Nut allergies and reading food labels

This post is general information about reading food labels. It is not medical advice, and it cannot tell you what is safe for you or anyone you cook for. If you or someone in your care has an allergy, a doctor, allergist or registered dietitian is the right person to ask. What follows is a plain guide to the common features of labels, so that reading one feels less like decoding a puzzle.

Peanuts and tree nuts are different things

People often say "nut allergy" as one phrase, but the plant sources differ. A peanut is a legume, in the same family as peas and lentils. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and pistachios are tree nuts. Some people are allergic to one, some to several, and some to both groups. Rules and labelling lists treat them as separate categories, which is why you will usually see "peanuts" and "tree nuts" named separately on a label.

If you want more background, the Wikipedia pages on peanut allergy and tree nut allergy give a general overview.

Where to look on a pack

Labels carry allergen information in a few places. Check all of them every time.

1. The ingredients list. In many countries, the most common allergens must be named clearly, often in bold or in a separate statement.
2. A "contains" statement. Some packs add a short line, such as "Contains: almonds, cashews", near the ingredients.
3. Advisory statements. Lines such as "may contain nuts" or "made in a facility that also handles peanuts".
4. The brand and product name. A product called "almond butter" obviously contains almonds, but a hazelnut spread might be listed under a different name.

Read the full label on every purchase, even for products you have bought before. Recipes and suppliers change, and a familiar pack can be different from the last one.

Understanding advisory statements

"May contain" lines are the confusing part. They usually indicate that a food was made in a place where cross-contact could happen, for example on shared equipment or in the same building. They are voluntary in many places, so the absence of one does not guarantee a food is free from traces.

Because wording varies, it helps to remember:

• "May contain" and "made in a facility that handles" are both warnings about possible cross-contact.
• The strength of the warning is not always standardised, so you cannot assume one phrase means more or less risk than another.
• If a statement is unclear, contact the manufacturer or ask a professional how to interpret it for your situation.

Names that hide nuts

Nuts sometimes appear under names you might not expect. Common examples of things worth checking include:

• Nut pastes and marzipan, which are often made with almonds
• Nut oils and nut flours, including products labelled as almond flour or ground almonds
• Praline and nougat
• Nut-based milks, spreads and butters
• Granola, trail mixes and baked goods that use nuts as a topping or filling

Our own catalogue is a useful example of how widely nuts appear. A classic trail mix lists several nut types, and a jar of smooth peanut butter contains peanuts as its main ingredient. Single-ingredient products like raw almonds are simple, but anyone with an allergy still needs to read the label and consider cross-contact.

Cross-contact at home

Labels are only part of the picture. In your own kitchen:

• Wash boards, knives and bowls thoroughly with hot, soapy water after using nuts.
• Store nuts in sealed, clearly labelled containers, away from other ingredients.
• Use separate utensils for nut butters and other spreads, so crumbs and residues do not travel.
• Tell guests and family exactly what is in a dish, and ask them what they need to avoid.

If you bake or cook for others, keep the packaging so you can read out the ingredients when asked. A good habit is to photograph labels before throwing them away.

Eating out and buying loose

Loose nuts, bulk bins and market stalls usually do not come with a full label, and shared scoops can carry traces from one product to another. If you need to avoid a specific allergen, ask the seller about handling and cross-contact before you buy, or choose a sealed, labelled pack instead.

Restaurants and cafes will often have an allergen policy. Ask staff directly rather than guessing from the menu, and mention your allergy clearly each time you order.

Official guidance

Rules for labelling differ between countries, and they change. For authoritative information, go to the source:

• The US Food and Drug Administration page on food allergies explains how allergens must be declared on packaged food in the United States.
• The UK Food Standards Agency page on food allergy and intolerance covers the rules and advice for the UK.

When in doubt

If a label is unclear, if an ingredient is unfamiliar, or if you are unsure how a statement applies to you, do not guess. Leave the product on the shelf, contact the manufacturer, and talk to a medical professional. Our FAQ lists the general questions we get about our products, but it cannot replace professional advice either.

A last word

Reading labels carefully, every time, is a habit that takes seconds and can matter a great deal. Keep it routine, keep it boring, and when something does not add up, ask a professional rather than relying on a blog post, including this one. For some context on how nuts differ in the kitchen, you may also like are peanuts really nuts.