Allergen 10 of 14 · Pe

Peanuts: in the satay, the pad thai and the frying oil

Peanuts are a legume, not a tree nut, and they have their own column. Reactions can be severe, so the questions to settle are the hidden ones: sauces, oils and toppings.

Checked against the official guidance on 18 September 2026

What the law covers

Annex II lists “peanuts and products thereof”. There is no exemption for refined peanut (groundnut) oil, unlike fully refined soya oil.

Where it hides in a UK kitchen

In the free matrix builder, typing any of these ticks peanuts automatically: Satay sauce, Peanuts, Bombay mix, Pad thai. These prompt a label check instead, because it depends on the recipe or the brand: Mixed nuts.

Cross-contact to think about

• Shared scoops and spoons at a dessert or topping station.
• Chopped nuts sprinkled near other plates.
• Frying oil used for peanut dishes.

Where your risk assessment finds a risk you cannot control, mark the dish “may contain” on the matrix. Don't use it as a blanket statement: when “may contain” is justified.

On a PPDS label

If the oil is peanut oil, say so and emphasise it: “vegetable oil” hides it.

Make a PPDS label with allergens emphasised automatically →

Mistakes we see on matrices

• Treating peanuts as tree nuts (or the reverse).
• Not knowing what oil the fryer uses after a supplier change.
• Garnishing with crushed peanuts “to finish” without updating the matrix.