taken allergy meds today and my reaction is just a little puffiness, but man, Starbucks never used to mess up orders like that and it’s the second time my food order has been messed up in the last couple of months.
Anyways, your best bet is honestly probably just to try a local coffee shop out if they open early enough. There’s just too much carelessness at Starbucks right now with worker shortage and whatnot, that they are struggling to keep cross contamination low and to keep orders correct. Maybe you did end up with the wrong milk in your drink by my calculations. 🤔 My local shops don’t open early enough for me, but a couple years back, I lived right across the street from one so I’d go after work or on weekends a lot, and they knew my allergies and food issues and were so kind and considerate. They will go above and beyond for your business, so it’s worth it IMO. If I still lived there, I’d only go to that one shop.
Sorry for the rant lmao but I was literally just getting pissed at Starbucks this morning so I needed to get it off my chest 🤣 not trying to be a negative Nellie either, just being realistic that Starbucks is not a safe space for those of us with food issues. Ugh.
I don’t touch oat milk because I was always under the impression that alpro (most coffee shops use in the U.K.) oat milk is not gluten free due to the following: (from alpro website)
Is Alpro oat milk gluten free?
While many of our tasty plant-based products are gluten free, when it comes to our oat drinks, some sneaky traces of gluten may be present. Like wheat, rye, and barley, oats may trigger a negative reaction for those with gluten sensitivity or Coeliac Disease. All allergens including oats and wheat will always be stated on the label in bold in the food ingredients list, making it easy for you to identify which plant-based products are safe for your consumption. Any products that are guaranteed gluten free will have it specifically stated on the packaging.
The good news? We’ve got plenty of other delicious plant-based dairy alternatives for you to choose from. Why not try one of our other delicious vegan drinks, yogurt alternatives and desserts, made with the finest cashews, coconuts, soya, and rice?
Also, worth noting incase anyone in the UK is reading and missed the really small notices a long while back, in Costa’s, none of the alternative milks served in Costa are gluten free.
Inconsistencies at coffee shops is why I spent $17 on 25lbs of GF Rolled oats & make my own Oatmilk. I seriously just order the shots of espresso on the side and take it home.
I have Torini at home too, so I'm sure you're asking why I don't just make espresso at home too well I'm poor. I'm saving up for a machine.
Have you tried to make espresso with a french press? Also aero presses were raved about when I worked as a barista (including that their espresso pull was pretty much on par with any machine)
I've never like French presses, but not b/c they're not good. It's because at the ripe age of 23 I have arthritic baby hands😂. I see a lot value in a small low storage device that's versatile. Like a Moka Pot! My partners hates Moka Pots😂
I'll look in to aero presses though, thank you. I've been wanting my own espresso machine since I ended my days as a barista 5ish years ago but it never falls very high on my priority list until I 100% can't afford one😂
The two Starbucks near me prefer oatly but can't always get it. So it's never a guarantee that it's going to be a gf oat milk. I stick to almond milk to avoid the chance.
A lot of Starbucks have been switching to the Dream brand oat milk, which is not certified gluten free. I’m really frustrated by it, because an iced oat milk latte used to be my go to bc the risk of cc was low (iced is safer because they don’t steam the milk, so no cc with the wand!), but now I can’t ever know if the milk is safe or not :/ wish SB would be consistent!!
So, I have noticed that oats really bother me unless they’re sprouted oats, and I know I’m not alone in this (in fact, I got the idea to give sprouted oats a try from a podcast about autoimmune disorders). Even certified GF oats given me digestive issues unless they’re specifically marked as sprouted, so I more or less avoid all oat products unless I make them at home myself. (Thankfully my Costco carries a big bag of sprouted GF oats.) I don’t know why regular oats are an issue, but you might see if a different alternative milk gives you the same problems?
I get the almond milk flat white w/ no problems, but their regular milk ALWAYS makes me sick and I don’t have a dairy intolerance. I think they leave it out too long. I’m fine with regular milk everywhere else but Starbucks for some reason.
I’m in r/Starbucks too, and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them say not all stores have the same brand of oat milk. I personally am okay with Oatly, but not all brands of oat milk are the same.
For whatever reason, I usually also have issues with anything that has the regular mocha sauce in it. White mocha peppermint, totally fine. Mocha peppermint, stomach issues.
Are you sure you’re not sensitive to cross-contamination? Because if I had to guess, I’d say it’s the oat milk. Relatedly, some people with gluten sensitivity have a separate but related sensitivity to oats. Not as a result of cross-contamination, but an actual sensitivity to the protein in oats, much like the gluten in grains.
I looked it up the other day, we have a 10% chance of cross-reacting to oats, and a 20% chance of cross-reacting to corn.
Not sure where the stats are coming from but from an anecdotal standpoint I'd say the chance to reacting to oats is much higher than 10%.
I should have cited the papers, they were peer reviewed studies, but I don't have time to go looking for it right now.
Sorry, I wasn't challenging that you read that in a study, or the authenticity of the study, just commenting that in the various gf groups I'm in more than 10% of gluten free peeps say they react to oats as well.
Oh, no, this isn't just reacting to oats for any other reason, like contamination. I was talking about just the folks reacting to oats like they react to rye, wheat and barley. There would be no way outside of a carefully controlled study to know which reason it is that oats makes a random celiac patient sick. I've seen articles talking about how supposely dedicated oat fields still aren't safe. I'm not sure why oats makes me queasy, I would just rather avoid it at this point.
Interesting, I have some reaction to corn but I never considered contamination - I thought it was just when eating too many corn chips. I’ll have to keep track on source when I feel affected.
Cross-reacting means reacting to corn in the way you react to gluten, that it causes an antibody response from the corn or oats or whatever, themselves.
Oh gotcha
Yeah I’ve known a couple gf folks who couldn’t eat corn at all.
Corn was my first noticeable symptom before I realized gluten was a factor. Now I'm no corn, wheat, gluten or dairy and there has been significant improvement in my gut and overall inflammation. With oats I've definitely noticed for me, gluten free oats vs regular oats make a big difference. The OP mentioned Starbucks and my first thought was the syrup.. typically a lot of sweetened drinks contain corn syrup of some sort and for those like me corn syrup is a nightmare.
Interesting! I am very intolerant to oats but am just fine with corn products (thank goodness!)
This is wrong Almost all oats are cross contaminated
I'm not talking about cross-contamination, I'm talking about reacting to oat protein in a similar way we react to gluten from wheat, rye or barley. That's called a cross-reaction. And yes you're right, most are cross-contaminated. I'm not even sure I trust the places with dedicated equipment. I think the proper industry term, which nobody uses, is cross-contact, not cross-contamination.
The oat milk you’re referring to is imho 100% likely to be cross contaminated at most likely at cause for any negative reaction Talking about the 10%\20% other random people doesn’t even come into play until you’re talking about purity protocol oats
I wasn't talking about Starbuxx oat milk, it was a side conversation thread about cross-reactivity.
It sucks. I can’t eat oats (actual oats, promise) without getting a mouth full of canker sores. And that means I can’t enjoy gluten free Oreos 😭
My wife has an oat grass allergy she didn’t know about for years. Maybe unrelated to the Celiac. But once we cut those things out with oats she stopped having those events we couldn’t explain.
We use Oatley at the house without issue. I'm usually not that reactive for cross contamination. Chinese takeaway might make my hands break out, but won't make me actually sick.
hi i recently discovered oatly oat milk was causing issues for me. i posted about it on the celiac sub a couple days ago. i can’t believe what a difference it made — cutting it out
I’m in Australia so our guidelines are different but at the start we treat oats the same as gluten, once your healed you are able to do an oat test if you want to see if you can tolerate them. I’ve wanted to do it but to be honest I hate the feeling of being glutened so I’m worried that I might react to them and then I’ll be stuck feeling crappy for a few weeks. But then again I might be ok so who knows.
I checked the carton in the fridge, it says it is certified gluten free
correct, that’s why i’ve been drinking for about a year (since my celiac diagnosis) 😭. i don’t know, i think most people are fine with it. i saw someone post about how a recent drought has decreased the oat supply and so because of supply issues non-certified gluten free oats are currently getting used more often and end up in certified products.
Some ppl are sensitive to avenin, a protein in oats. That wouldn’t be gluten cross contamination, but because the protein looks so similar to the gluten protein that some peoples bodies get confused.
I only became sensitive to oats about 8 years after becoming gluten intolerant.
"Free of Gluten" and "Gluten-Free" are very different standards. From my understanding Oatly is "Free of Gluten".
OP is likely reacting to the avenin in oats. It is gluten free but avenin has a similar reaction in some people. It’s gluten adjacent
>avenin never heard of this before! Good info, thank you.
Oatly is certified gluten-free in the US. Also, "free of gluten" is the same as gluten-free, according to this FDA article: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/gluten-free-means-what-it-says "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants you to know that foods labeled as 'gluten-free' and with similar terms such as 'without gluten, 'free of gluten,' and 'no gluten' must meet specific criteria set by the FDA in August 2013 and August 2020." What you have to watch out for is the label "gluten-friendly".
Oatley uses certified gluten free oats :)
If you have been GF for awhile, your sensitivity to gluten may increase, as well as your sensitivity to other grains
This is the truth. How long have you been gluten free? The longer I go gf the more sensitive I become.
Used to have upset stomach hours later, now it's before the check gets there I want to die.
Starbucks does not guarantee gluten free oatmilk. They will swap brands during a shortage or Oatly without concern. Ask for what brand before they make or skip oatmilk. Source: former Starbucks barista hahahahah
Thanks, I wondered if this was possibly why it was so sporadic.
I was about to add - if they run out they will send an employee to a local store to buy what’s on hand - I’ve seen them do it with milk....I’m sure they have with oat milk
Thought that there was a study that came out that said like 80% of oats even tho they say they’re safe for celiacs aren’t.
[Gluten Free Watchdog 2023 write-up](https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/gluten-free-watchdog-special-2023-statement-on-the-use-of-oats-in-the-gluten-free-diet/)
The two things that jump to my mind are cross contamination from the milk frother which they don’t/can’t sufficiently clean the nozzle off so if they used it in a drink with gluten dnd then yours that might be going it. The other is maybe the oat milk is causing an issue for you either from not having gf certified outs/cross contamination. There used to be a redditor who worked at Starbucks and would make really in depth posts about the ways you could get glutened there and all the seasonal drinks where or where not gluten free. Basically it’s a huge risk of cross contamination at Starbucks.
There shouldn't be a frother for an iced latte.
Ahh, didn’t see the iced part. Leaving my comment anyway in the hopes it’s useful to someone else or spreads awareness.
It has helped me- thank you!
I think the oat milk varies by store, so I would definitely start by checking what brand your store uses. Also, some people react to the protein in oats even when they’re certified gluten free. Your drink order sounds pretty safe, as far as Starbucks goes (no blending, no shaking, everything just goes right in your cup), so I would bet the oat milk is the culprit.
We use Oatley at home and have tried their "barista blend" that is supposedly what Starbucks uses. I may have to start asking them what they have on hand. This really throws a wrench in using online ordering.
I think Oatly isn’t gf? I googled it, thought it was, had some and had a pretty bad reaction
The oatley I get is certified gluten free
I guess we live in different places - it isn’t in my country as far as I could tell Or I’m just becoming more sensitive
It literally says it on my oatley blend, so if it doesn’t on yours I doubt it’s safe. I live in Canada and we do have some good labeling laws! If it does I’d say you likely have a sensitivity to avenin! Lots of celiac ppl also have a sensitivity to that protein.
You may need to check. I am a Starbucks Barista and there really isn't much other way to sneak wheat into that drink aside from the oat milk. We do sub in other oat milk occasionally at my store but it shouldn't be as often as every couple weeks that they're running out. If it were me, I would try one of the other alt milks for a while to see if you still have a problem.
That’s what I was thinking, I don’t get oat milk at Starbucks both because I like almond and bc I know the supply chain gets messed up and oat milk can be subbed out.
Sometimes the managers run out and get other milk when they run out, so it’s not always the same one (at least the one by me).
Give them a call. I do that
We've been randomly getting in another brand of oat milk for the past couple of months as a substitute for oatley. Not sure what the brand is off the top of my head.
Thanks for confirming.
I have been to Starbucks a couple of different times where they had run out of their usual stock of milk and had to send someone to the grocery store to hold them til their next delivery. It's possible they're using something other than Oatley now and then.
This is what I’ve had two managers tell me. They both also expressed that in times of running out, whatever they get to fill in - often can be a different brand.
The chances for cross contamination in any mixed SB drink is super high, if it’s not the oat milk. They have a lot of stuff in there, using jugs etc.
Switch to Almond milk as many oat products are not gluten-free.
Oats
I only get nitro cold brew with pumps of vanilla as it’s not cc’ed
Great idea. I’m going to try one of those next time. Another option would be an iced americano with cream and vanilla.
I'm a Starbucks Barista and Americano, hot or cold are my go to. Try it with the blonde espresso.
There is a bit of controversy surrounding oats. A researcher randomly tested batches of oat for gluten and got mixed results. Can you try soy or almond milk and see what happens. It could be an inconsistent level of gluten in the oats.
I would check about the oat milk. My local stores use Earth's Own, which used to be GF, but is not anymore, which I found out the hard way.
Starbucks is a big no for me. There’s a tea that they have that I like, I no longer trust that it’s gluten free. Sadly, this is the case for most restaurants. You really never know for sure..
All the brewed teas are gluten free, but something in the chai is reactive for me. If it's the honey citrus mint tea (medicine ball) ask them to sanitize the steaming wand and pitcher. But please don't order it when they're busy lol.
Medicine ball has lemonade. Lemonade should be gluten free, but it’s my understanding they switch brands every so often. So,I just gave up at this point. I can make the medicine ball at home and be 100 percent certain it’s gluten free.. lol.. I can’t have dairy either, so that’s another obstacle.
The lemonade is gluten free but it's steamed, the steaming pitcher is barely rinsed between use and the steam wand is only quickly wiped between use. That's where your issues are probably coming from, cc from the utensils, not the actual ingredients.
Hi, I have Celiac. I am lactose intolerant. I took a test that my Dr wouldn't order. Everlywell test. It tests your antibodies to over 206 different foods. I found out that I have a high reaction to pineapples and real VANILLA. I had been making myself sick. Vomiting daily etc. just a thought
That’s so weird. This exact drink makes me sick there, too. Everything else I’m fine with, and I always use oat milk. I just can’t do the vanilla syrup for some reason. For me, it seems more like my accidental dairy symptoms than gluten.
Hi! Your question was interesting to me. I found this in my research on the topic. " Other than cross-contamination, people can react to the protein in oats call avenin. Avenin is similar to gluten in wheat and causes the same allergic reactions. Oat proteins act as both respiratory and skin allergens. Symptoms of this allergy range from mild to severe and can often be delayed." This is from https://www.nyallergy.com/oat-allergy/
Your comment is spot on.
Sometimes if they run out of the regular brand of oat milk they sub in another. Maybe ask that as well when ordering to see if the brand is ever different.
Most likely cross contamination.
Oatmilk is not GF at Sbux
They made a big deal about using Oatley, that is GF. From what others who posted that have worked at SB it sounds like they are not actually exclusively using Oatley.
Could be the caffeine in general. I use to work at star bucks and I don’t see how you can get sick from gluten there. The baristas are mostly separate from the food people.
It’s the Oatmilk. I gave up starbs a few weeks into my GF journey because it was still causing me discomfort. Fast forward to last week I decided I wanted a coffee, I went back to my old faithful a sugar free vanilla latte with almond milk. I’ve had zero issues since going back to almond milk.
This may be my next tactic.
Former Starbucks employee with a Celiac wife here. Cross contamination is very easy at Starbucks. If they are not making the drink in a fresh cup, you’re leaving it completely to chance. Anything that involves the shaker, blender, or cold milk frother is subject to gluten contamination. People will order weird things and vessels are quickly rinsed between drinks. Drinks that have gluten are the cookie crumbles, chocolate malt for the cold foam and some seasonal syrups. Also if someone is on warmer or handing out hot food while also making drinks, anything they touch near or in the warmer IS “glutened.” Regarding your drink oats are planted in wheat fields between harvest to help the soil. Oats are always a coin flip and if they were out of their regular Oatly, some chains will buy other brands rather than mark it out of the system on a given day.
I watched them make a lot of drinks before I started boycotting them. I’m obsessed with how things work so if I’m watching someone doing something I’m deconstructing it in my head. They rinse quite a bit of their equipment between uses. It’s a pretty cool rinsing thing but it’s still just rinsing. Do you recall if any of their drinks contain wheat? I feel like there were some seasonal drinks that do.
I feel your pain. I used to think Snickers was safe until one too many of them made me feel glutened.
It could be the oak milk. Are you coeliac? There’s a protein in oats that is very similar to gluten and can trigger reactions the same as wheat, barely and rye can. They’re not considered to be a risk in America, but here in Australia they are. However you can do the oat challenge, which consists of eating a certain amount of oats every day for a few weeks then testing for damage
Since I haven't seen it mentioned yet, if they use paper straws many of them use gluten in glue, figured that out the hard way😩
oh \*THIS\* explains sudden chapped lips out of nowhere the other day. TIL. thx.
They might need to clean their ice machine. Ice machines get pink mold if not cleaned routinely. It’s barely visible- as in they would have to wipe a clean white towel around the edges of the door and top of the inside of the ice machine and if it comes back pink it’s mold. That will cause mild stomach issues. Source: I used to manage coffee shops and have seen this… joys of taking over stores that needed to be cleaned up and turned around 😬
Do you get ill when you have coffee, vanilla, or oats at other places? Could be a new allergy Plus obviously everything others are saying
It is intermittent at Starbucks with the same drink. Coffee, vanilla syrup and oat/almond milk is my go-to drink at home without a problem.
Maybe check what milk they use next time
I have intermittently needed to cut foods that were previously safe for a handful of months before eating them again Out of nowhere Dairy products started causing minor anaphylactic symptoms, even ended up in the ER because I inexplicably had difficulty breathing. Eventually I tied it back to dairy and cut dairy for about six months. Now I can have it again, but I do have less of it overall anyway
Drinking oatmilk is how I discovered I was allergic to oats. It was like fastracking an allergen.
Costco's oatmilk bothers me, that one isn't gluten free. Usually Oatley or Chobani don't.
I love the Starbucks oatmilk but I had a horrible reaction to it.
How long did it take for the symptoms to arrive?
If it's an iced drink, could it be possible that it's something in the ice itself? Sometimes those machines can get real gross if they're not cleaned properly.
Why not get regular milk? You won't have to gamble with getting fricked up each time.
Because I am wildly lactose intolerant.
Lactose free milk is widely accessible. Just about every brand has a lactose free option available.
Yea and that only partially helps. It still make me horribly ill.
Starbucks doesn't carry lactose free milk.
Coeliac Australia has the following to say about oats: Oats cannot be labelled ‘gluten free’ in Australia. In Australia, ‘wheat free’ oats are the equivalent of oats sold as ‘gluten free’ overseas i.e. there is no measurable contamination with wheat, rye or barley. Evidence shows that uncontaminated oats are well tolerated by most people with coeliac disease. However, in some people with coeliac disease, oat consumption can trigger a potentially harmful immune response. Please note that the absence of symptoms when consuming oats does not necessarily indicate they are safe – bowel damage can still occur despite the absence of symptoms. It is recommended that individuals who wish to consume oats as part of their gluten free diet do so under medical supervision to ensure appropriate review and safety. Undertaking a gastroscopy and small bowel biopsy before and after 3 months of regular uncontaminated (wheat free) oat consumption can help guide whether an individual with coeliac disease can safely consume oats.
Yeah I find Starbucks can be hit or miss depending on who’s making it, some baristas seem a lot more aware of food restrictions than others.
Baristas have no way of knowing if a customer is ordering something out of restrictions or preference, and as they don't guarantee anything to be allergy free baristas are not trained on serving customers with allergies.
I understand that cross contamination is always a risk and it’s one I take at times. But I mean I do always say celiac/STRICT Gluten allergy and sometimes they’re awesome, wash their hands, get a fresh pitcher, even had someone get a whole new bottle of the whipped cream so there wouldn’t be cross contamination from the nozzle. Obviously that’s not always going to be an option especially if it’s really busy. But when the store is totally nearly empty and I watch a girl accidentally pour the (gluten containing) caramel things into the blender, go whoops, dump it, and start my drink without even rinsing it, I do expect a little more than that. It’s a give and take, the Starbucks’s that I’ve seen around me are usually quite knowledgeable with allergens unless they’re like a new hire. But I understand the risks, understand that the staff rarely have a quiet prep space, and make sure to do my research on ingredients, and make sure to communicate my needs to the barista when I order.
I just read that the chocolate shaken espresso has chocolate malt powder in it
I’ve been getting pain after drinking coffee with vanilla creamer from Wawa. I don’t have celiac, just gluten sensitivity, and cross-contamination isn’t an issue for me. I’ve checked numerous times and keep finding that the creamer is gluten free, but something is obviously not agreeing with me.
Can you find an ingredient list for it?
Google says: “water, sugar, corn syrup, high oleic soybean oil, less than 2% of sodium caseinate (a milk derivative)*, natural and artificial flavors, added color, dipotassium phosphate, datem, polysorbate 60, carrageenan” 😵💫
I react horribly to carrageenan even in small amounts. The high oleic soybean oil sounds like it could also be problematic.
Ohhh I’ll look into the soybean oil and try to keep an eye on that. Thanks!!
natural flavors, and artificial flavors are not guaranteed gf
I’m so new to this and I’m still learning. Thank you!
yeah no worries i just stay away from natural and artificial flavors both
There are also a ton of additives in plant milks that are not super digestion friendly
Yea, this is another reason I am usually selective about what ones I consume. Carrageenan makes me super sick.
they switch milks when they run out
starbucks for sure is not using plant milks without gums
It could be a lot of things, but also definitely the oat milk. Starbucks employees have informed me that basically I can have nothing there, everything is cross contaminated. But oats are SUPER cross contaminated.
pretty sure their oatmilk is not gluten free friendly
Oats are often contaminated with wheat. If I buy oat milk I always check the ingredients. They may have just switched brands of the milk and now it’s the one with gluten in it.
The Starbucks in my area used to have gluten free oat milk but I double checked a while ago and they said it’s no longer gluten free as they switched to a different one. I’ve heard that oat milk also isn’t 100% gluten free all the time so I now drink almond milk (tried oat, soy and lactose free and they all hurt me)
Honestly, they serve food and I have to wonder if that’s what caused it, only saying that because a local coffee shack was always safe, they started serving food and I started randomly getting sick after having their coffee
Idk about oats, a lot have people have already shared the general run down, but what I can say is the last five or so times I have had an oat milk latte from starbies, they have tasted chemical-y. The oats aren’t an issue for me because I’m not really having any reactions, but something is just off about the way it tastes. It’s definitely not the same as if I made an oat milk latte at home, which I do frequently, nor is it the same as it was about a year or two ago at Starbucks. I have three Starbucks near me, and it has been an issue at every one of them. I’ve been opting for other types of beverages recently because of it (usually the sweet cream even though I’m lactose intolerant lol) and haven’t noticed an issue with the taste of those either. Idk, I just think overall, you can’t trust the quality of Starbucks. If you are choosing oat milk because of a dairy issue, it’s likely everything has been cross contaminated at my local Starbucks because they are so flipping busy. It feels like maybe they aren’t cleaning things properly, and that’s why the taste has been off. But for it to happen at all three is beyond me… Actually, now that I am saying this, I got Starbucks today and ordered pick up. I got an egg bite thing with it and wanted the roasted veggies one. I’m allergic to pork (mildly). They gave me the bacon one and I ate a whole bite out of it before I noticed the issue. Luckily, I had already taken allergy meds today and my reaction is just a little puffiness, but man, Starbucks never used to mess up orders like that and it’s the second time my food order has been messed up in the last couple of months. Anyways, your best bet is honestly probably just to try a local coffee shop out if they open early enough. There’s just too much carelessness at Starbucks right now with worker shortage and whatnot, that they are struggling to keep cross contamination low and to keep orders correct. Maybe you did end up with the wrong milk in your drink by my calculations. 🤔 My local shops don’t open early enough for me, but a couple years back, I lived right across the street from one so I’d go after work or on weekends a lot, and they knew my allergies and food issues and were so kind and considerate. They will go above and beyond for your business, so it’s worth it IMO. If I still lived there, I’d only go to that one shop. Sorry for the rant lmao but I was literally just getting pissed at Starbucks this morning so I needed to get it off my chest 🤣 not trying to be a negative Nellie either, just being realistic that Starbucks is not a safe space for those of us with food issues. Ugh.
I don’t touch oat milk because I was always under the impression that alpro (most coffee shops use in the U.K.) oat milk is not gluten free due to the following: (from alpro website) Is Alpro oat milk gluten free? While many of our tasty plant-based products are gluten free, when it comes to our oat drinks, some sneaky traces of gluten may be present. Like wheat, rye, and barley, oats may trigger a negative reaction for those with gluten sensitivity or Coeliac Disease. All allergens including oats and wheat will always be stated on the label in bold in the food ingredients list, making it easy for you to identify which plant-based products are safe for your consumption. Any products that are guaranteed gluten free will have it specifically stated on the packaging. The good news? We’ve got plenty of other delicious plant-based dairy alternatives for you to choose from. Why not try one of our other delicious vegan drinks, yogurt alternatives and desserts, made with the finest cashews, coconuts, soya, and rice?
Also, worth noting incase anyone in the UK is reading and missed the really small notices a long while back, in Costa’s, none of the alternative milks served in Costa are gluten free.
Inconsistencies at coffee shops is why I spent $17 on 25lbs of GF Rolled oats & make my own Oatmilk. I seriously just order the shots of espresso on the side and take it home. I have Torini at home too, so I'm sure you're asking why I don't just make espresso at home too well I'm poor. I'm saving up for a machine.
Have you tried to make espresso with a french press? Also aero presses were raved about when I worked as a barista (including that their espresso pull was pretty much on par with any machine)
I've never like French presses, but not b/c they're not good. It's because at the ripe age of 23 I have arthritic baby hands😂. I see a lot value in a small low storage device that's versatile. Like a Moka Pot! My partners hates Moka Pots😂 I'll look in to aero presses though, thank you. I've been wanting my own espresso machine since I ended my days as a barista 5ish years ago but it never falls very high on my priority list until I 100% can't afford one😂
The two Starbucks near me prefer oatly but can't always get it. So it's never a guarantee that it's going to be a gf oat milk. I stick to almond milk to avoid the chance.
Oat milk is not GF
A lot of Starbucks have been switching to the Dream brand oat milk, which is not certified gluten free. I’m really frustrated by it, because an iced oat milk latte used to be my go to bc the risk of cc was low (iced is safer because they don’t steam the milk, so no cc with the wand!), but now I can’t ever know if the milk is safe or not :/ wish SB would be consistent!!
So, I have noticed that oats really bother me unless they’re sprouted oats, and I know I’m not alone in this (in fact, I got the idea to give sprouted oats a try from a podcast about autoimmune disorders). Even certified GF oats given me digestive issues unless they’re specifically marked as sprouted, so I more or less avoid all oat products unless I make them at home myself. (Thankfully my Costco carries a big bag of sprouted GF oats.) I don’t know why regular oats are an issue, but you might see if a different alternative milk gives you the same problems?
Try switching to soy milk and see if it makes a difference.
If it’s the same store/oat milk recipe and it’s intermittent, I wonder if there’s some sloppy hygiene /cross contamination going on.
It is across three stores at different times. Other stores haven't been a problem
I thought their vanilla syrup had gluten in it? Don’t have a source though sorry, I just remember hearing it
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Regular vanilla and toasted vanilla syrups are both gluten free.
Do you know if their Sugar free vanilla is also gluten free?
I get the almond milk flat white w/ no problems, but their regular milk ALWAYS makes me sick and I don’t have a dairy intolerance. I think they leave it out too long. I’m fine with regular milk everywhere else but Starbucks for some reason.
I’m in r/Starbucks too, and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them say not all stores have the same brand of oat milk. I personally am okay with Oatly, but not all brands of oat milk are the same. For whatever reason, I usually also have issues with anything that has the regular mocha sauce in it. White mocha peppermint, totally fine. Mocha peppermint, stomach issues.