Peanut | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a legume widely consumed as a whole food and processed into peanut butter, oil, and flour; it is a rich source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is also one of the most prevalent and clinically severe food allergens worldwide, requiring mandatory labeling in all major jurisdictions.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Peanut is among the most common triggers of severe IgE-mediated food allergic reactions, including life-threatening anaphylaxis, with symptoms ranging from urticaria to vomiting, wheezing, and anaphylactic shock. Prevalence of food allergy and intolerance in the general population is estimated at 1–3% in adults and 4–6% in children, with peanut implicated in approximately 75% of allergic reactions in children alongside egg, cow's milk, fish, and nuts. Additionally, peanuts are susceptible to contamination with aflatoxins — classified by IARC as Group 1 carcinogens — when improperly stored or processed, representing a significant food-safety concern.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Peanut is listed under Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 as a mandatory allergen; must be declared on labels of all prepacked and non-prepacked foods in which it is intentionally used as an ingredient. EFSA confirmed mandatory labeling in its 2004 and 2014 Scientific Opinions.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Peanuts are approved food ingredients regulated under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. FSSAI has set aflatoxin maximum limits of 15 µg/kg (total AFs) and 10 µg/kg (AFB1) in nuts. Raw unprocessed peanuts sold in the supply chain are exempt from allergen labeling as raw agricultural commodities per FSSAI Labelling & Display FAQ guidance.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Peanut is designated a major food allergen under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA); mandatory declaration on all FDA-regulated food labels is required. Peanut as a whole food is approved for consumption with no ADI restriction.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Nut Allergy — Peanut is one of the most severe IgE-mediated food allergens; even trace quantities can trigger anaphylaxis in sensitized individuals, and avoidance of the offending food is the only practical management strategy per EFSA and FDA guidance.

Infants — Introduction of peanut to high-risk infants (those with severe eczema or egg allergy) should be guided by a physician to balance early-introduction allergy-prevention benefits against the risk of sensitization.

Children — Approximately 75% of allergic reactions in children involve peanut alongside egg, cow's milk, fish, and nuts (EFSA 2014); children with known sensitization or family history of peanut allergy must strictly avoid peanut-containing foods.

Liver Disease — Peanuts can harbor aflatoxin B1 (IARC Group 1 hepatocarcinogen) when improperly stored; this mycotoxin is particularly hepatotoxic and poses an elevated risk to individuals with pre-existing liver conditions.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2024 — Peanut butter, FRK, and Mycotoxin Limits, 2024. fssai.gov.in
2PubMed. Mycotoxin Monitoring, Regulation and Analysis in India: A Success Story, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the Evaluation of Allergenic Foods and Food Ingredients for Labelling Purposes (2014), 2014. efsa.europa.eu
4EFSA. EFSA Provides Scientific Basis for Labelling of Food Allergens (2004 Press Release), 2004. efsa.europa.eu
5FDA. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) — Major Food Allergens, 2004. fda.gov

Independently researched5 citations