Peanut Allergy

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In addition to the general information about food allergies, here are some issues that people with a peanut allergy should know about.

Lifelong peanut allergy

People tend to develop a peanut allergy in childhood and most of these people will remain allergic to peanuts for life.

Tree nuts and peanut allergy

While tree nuts and peanuts are different, in some rare cases people with a peanut allergy also react to one or more tree nuts. Consult your allergist before eating any nut that is not a regular part of your diet.

Read the labels

If you're allergic to peanuts, the only way to avoid a reaction is to avoid all food and products that contain peanut and peanut derivatives. Don't eat a food or product if the label has precautionary statements such as "may contain peanuts". Read ingredient lists carefully and learn to identify other names for peanuts, such as goober nuts. Do not consume a food or product if there is no ingredient list or if there is a risk that the product might have been in contact with peanuts. If there is not enough information to make a decision, you can always call to ask the company or speak to a knowledgeable person at a restaurant.

Sources of peanuts

Other names for peanuts

• Arachis oil
• Beer nuts
• Goober nuts, and goober peas
• Ground nuts
• Kernels
• Mandelonas, Nu-Nuts
• Nut meats
• Valencias

Food and products that contain or often contain peanuts

• Ethnic foods, such as satay, Thai (for example, curries), Vietnamese (for example, crushed peanut as a topping, spring rolls) or Chinese (for example, Szechuan sauce, egg rolls)
• Hydrolyzed plant protein and vegetable protein
• Nut substitutes
• Peanut butter
• Peanut oil
• Vegetarian meat substitutes

Other possible sources of peanuts

• Almond & hazelnut paste, marzipan, nougat
• Baked goods
• Chili
• Cereals
• Desserts
• Dried salad dressings and soup mixes
• Icing, glazes
• Snack foods, for example, trail mixes

Non-food sources of peanuts

• Ant baits, bird feed, mouse traps and pet food
• Cosmetics and sunscreens
• Craft materials
• Medications and vitamins
• Mushroom growing medium
• Stuffing in toys

Where can I get more information?

For more information about food allergies:

• Consult an allergist.
• Refer to Health Canada’s Food Allergies web page
• Refer to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Food Allergens web page
• Sign up for the CFIA’s "Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts" email or RSS notification service
•  Order free copies of this brochure by calling 1-800-442-2342/TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday).
• Visit these organizations for additional allergy information:
  • Allergy/Asthma Information Association
  • Anaphylaxis Canada
  • Association québécoise des allergies alimentaires
  • Canadian Celiac Association
  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency
  • Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
  • Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque
  • Health Canada

This information was developed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada, in consultation with Allergy/Asthma Information Association, Anaphylaxis Canada, Association québécoise des allergies alimentaires, Canadian Celiac Association and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

CFIA P0707E-10
Catalogue No.: A104-84/2010E
ISBN: 978-1-100-14805-2