Peanut Allergy

Peanut allergy is an allergic reaction to peanut protein. Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts, but they are one of the nine major U.S. food allergens, and the allergy is usually lifelong.

  • Food safety
  • Allergens & labeling

Peanut allergy is an allergic reaction to proteins in peanuts. Botanically, peanuts are legumes that grow underground, not tree nuts, yet about 40% of children with a tree nut allergy are also allergic to peanut, according to FARE. FARE calls peanut the most common food allergy in U.S. children and the third most common in adults, and only about 20% of children outgrow it. Because peanut is one of the nine major food allergens, FDA-regulated foods must name it in the ingredient list or in a “Contains” statement. Arachis oil is another name for peanut oil.

Reactions can be serious, and FDA notes that the amount of peanut that triggers one ranges from a few milligrams in some people to a gram or more in others. FDA has not set a safe threshold. Peanut also turns up in baked goods and sweets such as cookies, pies, nougat, marzipan, granola, hot chocolate and chocolate candy, plus sauces like mole. That makes clear labels and tight control of shared equipment essential for any bakery.

Key facts

Children who outgrow it
About 20%
Tree-nut-allergic children also allergic to peanut
About 40%
Amount that can trigger a reaction
A few milligrams to a gram or more
LEAP trial: early peanut eaters at age 5
80% less peanut allergy

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Declare peanut by name as its own allergen; it is listed separately from tree nuts and is not covered by that term
  • Give peanut butter, peanut flour and chopped peanuts dedicated scoops, sealed bins and clearly marked storage
  • Schedule peanut products last and clean mixers, depositors and racks thoroughly before the next allergen-free run
  • Ask suppliers whether peanut oil is highly refined; only highly refined oil is exempt, and cold-pressed or expeller oils may carry protein
  • List highly refined peanut oil as “peanut oil” in the ingredient list even though it needs no allergen declaration

For home and cottage bakers

  • Check labels on cookies, candy, granola, hot chocolate mixes and sauces, which FARE lists as possible peanut sources
  • Ask a bakery how a peanut-free item was made and whether it shared equipment with peanut products
  • Parents of infants: ask your child’s healthcare provider about early peanut introduction, the focus of NIH’s 2017 prevention guidelines

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.

  1. Peanut Allergy, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)
  2. Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, Including the Food Allergen Labeling Requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Edition 5): Guidance for Industry, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  3. The Current Food Allergen Landscape, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  4. Causes and Prevention of Food Allergy, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH)