Peanuts are a common allergy among children. While tree nuts are biologically different, they are also among the top food allergies, and up to 40 percent of people with peanut allergies are allergic to at least one tree nut.1 When preparing food for these guests, take care with the following ingredients.
Avoid:
| Peanuts |
| Whole or ground peanuts |
| Peanut butter or paste |
| Peanut oil |
| Peanut flour or meal |
| Lupin (related to peanuts) |
| Nut extract |
| Tree nuts |
| Wholeor ground tree nuts (many species) |
| Monkey nuts, beer nuts, or mixed nuts |
| Nut milk |
| Nut flour or meal |
| Nut oils |
| Nut butter or paste |
Not an exhaustive list. Read ingredient labels carefully
Check labels:
| African, Asian and Mexican cuisine (high risk of cross contact) |
| Candy, chocolate and desserts |
| Cereals |
| Chilli |
| Crackers and cookies |
| Egg rolls |
| Flavoured coffee |
| Frozen desserts |
| Glazes, marinades and sauces |
| Marinades and sauces |
| Marzipan |
| Nougat |
| Vegetarian meat substitutes |
Because coconuts are botanically different from other tree nuts, they are not included on most allergen lists. However, due to some rare but serious reactions, the US lists coconut as a tree nut allergen
Since 2010, children are experiencing 21% more peanut allergies, 18% more tree nut allergies, and 7% more shellfish allergies.
Sources:
1 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2014. “Diagnosing Food Allergies.” www.acaai.org
2 Powers, C. & M. Abbott Hess (2013) Essentials of Nutrition for Chefs, 2nd Edn. Chicago: Culinary Nutrition Publishing
3 Food Allergy Research & Education (2017) “Common Allergens” www.foodallergy.org
