Updated September 2024
In Australia, the tree nuts that commonly trigger food allergic reactions includes almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine nut, pistachio and walnut. A tree nut allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children and adults.
Tree nuts are different to peanuts because tree nuts grow above ground on trees. People who are allergic to tree nuts are not always allergic to peanuts as the proteins in tree nuts are different to the proteins in peanuts.
People who have a cashew allergy are often also allergic to pistachio and people with a walnut allergy are often also allergic to pecan nuts. This is because the proteins in these tree nuts are similar.
People with tree nut allergy do not have to avoid coconut and nutmeg unless they have a diagnosed allergy to them.
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What foods and products contain tree nuts?
Avoidance of tree nuts is important if you have a tree nut allergy. Tree nuts can be found in many foods and as an ingredient in many products. Download our food allergen card to your phone or print and place on your refrigerator at home. This allergen card contains examples of the foods and products that may have tree nuts.
REMEMBER: You cannot tell what ingredients foods contain by looking at them, smelling them or tasting them. ALWAYS read labels when eating packaged food and when eating out. ALWAYS tell people preparing and serving food you have a food allergy. ASK about food content after you have told them about your food allergy.
A&AA has developed a chef card, also available below. You can write or print your allergens on the card. When telling the wait staff at a cafe or restaurant about your allergies, hand over your chef card and ask it to come back with your specially prepared meal.
How to recognise tree nuts in their different forms
To help people with different tree nut allergies recognise the tree nut they are allergic to in its different forms, we worked with Nuts for Life to develop helpful fact sheets which show the tree nut in its shell, unshelled, crushed, slivered, etc.
Parents can use these fact sheets to teach their children what their tree nut allergen looks like in all their forms.
Downloads
Types of tree nuts
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