When I was a kid, no one I knew had a peanut allergy. Lunch boxes were teaming with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and at Halloween we all got Snickers and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. In sharp contrast, today we find schools with peanut free tables or bans of peanut products altogether. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), a study in 2012 reported that over 4 million children had food allergies; peanut allergy was at the top of the list. As a matter of fact, ACAAI reports that peanut allergy among children tripled from 1997 to 2008. Peanuts are referred to as one of the most common allergens – known as the Big 8. Most people are allergic to one or more of the “Big Eight” – eggs, fish, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, soybeans and wheat. Unfortunately, peanut allergy is the one most often associated with serious reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis) making avoidance key to survival.
When you are allergic to a food, it means that your body sees the protein in that item as threatening. Exposure to that protein triggers an immune response. In other words, the body releases chemicals that will help fight off the perceived invasion. The symptoms from this chemical response can be mild (e.g. sneezing) to life threatening (closing airways). Every single time there is exposure, no matter how small, this allergic reaction will occur. Peanut allergy is typically a battle waged for a lifetime. A lucky few, about 20 percent of peanut allergic people, will outgrow their allergy.
For the rest of the peanut allergic population, being able to identify foods with peanuts (as well as possible peanut exposure) is a full time job. Peanuts are legumes, meaning they grow underground. Peanuts are not the same as tree nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc.). It is not a given that if there is an allergy to peanuts, then tree nuts have to be avoided at all costs. What we do know is that there is a strong possibility that tree nuts might be an issue. Another area of concern for peanut allergic people is the possibility that other legumes may cause a reaction. Suspect foods include chickpeas/garbanzo beans, soybeans, lentils, lima beans lupine, green beans & peas.
Label reading is a must when it comes to peanut avoidance. First take a close look at the ingredient list. Manufacturers are required to list all Big 8 allergens, such as peanuts, in bold face print. Second, just under the ingredient list, manufacturers provide a statement that highlights any of the Big 8 allergens that are in that food. This statement starts with
“Contains:“ followed by the names of all the Big 8 that are in that food. There may also be a voluntary statement that details potential cross contamination (when a food that is not an allergen is at risk of exposure to any of the Big 8 during food handling, processing, preparation; use of a shared conveyor belt, utensil, food vat, mixing bowl, etc.). This statement looks like – “This product is processed in a plant that also processes”; showing all of the top 8 allergens that may be processed at the same facility.
These three steps are just the beginning, not the end, of the work deemed necessary in determining potential peanut exposure. It is not always easy to spot peanuts in the ingredient list, because they may be noted in an unfamiliar way. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) provides an extensive list of ingredients that mean peanuts are in that food, see below:
Avoid foods with these ingredients (They mean peanuts):
• Arachis oil
• Artificial nuts
• Beer nuts
• Cold pressed, expelled or extruded peanut oil
• Goobers
• Ground nuts
• Mandelonas
• Mixed nuts
• Monkey nuts
• Nutmeat
• Nut pieces
• Peanut
• Peanut butter
• Peanut flour
These ingredients/foods may mean peanut exposure*
• Almond/Hazelnut paste
• African, Chinese, Indonesian, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese dishes
• Baked goods
• Candy
• Cereal
• Chili
• Dry salad dressing mix
• Egg rolls
• Enchilada sauce
• Flavoring (natural & artificial)
• Fried foods
• Gravy
• Hydrolyzed plant protein
• Icing
• Marzipan
• Nougat
• Snack foods (e.g. granola bars, trail mix)
• Vegetable protein
• Vegetarian meat substitutes
*combination list from multiple sites, articles, etc.
Anyone allergic to peanuts should be educated about where to look for exposure, signs of an allergic reaction, as well as have a treatment plan in place. This information should be shared with anyone who may come in contact with that peanut allergic person (e.g. parent/teachers/staff at school if a child; spouse/boss/coworkers if an adult).
There are therapies currently under investigation to help eradicate peanut allergy. Scientists are looking into many areas that offer promise such as desensitization, immunotherapy, and immunization. Until that day arrives, when peanut allergy is a thing of the past, vigilance in avoidance of all peanut exposure is the best step to take.
Jennifer Giffune, R.D., L.D.N. is a freelance author, professional speaker and nutrition counselor. She currently is providing nutrition counseling services for Hampden County Physician Associates at their offices in Westfield, Southwick and West Springfield. If you would like to schedule a counseling session with Jennifer, please call (413) 569- 2257.
