Tree Nut Allergy

Tree nut allergy is a reaction to nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts and pecans. FDA’s 2025 guidance lists 12 tree nuts as major allergens; coconut, chestnut and shea nut are no longer on that list.

  • Food safety
  • Allergens & labeling

Tree nut allergy is an allergic reaction to proteins in nuts that grow on trees. FARE names walnut, almond, hazelnut, pecan, cashew and pistachio as the most commonly reported. In January 2025, FDA’s fifth-edition allergen guidance narrowed the labeling list to 12: almond, black walnut, Brazil nut, California walnut, cashew, filbert/hazelnut, heartnut (Japanese walnut), macadamia (bush nut), pecan, pine nut (piñon), pistachio, and English or Persian walnut. Coconut, beech nut, butternut, chestnut, chinquapin, kola, ginkgo, hickory, lichee, palm, pili and shea nuts were removed. Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts.

Tree nut allergy tends to last for life; FARE reports that only about 9% of children outgrow it. About half of children allergic to one tree nut react to another, and cashew with pistachio and walnut with pecan overlap strongly. Labels must name the specific nut rather than just saying “tree nuts.” Nuts that FDA dropped must still appear in the ingredient list but no longer belong in a “Contains” statement, which changes how bakers write labels.

Key facts

Tree nuts on FDA’s major allergen list
12, since January 2025
Coconut labeled as a tree nut
October 2006 to December 2024
Children who outgrow it
About 9%
Allergic to one tree nut, allergic to another
About 50% of children

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Name the specific nut on labels, such as “Contains: almond, pecan”; FDA says the phrase “tree nuts” alone is not acceptable
  • Drop coconut from “Contains” statements when you reprint labels, but keep coconut in the ingredient list
  • Check marzipan, almond paste, praline, gianduja, nut flours and nut butters so the label names the right nut
  • Confirm whether your almond extract is natural or imitation; FARE advises tree-nut-allergic people to avoid natural nut extracts
  • Expect some older packages to list coconut under “Contains” for a while; FDA cites transition periods and long shelf lives

For home and cottage bakers

  • Coconut is usually allowed for tree nut allergy, but confirm with the person or their healthcare provider first
  • Look for hidden nuts in cereals, crackers, cookies, chocolates, energy bars, frozen desserts, flavored coffee and pesto
  • Treat bakeries, ice cream shops and coffee shops as higher cross-contact risks, as FARE does

Related entries

Sources

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

  1. 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
  2. Frequently Asked Questions: Food Allergen Labeling Guidance for Industry, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  3. Tree Nut Allergy, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)