Avoiding Peanuts for DC till They Get Older? Watch Out for Peanut Oil.

[Kungjo]

We have no peanut allergies in the family, but I have still decided to wait till DD #2 is older before giving her peanuts or peanut butter cookies. Waited till 2 1/2 years for DD #1. She's fine. She eats peanut butter and jelly sandwichs all the time.

DD #2 is 15 months old. She still hasn't had any peanuts or peanut butter and won't till she's 2 1/2 or 3 years old as long as I can help it. We went to a restaurant today and I looked at the menu and noticed the disclaimer that they fry their foods in peanut oil. Never thought of asking my servers if their fried food is fried in peanut oil or not. Anyway, since we have eaten at that restaurant before, and DD #2 has had the fried catfish, I know that I've exposed her to peanuts. Crap! Luckily she didn't have a reaction. I know to avoid peanuts, but it never dawned on me to have to ask if restaurants used peanut oil. Is peanut oil just as deadly? I guess it would be if your DC has peanut allergies. Hopefully, this will serve to remind other moms who are holding off on peanut products especially those who have DC's with peanut allergies to make sure that their food isn't fried in peanut oil. Why would restaurants even use that when peanuts allergies are life threatening? Grrrr!!!

[cmdunn1972]

Joyce, I'd love to know which restaurant it is (assuming it's a chain) that does that. DS apparently has peanut allergies, so I'm trying to be sensitive to that. Besides, it's probably good to know what goes into restaurant food for nutritional reasons anyway.

There are lots of theories as to why food allergies develop in kids. I've heard some say that exposure to allergens at young ages can cause it. I've heard other studies that say underexposure at a young age can cause it. I've also heard that prenatal exposure to antibiotics can cause it. There are also disclaimers that your child would have to have a predisposition to allergies (ie they run in the family) before needing to be too concerned.

While it's good to be aware of such things, especially if allergies run in your family, don't beat yourself up over this.

Since you've eaten at this restaurant before, it's quite likely that your DD#1 has been exposed to peanut oil there, but it's been so long that you don't remember the specifics. As you said, DD#1 is fine!

HTH you to ease your mind. :)

[AddiesMom]

Chick-fil-a cooks in peanut oil. That is the only one I know of.

[set81616]

I told my cousin about Chick-fil-a for her DD and it surprised her. DD had definetly had chick-fil-a but it didn't affect her peanut allergy. They never go now that they know just in case. It seems though some kids arn't allergic to the oil.
Shannon

[elephantmeg]

5 guys burger and fries does too I think. I have a mild peanut intolerance and both of those places make me feel yucky.

[miki]

If it's very pure peanut oil, you shouldn't experience an allergic reaction because it is the proteins in the peanuts that cause the reaction, not the fats. I learned this from my husband's boss who has a peanut allergy. He will start to feel funny if people are shelling roasted peanuts in the same room. I asked him about peanut oil because I know he likes Asian food which is often cooked in peanut oil and he said he's never had a problem with the oil.

[Corie]

We were told by my allergist and my son's pediatric allergist
that most peanut-allergic people can safely eat foods cooked in
peanut oil unless it is cold-pressed, expressed, or expelled
peanut oil.

They also told me that Chick-Fil-A would be fine for us
to eat there! They do cook in peanut oil but they are
getting the oil hot enough to burn off the proteins.

[cmdunn1972]

Really?!? I've taken DS there once, and he had chicken nuggets. He didn't have a reaction then, but don't kids with allergies often not react the first time they are exposed?

[cmdunn1972]

Corie, that's good to know!

[Puddy73]

> It seems though some kids arn't allergic to the
>oil.

I specifically asked our ped about this because we love Chik-Fil-A. He said that he wasn't aware of any studies that had specifically been conducted with just peanut oil, but that anecdotal evidence showed that some people with mild peanut allergies are not affected by peanut oil. However, he suggested that we avoid it until DD was two, just to be on the safe side.

[Dyonia]

It is my understanding that those allergic to peanuts may not react to peanut oil. Our ped has also said that a reaction to peanut oil is less likely, but still to watch for a reaction of course.

DH says that he has seen statements to that effect on the wrappers and bags at Chick-Fil-A. (He also said that it says stuff about it being non-allergenic....so I went and looked it up on their website since I couldn't remember seeing that specifically)

http://www.chickfila.com/faq.asp The info is in their FAQ, under the Product section -- I can't paste a direct link since it appears to use Flash (??) to run that section.

DD has eaten at Chick-Fil-A without a problem (several times), even though we don't allow her to have items with nuts yet.

ETA: correct DH's usage of my login.