Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy in Restaurants

In the EU, peanuts and tree nuts are two separate allergens. Peanuts are legumes, while almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamias are tree nuts. Many people react to both groups, but not everyone does, so it is important to know exactly what you are allergic to. In a restaurant, ask about both groups separately and never assume a dish is free of them.

Peanuts and tree nuts are not the same thing

A peanut grows underground and is botanically a legume, closer to peas or soya beans than to hazelnuts. Tree nuts grow on trees. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 lists them as two distinct items among the 14 allergens (peanuts and nuts), so they are labelled separately on menus and on prepacked food.

	Peanuts	Tree nuts
What they are	a legume	seeds of trees
Examples	peanuts, peanut butter	almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias
Number in the list of 14 allergens	5	8

Some people react to only one kind of nut, others to several. Cashews and pistachios, for example, are botanically related, as are walnuts and pecans, so cross-reactions are more common between them. An allergist will tell you which ones to avoid. For more on how allergy differs from intolerance, see Allergy, intolerance and coeliac disease.

Where peanuts and nuts hide

Besides the obvious places (nut cakes, bars, chopped nuts on top), they turn up where you would not expect them.

Asian cuisine

Thai and Indonesian dishes (satay, pad thai-style sauces, curries) often use peanuts as the base of a sauce or as a topping.
Fried dishes and woks may be prepared on the same surface or in the same oil as dishes containing peanuts.
Chinese and Vietnamese dishes may have a peanut topping or peanut oil.
Spring rolls and dips often come with a peanut or nut sauce.

Italian and Mediterranean cuisine

Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts (botanically these are pine seeds, but many allergic people treat them as nuts). In practice it is often made with cashews, almonds or walnuts instead. Always ask.
Marzipan, nougat and pralines contain almonds or hazelnuts.
Baked goods and muesli may have nuts mixed into the dough as well as on the surface.

Desserts and sweets

Cakes, pastries, ice cream, chocolate, hazelnut-cocoa spreads, biscuits and cookies are the most common source of nuts. Even a dessert with no nuts in its name may sit on a nut base or be prepared in a shared display case. Ice cream scoops and servers are often shared between flavours.

Sauces, dressings and "hidden" uses

Dressings and sauces thickened with ground almonds or nuts.
Cashew pesto, nut butters in vegan creams and "cheeses".
Almond- or cashew-based plant milks and cheese alternatives.
Breadcrumbs, panko or ground-nut coatings on breaded foods.

Oils and refining

Peanut oil is used for frying, especially in Asian cooking. Cold-pressed oils usually contain more of the proteins that trigger allergy, while highly refined oils contain far less. In the EU, however, peanut oil is listed as an allergen regardless of refining (the exemption for refined oil applies to fully refined soybean oil, not to peanut oil). Whether you can tolerate oil in any form is for your doctor to decide, not the staff. In a restaurant, ask what the food was fried in and what it was seasoned with.

Cross-contamination

With a peanut or nut allergy, it is not enough that a dish has no nuts in the recipe. How it is prepared matters:

Is it prepared on a separate board with clean utensils?
Is shared frying oil used?
Are nuts left loose in the kitchen (for example in open containers by the counter)?
Are blenders and food processors washed thoroughly after nut desserts?

For how to ask so that the staff understand you, see How to ask about allergens in a restaurant. If you wonder what "may contain" labels mean, read May contain traces.

How to choose in a restaurant

First, say exactly what you are allergic to. "Peanut allergy" and "tree nut allergy" are not the same thing, but if you have both, say both.
Ask for the allergen list. Restaurants must make allergen information available even for non-prepacked food, most often as numbers on the menu (with the usual numbering, peanuts are 5 and tree nuts 8, but check the legend). Also read The 14 EU food allergens.
Avoid higher-risk kitchens if you are not sure: Asian restaurants with a wok, pastry shops with nut desserts, bakeries with nut breads.
Ask about desserts separately. It is better to skip dessert than to risk it.
If your doctor has prescribed medication, such as an adrenaline auto-injector, always carry it and agree an emergency plan with your doctor.

In AvoiDino you can set your allergens in the app and filter dishes by them. The dish data is for guidance only, so always check with the staff or the kitchen.

What can help when choosing food

Lower-risk dishes are those with a short list of ingredients, prepared on the spot from fresh produce: grilled meat, fish, vegetables, rice or potatoes without a sauce. Be more careful with thick sauces, "homemade" desserts, and cuisines where nuts are a standard ingredient. With group orders or shared plates, also watch for serving utensils, which can get mixed up.

Risky moments outside the main course

Starters and nibbles on the table: a bowl of nuts or peanuts at the bar or as part of a starter.
Cocktails and liqueurs: some sweet liqueurs (such as amaretto) and cocktails with orgeat contain almonds. Orgeat is an almond syrup.
Coffee and syrups: nut flavours (hazelnut or almond syrup) are added to coffee.
Ice cream and homemade desserts: see above, especially shared scoops.
Children: with children's menus and sweets, follow the same approach as for adults and always ask about the ingredients.

Why you should never guess

A reaction to peanuts and nuts can be quick and serious in some people. Even a small amount can be enough if it gets into the food during preparation, and you may not be able to see it on the plate. If in doubt, do not eat the dish. If you have signs of a severe allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness), call 112, the emergency number across the EU.

Frequently asked questions

Is a peanut allergy the same as a tree nut allergy?

No. Peanuts are a legume and tree nuts are a different group, and in the EU they are labelled as two separate allergens. Some people react to both, but these are two different allergies, which an allergist will assess.

Can I eat pesto if I am allergic to nuts?

Traditional pesto contains pine nuts and sometimes other nuts, so always ask what is in it. In practice, pesto is often made with cashews, almonds or walnuts.

Can people with allergies eat food made with peanut oil?

This cannot be generalised. Refined and cold-pressed oils differ in protein content, and your doctor decides on tolerance. In the EU, peanut oil is listed among the allergens even when refined.

How do I find out whether a dessert contains nuts?

Ask the staff about the ingredients and the preparation (shared utensils, display case, base). If they cannot answer, it is better to skip the dessert.

Should I avoid Asian restaurants?

Not necessarily, but they are riskier, because peanuts, peanut oil and nut sauces are commonly used there. Ask specifically about each dish and about wok preparation.

Sources

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers, Annex II (list of substances causing allergies or intolerances) and Article 44 (non-prepacked food).

This information is general and does not replace medical advice. If you have an allergy, always check the ingredients with the staff.