### The Fryer Dilemma in Alaska Seafood Houses
When visiting an Alaskan seafood shack, brewpub, or roadside diner, French fries and tortilla chips are often listed as naturally gluten-free. However, the critical question for anyone with celiac disease or severe wheat allergy is: **What else goes into that fryer oil?**
In most commercial Alaska kitchens:
1. **Beer-battered halibut and cod** are dipped in flour batter and submerged in the deep fryer.
2. The fryer oil reaches 350°F to 375°F. **Heat does not destroy the gluten protein.**
3. Microscopic flour particles circulate throughout the oil, coating everything subsequently fried in that vat.
### What is a Dedicated Fryer?
A dedicated fryer is a standalone fryer unit that **only ever cooks gluten-free items**. At establishments like **Tent City Taphouse**, **Blue Roof Bistro**, and **The Boatyard Cafe**, dedicated fryers ensure your fries and fish remain completely free of wheat cross-contact.