Talking Allergies

Does anyone know if coconut is considered a tree nut? I mean it might seem obvious but I was told to keep my daughter away from all tree nuts. I'm going to a wedding and although the caterer has assured us that it would be nut free, they also questioned if coconuts are part of the allergy. So thus the question if it is a tree nut or not. I also want to thank everyone for the information that they provide. For six years it seemed this family was alone in our fight to live a peanut free life and this site has become a breath of fresh air. Thanks everyone.

Hi Alan,

No. the coconut is not a nut. It's a fruit... a drupe, to be precise (meaning it has an outer fleshy part that surrounds the pit/stone, like cherries or peaches). However, the outer fleshy part of the coconut is dry (husk) so the coconut is classified as a simple dry fruit, fibrous drupe. In short, not a nut.

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15-year-old son: peanuts, nuts, raw egg whites, asthmatic
Self: allergic rhinitis, fragrance/chemical sensitivities, oral allergy syndrome

Hi Alan,

While coconut is NOT a nut, if you are avoiding trace amounts your daughter probably shouldn't eat it unless you check what brand they are using. I do a lot of baking, and Dalton's is the only safe brand that I have found.

AnnaMarie I too have avoided foods that don't contain peanuts / nuts but DO have coconut listed as an ingredient because I haven't yet found a brand of processed coconut that doesn't have a "may contain" warning - thanks for the info on Dalton's - where do you buy it? Is it hard to find?

When I do a run for baking supplies I usually go to Loblaws and Dominion. Sometimes a store only sells the store brand. They might be safe, but since most store brands don't list *may contains* I can't be bothered calling every time I buy it. Although, when desparate, I do bring my cell phone and call from the store. Most of the time I don't find Dalton's at the smaller stores - just Loblaws and Dominion.

I find that Dalton's has quite a bit of safe baking stuff - coconut, candied pineapple, citrus peels, raisins (under the name Jaffa). Their raisins are not as good as SunMaid though. It does cost more then store brand though. My Christmas fruit cakes are quite expensive to make - but very yummy.

So my question is: Is coconut oil made in factories with nuts and is there a risk of cross-contamination? I plan on testing my oldest for coconut next visit to the allergist. She gets a rash after eating foods with coconut oil (like oreo cookies). Now I am wondering if the oil itself may be contaminated with tree nuts during prodcution.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

Oreo are made by Christie, aren't they? If there's a risk of cross-contam. with peanuts it should be listed. I have had in-depth conversations with them in the past, and personally feel comfortable trusting their labels.

Are you planning to have your child tested by scratch test, blood test, or actually eating coconut? If you are to bring in a food sample, I would recommend actually buying a coconut - that way there is no risk of cross-contam. with anything else.

I have an odd question to ask. Is it possible to be allergic to the oil and not the coconut? (or peanut, or whatever the oil is from)

I am pretty comfortable with christie too, as far as their manufacturing and "may contains" go. The thing is, it would be impossible for a company to be able to track all the may contains of their ingredients (why a lot of companies won't guarantee anything "allergen free" unless they do tests).

I am curious to know if the coconut oil they purchase "may contain" anything else. The oil itself may not offer a may contain warning to christie if their was a concern of trace ingredients. I don't think a lot of companies look too closely into the may contains of their ingredients. I am sure it is not made in a facility that manufactures only coconut oil, perhaps the facility is also manufacturing peanut oil, hazelnut oil etc.

I guess I might feel uneasy about any product containing coconut, regardless of the companies reputation for cross contamination control in their own facilities, as the manufacturer may be using a brand that I would never give my child directly. I guess we'll see if it is a coconut allergy or if it is just a cross-contamination issue at our check up this fall. We are planning on doing a scatch test.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

A lot of companies require that the ingredients come with a list of what it may be cross contaminated with. The companies that are putting *peanut free* on their packaging are insisting on it, and some companies that want us to trust their *may contain* labelling are also starting to insist on it.

It might be worth a call.

Thanks AnnaMarie -- while I was waiting for your reply I fired off an email to Dalton's and received this response:



I'm impressed that the rep. divulged this info -- usually the store brands are cheaper? (By the way, you can acutally check out Sobey's "Compliments" ingredients by product on their website and the coconut only lists sulphites as an allergen alert http://www.complimentscanada.com/en/pro ... &channel=2 )

Thanks so much for doing this research, you guys. I was going to start looking for Dalton's and at least now I know where to look -- or to look for the two other "brands".

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

Hey Moderator, I need a new emoticon. I need a big slobbery kiss to give Ethan's mom.

I have been going absolutely crazy trying to find Dalton's coconut. I knew someone had posted where I could buy coconut and came home to check my computer.

Thanks. <cyber hugs and kisses>

I'm running out of baking time. So many batches left to make. But at least I can make everyone's favourite now.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

AM,

Curious - what coconut delights are you whipping up?

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

AM -- so glad I could help! Big cyber hugs and kisses right back at ya for all of your helpful advice . I must say, I'm also curious about those coconut favourites you're baking up...

Everyone in my family has a *favourite* cookie. I think they all talked it over and made sure they each picked a different one.

One of my son's absolutely loves those chocolate, coconut & oatmeal cookies. They are cooked on the stove, then dropped on waxed paper to cool. (coconut macaroons?) dh wants chocolate cherry brownies, oldest son likes these chocolate oatmeal balls rolled in icing sugar, youngest likes anything rolled and cut so I make sugar cookies. I like ginger snaps. I also make puffed wheat squares (they're big and make the plate look fuller ). and if I have the ingredients I make cornflake wreaths to add some colour. Then, if there's any time left, I just keep baking until I run out of ingredients. Last year I also made peabutter cookies. My middle son who is a peanutbutter fanatic was thrilled. He said they don't taste exactly like the peanutbutter cookies I used to make, but they are just as good.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings