Starbucks & Soy Allergy (my throat, peanut allergy, water, broke)

[akire]

I occasionally like to stop by Starbucks and order a hot drink, such as a cafe latte, but now that I have a potentially deadly soy allergy I don't know if I'm safe to anymore. Is there anyway their soy milk could be cross contaminated into my drink??

[nephthys]

Probably, I get soy lattes all the time, im sure if they don't wash things thoroughly that can happen. The steamers themselves just get wiped off with a wet cloth. Im not a barista or anything, but I can ask someone I know that works there.

[pitt_transplant]

I was and have worked in various places including starbucks.
If its deadly I wouldnt get it anymore.

Theres a couple easy ways it would contaminate:
- splash - into drink or on tool like spoon/shotglass/bar towel
- spoon cross
- burnt soy on steam wand
- fast rinsed pitcher for new batch (you rinse in hot water and reuse, they only get thrown in the sanitizer after a hour or so or per shift if kept in fridge.

[litlux]

If you have a soy allergy, Starbucks is the least of your worries. Soy in its dozens of forms is included in an amazingly large number of packaged foods.

I hope it is just soy milk that worries you.

[akire]

Originally Posted by nephthys

Probably, I get soy lattes all the time, im sure if they don't wash things thoroughly that can happen. The steamers themselves just get wiped off with a wet cloth. Im not a barista or anything, but I can ask someone I know that works there.

Yes, please do...I just have no idea what goes on behind the counters!

[akire]

Originally Posted by litlux

If you have a soy allergy, Starbucks is the least of your worries. Soy in its dozens of forms is included in an amazingly large number of packaged foods.

I hope it is just soy milk that worries you.

I do ok with soy letchin & soy bean oil in packaged ingredients...very difficult to avoid. Highly concentrated soy like found in soy beans and Soy milk on the other hand will make my throat close!

[akire]

Originally Posted by pitt_transplant

I was and have worked in various places including starbucks.
If its deadly I wouldnt get it anymore.

Theres a couple easy ways it would contaminate:
- splash - into drink or on tool like spoon/shotglass/bar towel
- spoon cross
- burnt soy on steam wand
- fast rinsed pitcher for new batch (you rinse in hot water and reuse, they only get thrown in the sanitizer after a hour or so or per shift if kept in fridge.

My allergy is indeed deadly. What would be some "safe" drinks for me to order? Thanks...

[pitt_transplant]

Nothing from the coffeebar at all...

One customer who had a dairy one would always get tea...But it was a rashes allergy not a deadly one.
But really I would just steer clear of it totally. When it get s crazy busy and you are serving 15 people in a minute splashes go everywhere. Just give a look to some barista's clothing and aprons.

Just watch someone steam milk..Its shoots up and back sometimes. You will see it go on the espresso cup part too. And If you get just black coffee..someone could of wiped that area with a soy towel...
I think you are pretty luck that nothing has happened yet.

Is it bad like a peanut one where you cant even touch it?
I had a friend that broke in a rash from M&Ms!

[akire]

Originally Posted by pitt_transplant

Nothing from the coffeebar at all...

One customer who had a dairy one would always get tea...But it was a rashes allergy not a deadly one.
But really I would just steer clear of it totally. When it get s crazy busy and you are serving 15 people in a minute splashes go everywhere. Just give a look to some barista's clothing and aprons.

Just watch someone steam milk..Its shoots up and back sometimes. You will see it go on the espresso cup part too. And If you get just black coffee..someone could of wiped that area with a soy towel...
I think you are pretty luck that nothing has happened yet.

Is it bad like a peanut one where you cant even touch it?
I had a friend that broke in a rash from M&Ms!

Wow....now I am soy paradnoid about coffee places! I am also allergic to peanuts, often people are allergic to both. My peanut allergy is probably a little more sensitive, however both make my throat close! It really isn't fun to have such severe food allegies and many people don't understand that the slightest bit can kill people, making it even more stressful to eat out. THanks for all the info :0)

[nebulous1]

My daughter is allergic to peanuts. Protect yourself. There are people who do not understand. They can cut a sandwich that has peanut butter on it and you can get it that way too.
When my daughter was in school, a homeroom mother tried to get her to eat peanut butter on celery. My daughter said nope. The mother got mad and told her it's healthy for her. She said, not for her it isn't. The mother got mad.
I am glad she is out of grade school. There was once a stupid idiot who pushed her peanut butter cookies on a 4 year old, and worked on him till he tried one, telling him a little bit wouldn't hurt him, and she killed him.