What is the difference between nuts and peanuts?

This is a question we get asked a lot on our courses. When we talk about nuts, we mean tree nuts; i.e., nuts that grow on trees - like all those almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans and walnuts

Pean​uts

Peanuts are also called groundnuts and it is this name that clearly shows the difference. Peanuts grow in the ground, and are actually part of the beans and peas family. But though they are strictly speaking a legume, they are similar in taste and nutritional contents that they are often considered a nut for culinary purposes and called as such in the English language.

The 14 Allergens

There are 14 major allergens that need to be clearly highlighted on the packaging of any food that contains it. If the allergen is sold in a different way, for instance as loose foods or cooked into a meal, information on what contains any of these 14 allergens must be easily available.

The Law

From December 13, 2014, all food businesses have to provide this information on these 14 allergens, wherever they might be present in foods.
To read and/or download the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation Allergen Provisions, click here.
Additional guidance given by the Food Standards Agency can be found here.
Guidance on Food Allergen Management for Food Manufacturers can be found here.
The Food Standards Agency also has a specific leaflet to help with allergen information for loose foods.
They also provide other information, including a handy allergen chart for caterers.

​