Peanut Oil: No Allergens
Since peanut oil is pressed from peanuts, some have questioned if peanut oil also contains peanut allergens. This question has confused many who would like to enjoy a Sichuan stir-fry, deep-fried turkey, or other foods cooked in peanut oil.
The fact is that highly refined peanut oil is different from peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut flour when it comes to allergy. This is because most peanut oil undergoes a refining process, in which it is purified, refined, bleached, and deodorized. When peanut oil is correctly processed and becomes highly refined, the proteins in the oil, which are the components in the oil that can cause allergic reaction, are removed. This makes the peanut oil allergen-free! The vast majority of peanut oil that is used in foodservice and by consumers in the U.S. is processed and is considered highly refined.
The FDA Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) indicate that highly refined oils are not major food allergens.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act states:
"(qq) The term `major food allergen' means any of the following:
- Milk, egg, fish (e.g., bass, flounder, or cod), Crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, or shrimp), tree nuts (e.g., almonds, pecans, or walnuts), wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.
- A food ingredient that contains protein derived from a food specified in paragraph (1), except the following:
- Any highly refined oil derived from a food specified in paragraph (1) and any ingredient derived from such highly refined oil.
- A food ingredient that is exempt under paragraph (6) or (7) of section 403(w)."