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 TREE NUTS - The Facts
According to FALCPA, tree nuts are considered to be:
1 Almonds
2 Cashews
3 Pecans/Pralines
4 Brazil Nuts
5 Pine Nuts (pignolia nuts)
6 Chestnuts
7 Macadamia
8 Pisachios
9 Walnuts
10 Hazelnut/filbert
Other tree nuts requiring disclosure by U.S law:
1 Shea nut
2 Beechnut
3 Hickory
4 Ginko
5 Coconut
6 Chinquapin
7 Lychee nut
8 Pili nut
9 Butternut (white walnut)
1) The Federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) require specific tree nuts to be listed on the label of any food product containing tree nut ingredients.
2) Tree nut allergies rank among the top eight most common allergens.
3) 30-40% of people with a tree nut allergy are also allergic to peanuts.
4) Studies show the average age for the allergy to develop is 36 months; 68% of those with a tree nut allergy were not aware of any prior exposure to tree nuts.
5) Only 9% of children grow out of their tree nut allergy.
Tips and Tricks for Battling Tree-Nut Allergies:
1) An allergic reaction can be caused by three different methods: direct contact, cross-contamination, or inhalation of peanut particles. Direct contact could be caused by eating tree nuts after forgetting to read a label or ingredient list. Cross-contamination happens when your food is cooked on the same surface as food containing tree nuts. Inhalation occurs when in close proximity to tree nut particles circulating in the air.
The risk of all happening is significantly higher at Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, and African restaurants where tree nuts may be more prevalent. This is also possible at ice cream shops, bakeries, chocolate shops, or anywhere else tree nuts are served in close proximity to food.
2) Avoid artificial nuts such as mandelonas; these are often peanuts, heavily processed with various tree nuts to re-flavor the original nut.
3)> Some schools include a project to construct peanut butter pine cone bird feeders.
4) If you're allergic to tree nuts, check with your doctor to see if eating peanuts would be safe; allergists may test for a peanut allergy or recommend avoiding them as a precaution.
5) If you are allergic to one kind of tree nut, your allergist may advise avoiding all tree nuts.
6) In October of 2006, the FDA classified coconut as a tree nut, however most people with tree nut allergies can safely consume them. Check with your doctor to see if coconuts are safe for you.
7) Things to avoid:
1 Marzipan
2 Pesto
3 Nu-NutsŪ
4 Natural extracts including wintergreen extract (if you have a hazelnut allergy)
5 Tree nut oils.
6 Shea nut (in a lot of bath and body products)
7) Food that are safe but sound dangerous:
1 Butternut squash
2 Water chestnuts
3 Nutmeg
8) Odd things that may contain tree nuts:
1 Draftdogers
2 Mortadella (cold cuts)
3 Alcoholic drinks and mixers (such as amaretto flavor)
4 Bean bags and hackey sacks can be filled with crushed nut shells.
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