Use of label information to avoid peanuts and nuts

A novel study in the UK has tracked the behaviour and 'thinking aloud' of 32 peanut and nut-allergic adults while they selected food products during a regular shopping trip. The aim of the study was to better understand the complex risk assessment decisions made by such consumers, with particular reference to use of printed package information.

In addition to recording details during a normal food shop, each participant underwent a semi-structured interview. During the interview they were given 13 potentially problematic packaged foods, and asked if they would purchase the product and what their reasons were. Data from the shopping session, interview and 13-product task were analysed to explore use of allergy advice boxes, ingredients lists and other packaging information.

Results showed that while some participants used the ingredients list as their primary check for allergens, most used the allergy advice box. Generally, the participants believed the information provided on the food packaging was reliable, with some supermarket and brand labels trusted more than others. Interestingly, participants said they also used images and product names to draw inferences about the presence of nuts, despite these not being intended by manufacturers as an allergen risk assessment aid.

Participants suggested a number of improvements to the provision of allergen information, in particular a request for more 'nut free' labelling.

Reference: Barnett et al. 2011. Allergy. DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2011.02563.x.