Nut-free sunflower seeds-Help please

thriftlady_2

I think I may have mentioned this in passing on other threads before,so sorry for repeating myself.

Does anyone know of a source of sunflower seeds and other seeds which DON'T have the ubiquitous nut warning on the packets.

As some of you might know my dd is allergic to nuts,she is not however,allergic to seeds and I would like to use them in baking and as snacks.Every single packet I've looked at contains this infuriating 'may contain traces of nuts as it has been manufactured in a facility that also processes nuts' warning.

I have taken a chance and used these packets with no ill affects.I know that manufacturers put these warnings on to cover themselves but I really would like to be sure a product is safe.

Hooray for Kinnerton,the chocolate company that guarantees their choc is made in a nut-free factory.

I really hope someone can help,if you've got a packet of sunflower seeds in your cupboard please check it for me.TIA

Btw Tesco have started putting even more complicated allergy warnings on their products,even their ham and salami cannot be guaranteed nut-free now.It makes me really angry :mad:

moggins

Sorry, I've just looked at the huge packs I bought from Julian Graves and even they contain nut warnings

Dobie

I've checked mine & I'm afraid mine is the same. The only suggestion I can think to make is to look for health food shop/manufacturers websites & see if they have a customer enquiry facility?
It must be really frustrating for you, manufacturers are so worried about being sued these days but to put a nut allergy warning on meat products seems a bit over the top.

Sarahsaver

Grow your own;)

thriftlady_2

Thanks,Sarah I've thought of that,they're easy to grow aren't they? but are they easy to hull that's the question?

ti1980

I know that M&S sell sunflower seeds but prob not cheap though. They also get some of their chocolate supply from Kinnerton so may have the seeds nut free too.

thriftlady_2

Thanks for your replies,
Health food shops are one of the worst culprits for this.Holland and Barrett have nut warnings on everything.Supermarkets used not to so much but not any more.
I'll try M&S ti1980,thanks.
I did ask Goodness Direct,an online health food shop,about this and they were unable to help.

Please keep checking your packets though,there must be some somewhere!

ti1980

I hope you find them. I know how hard it as a few years ago when I was at Uni I had a flatemate who had a nut allergy and the manufacturers seem to put their warning labels on EVERYTHING to cover themselves. She used to get fed up with it and just eat things anyway with no adverse reaction but you don't want to be worried everytime your DD eats something MIGHT contain nuts.
We all used to go shopping together and got really excited when we found something that said 'contains no nuts.' We used to throw it in our baskets!

thriftlady_2

You sometimes have to laugh over these allergy warnings.
Bags of fish fillets that say 'contains fish',or butter that 'contains milk'.Or the really weird one on my bag of porridge oats(not the Value ones you understand because they 'may contain traces of nuts'but the more expensive ones :mad: )that says its only ingredient is oats,but the allergy advice says it contains wheat

Sarahsaver

They have to cover themselves. hence stupid things like the tuna which says it contains fish, or the pie which says it will be hot when heated.
If in doubt try the seeds when your daughter and yourself are within walking distance of a hospital. How severe is the allergy? My son used to get a rash if he ate nuts but he's ok now. I sat in the kitchen and spread peanut butter on his hand to test him, near the phone in case of probs;) For legal reasons i must say this is my own personal experience and it should not be taken as medical advice.

thriftlady_2

Sarah,
She has never had an anaphylactic reaction(where the throat closes up and breathing is impaired),but like you I spread peanut butter on her wrist when she was about one years old(she's nearly 6 now) and she immediately developed a rash.

The GP had no hesitation about diagnosing a nut allergy and referring her to a consultant.The consultant told me there'd be no point having her tested for individual nuts and to avoid all nuts.I took this to mean 'it's too expensive to test her'.He gave us epipens(adrenaline injections) which we carry everywhere dd goes,she has another set at school.School have been marvellous and have banned nuts from the premises.

She has had one other rash- like reaction and that was to pinenuts.It was a bit more than just a rash,there was itching,obvious distress and some swelling.

She is also allergic to eggs,but I understand this not to be potentially life threatening,they make her sick rather than rashy.

I was told that subsequent exposures to the allergan can be worse than the first reaction,so next time she has peanut butter the reaction might be severe.

I think I will go back to my GP and be a bit more insistent about allergy testing.

I have given her a lot of products with the nut warnings on in the past,believing that they are just manufacturers trying to avoid lawsuits,but I've heard stories about nut allergy sufferers being caught out by this,so I've become more cautious.

Sorry if I've gone on a bit,
Sue