A tree nut allergy can be triggered by even a tiny amount of nut protein in the ingredients of a consumed food. Sensitive individuals need to constantly avoid products or processed foods that contain tree nuts or traces of nuts. Common foods and ingredients that contain or may contain traces of tree nut proteins include:

• Marzipan (almond paste)
  
  
• Nougat
  
  
• Nut butters (such as cashew butter and almond butter)
  
  
• Nut oils
  
  
• Used oils (that may have been used to fry food containing tree nuts)
  
  
• Nut meal
  
  
• Nutmeat
  
  
• Nut paste
  
  
• Nut extracts (almond extract)
  
  
• African, Chinese, Malaysian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese and other ethnic dishes (these traditionally include tree nuts or peanuts)
  
  
• Candy (chocolate)
  
  
• Cookies, pastries and other baked goods
  
  
• Crackers
  
  
• Grain breads
  
  
• Frozen deserts
  
  
• Some cereals including granola, muesli and fruited cereals
  
  
• Salad dressing
  
  
• Gravy
  
  
• Pesto
  
  
• Sauces (e.g., barbecue, bouillon, curry, Worcestershire)
  
  
• Chili
  
  
• Stuffing
  
  
• Mandelonas (peanuts soaked in almond flavoring)
  
  
• Egg rolls
  
  
• Doughnuts
  
  
• Health food bars
  
  
• Cakes (especially carrot cake, pumpkin cake or pie and fruit and nut rolls)
  
  
• Praline
  
  
• Baking mixes
  
  
• Certain vegetarian dishes

Shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lotions and cosmetic creams may also contain tree nut proteins. Sensitive individuals can experience an allergic reaction to these substances by absorbing the tree nut protein through the skin.

There may be ingredients that are cross-contaminated by the machinery in factories or the utensils and appliances in homes and restaurants. In some cases, food packaging may include a statement that the food was processed on equipment that also processes foods containing nuts. However, this statement is not required to appear on food labels by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As of January 2006, manufacturers have been required by law to list specific tree nut ingredients used to make packaged goods. When in doubt about a product, consumers are encouraged to contact the manufacturer. People with allergies need to check and recheck ingredients habitually. Sometimes minor ingredients or manufacturing locations change without any formal announcement.

Some people are very responsive to even trace amounts of tree nut proteins. For these people simply touching or kissing another person who has recently consumed nuts can induce an allergic reaction or life threatening anaphylaxis. These sensitive individuals must be very careful not to have skin contact with any type of nut product and should also be careful not to inhale the fumes produced by cooking nuts. Inhaled tree nut fumes can cause symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) in some individuals.

Some types of seeds have been known to cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to tree nuts. As tree nuts are basically large, edible seeds, it may be best for a person with a tree nut allergy to be suspicious of all seeds in general. It may be prudent to specifically avoid:

• Sesame seeds
  
  
• Poppy seeds
  
  
• Sunflower seeds
  
  
• Pine kernels