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    Peanut Allergy Letter

    PEANUT

    Several of our kindergarten students have a life threatening allergy to tree nuts, peanuts and all peanut products (flour, oil, butter, ect). The only way to ensure a safe environment for these children is to try to make our classroom a TREE NUT and PEANUT FREE zone. To do this we need everyone’s cooperation.

    Please check the ingredients of all foods your child brings to school. If the label refers to a peanut-based ingredient or warns of contact with peanuts, please don’t send that snack to school. Attached is a list of snacks that are peanut-free and welcome in the classroom. The same applies to any nut grown on a tree (walnuts, pecans).

    In a classroom setting, cross-contamination is the greatest risk from this type of allergy. Cross-contamination occurs when a few crumbs from one child’s snack are dropped and then picked up by the allergic child. Even a very small amount can cause a severe, life-threatening reaction.

    It is difficult at the best of times to get children to eat healthy snacks, however we hope you will appreciate the seriousness of this condition and that you will assist the school in our efforts to create as safe an environment as possible. With your cooperation we can minimize the risk of a severe allergic reaction occurring during the school day.

    In the cafeteria, we will have designated peanut/nut free tables. Any child with a peanut free lunch is welcome to sit at these spots.

    Below is some useful information about peanut and tree-nut allergies. If you need further information, please contact the health office at 480-812-6902. Thank you for your help in this matter!

    Did you know?
    Effective January 1, 2006, foods covered by the FDA labeling laws that contain peanut must be labeled in plain English to declare that it “contains peanut.” However, there are many foods and products that are not covered by FDA allergen labeling laws, so it is still important to know how to read a label for peanut ingredients.
    Products exempt from plain English labeling rules: foods that are not regulated by the FDA, cosmetics and personal care products, prescription and over‐the‐counter medications or supplements, pet food, toys and crafts.
    *The FDA has exempted peanut oil from being labeled as an allergen.

    The following ingredients found on a label indicate the presence of peanut protein. All labels should be read carefully before consuming a product, even if it has been used safely in the past.

    Contain Peanut:

    Arachic oil Arachis Arachis hypogaea Artificial nuts Beer nuts Boiled peanuts

    Cold pressed, extruded, or expelled peanut oil

    Crushed nuts, crushed peanuts Dry roasted peanuts Earth nuts Goober peas Goobers Ground nuts, ground peanuts Hydrolyzed peanut protein

    Hypogaeic acid Mandelonas Mixed nuts Monkey nuts Nu nuts flavored nuts Nut pieces Nutmeat

    Peanuts, peanut butter, peanut butter chips, peanut butter morsels

    Peanut flour Peanut paste Peanuts sauce, peanut syrup Spanish peanuts Virginia peanuts

    May Contain Peanuts:

    Artificial flavoring Baked goods Candy Chili Chocolate Crumb toppings

    Ethnic foods: African, Asian, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican

    Fried foods Flavoring Graham cracker crust Hydrolyzed plant protein Hydrolyzed vegetable protein Marzipan Mole sauce Natural flavoring Nougat

    May Not Be Safe:

    Lupine is a legume that cross-reacts with peanut at a high rate and should be avoided by peanut allergic patients. It does not fall under the labeling requirements of FALCPA. Lupine is also known as lupinus albus and can be found in seed or flour form.
    Allergy experts advise those allergic to peanuts to avoid all tree nuts.