Being aware is the First Step to Preventing

How to Read a Label for a Tree Nut-Free Diet

All FDA-regulated manufactured food products that contain a tree nut as an ingredient are required by U.S. law to list the specific tree nut on the product label. Much like in the US, Canada has regulations it must follow as well. The Government of Canada says is "committed" to providing safe food to all Canadians. They work with various agencies that help to identify foods that are known to commonly cause allergic reactions. One agency they use is the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) they enforce the labelling laws by working with associations, distributors, retailers, food manufacturers, and importers to ensure complete and appropriate labelling of all foods. It recommends that food companies establish effective allergen controls to minimize the potential for allergic reactions. The Food and Drug Regulations require that pre-packaged food be labelled and that ingredients appear in a list in decreasing order of proportion. However, these regulations do not currently require components (i.e. ingredients of ingredients) of certain foods and products, such as flavouring, seasoning, spices and vinegar, to be listed on food labels. Health Canada is working to amend the Food and Drug Regulations to require that the most common foods and food ingredients, which have the potential to cause life-threatening or severe allergic reactions, be labelled when intentionally added to food. These changes would also require that the most common of these foods and food ingredients be always identified by their common names, which consumers can easily recognize on food labels.” (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/allerg-eng.php)". Esentially, it comes down to it being your duty, check the labells, be aware and know what oyu are looking for. The following is for tree nuts only .

Avoid foods that contain nuts or any of these ingredients:

 almond

 artificial nuts

 beechnut

 Brazil nut

 butternut

cashew

 chestnut

chinquapin

coconut

filbert/hazelnut

 gianduja

(a chocolate-nut mixture)

 ginkgo nut

 hickory nut

litchi/lichee/lychee nut

macadamia nut

marzipan/almond paste

Nangai nut

 natural nut extract

(e.g., almond, walnut)

 nut butters

(e.g., cashew butter)

nut meal

 nut meat

nut paste

(e.g., almond paste)

nut pieces

 pecan

 pesto

 pili nut

 pine nut

(also referred to as Indian, pignoli, pigñolia, pignon, piñon, and pinyon nut)

pistachio

praline

shea nut

 walnut

Tree nuts are sometimes found in the following:

black walnut hull extract

(flavoring)

 natural nut extract

 nut distillates/alcoholic extracts

 nut oils

(e.g., walnut oil, almond oil)

walnut hull extract

(flavoring)

 Keep the following in mind:

 •

Mortadella may contain pistachios.

 •

There is no evidence that coconut oil and shea nut oil/butter are allergenic.

 •

Many experts advise patients allergic to tree nuts to avoid peanuts as well.

 •

Talk to your doctor if you find other nuts not listed here.

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© 2011, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network