About
What it is and where it shows up.
Cashew nuts are the edible seeds of the tropical tree Anacardium occidentale, native to Brazil and extensively cultivated in India, Vietnam, and West Africa. They are consumed as snacks, used in culinary preparations, and processed into products such as cashew butter, cashew milk, and confectionery.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Cashew nuts are nutritionally beneficial for most people, supplying healthy monounsaturated fats, plant protein, magnesium, zinc, and copper. They are classified as a major food allergen in the EU, US, and UK, capable of triggering severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis in sensitised individuals. No Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) has been established as cashews are a whole food, not a food additive; the primary safety concern is allergic hypersensitivity, particularly in those also allergic to pistachio due to documented cross-reactivity.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia) | Approved | Cashews are approved for consumption and classified as a priority allergen requiring mandatory declaration under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The VITAL 3.0 system sets a reference eliciting dose (ED01) of 0.05 mg total cashew protein for voluntary precautionary allergen labelling risk management; this does not carry formal regulatory status.source |
| Health Canada (Canada) | Approved | Cashew nut is recognized as a priority allergen in Canada. Under regulatory amendments published December 14, 2016 in the Canada Gazette Part II, cashew and other tree nuts must be declared in the ingredient list and/or a 'contains' statement on prepackaged food labels.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Cashew nuts are approved for sale and consumption. Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II (FIC Regulation, entered application 13 December 2014), nuts including cashew must be prominently declared as allergens on labels of all prepacked and non-prepacked foods. No maximum intake limit set.source |
| Food Standards Agency (FSA) / Food Standards Scotland (FSS) (United Kingdom) | Approved | Cashew nuts are approved for sale and consumption. Under UK food information law (UK FIC, assimilated from EU Regulation 1169/2011), cashew is explicitly listed as one of 14 major allergens (tree nuts: almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan, Brazil nut, pistachio, macadamia) requiring mandatory declaration on all food products. |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Nut Allergy — Cashew nut is an explicitly declared major tree-nut allergen under EU Regulation 1169/2011, US FALCPA, and UK FIC; exposure in sensitised individuals can cause severe anaphylaxis requiring emergency treatment.
Children — Whole cashew nuts pose a choking hazard in young children, and as a declared major allergen, introduction should follow paediatric dietary guidance to identify sensitisation early.
Infants — Introduction of tree nuts including cashew to infants should be guided by a paediatrician or allergist, particularly in households with a family history of tree-nut allergy, per allergen introduction guidelines.
Kidney Disease — Cashew nuts are relatively high in oxalates, which may exacerbate calcium-oxalate kidney stone formation in individuals with chronic kidney disease or a history of nephrolithiasis.
Other — Individuals with latex-fruit syndrome may experience cross-reactivity with cashew due to shared structural proteins; an allergist consultation is advised before consumption.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1other. Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidance. food.gov.uk
- 2FDA. Food Allergens – Major Food Allergens (FDA). fda.gov
- 3WHO. Risk Assessment of Food Allergens Part 4: Establishing Exemptions from Allergen Labelling (FAO/WHO Joint Expert Consultation). openknowledge.fao.org
- 4FDA. Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, Including the Food Allergen Labeling Requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Edition 5), 2025. fda.gov
- 5PubMed. Can cashew nut allergy resolve spontaneously?, 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 6PubMed. Food Allergy Labeling Laws: International Guidelines for Residents and Travelers, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Independently researched19 citations