Be Careful, there might be Peanuts in your Olive Oil

I started No Peanut Foods because I found out that the olive oil I was using, Montebello Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, was made in a facility with peanuts & “not safe for consumption for anyone with a peanut allergy”. This information is not on the product label or on the company’s website. I found out when I reached out to them directly. This is scary and frustrating.

I started looking into which olive oils are made in a peanut free facility and I found a couple, you can read a separate blog post about that here and these brands are listed on the No Peanut Foods website No Peanuts List.

But, I would like multiple options of safe olive oils so I am still emailing companies. Today I received a response from Colavita Foods. It’s frustrating to receive responses like this. Here is there email to me:

Dear Elizabeth,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The raw material oils that Colavita utilizes to produce its olive oil products are sourced from facilities that may also process other food oils. Colavita requires documented authentication of each raw material purchase.

Colavita does not produce, store or distribute nut-based oil products. Colavita production processes are in fact formulated to minimize food safety risks. It needs to be noted however that all of our products are agricultural at their core and as such are subject to a variety of growing conditions.

As for our Colavita vinegars, there is no presence of peanuts in the facility.

We urge consumers who are affected with food-related allergies to exercise the same prudence with Colavita products as they do with other naturally grown products. We also ask consumers to consult with their medical professionals on specific inquiries relating to the advisability of utilizing such products in their diets.

Please contact us if there are any further questions.

Sincerely,

Marisa De Sapio

Quality Assurance

Colavita USA

1 Runyons Lane

Edison, NJ 08817

Phone: 732.404.8300 Ext. 152

Fax: 732.287.9402

They clearly state that their vinegar is safe to eat but are very vague about their olive oil. It is a yes or no question, and not difficult to answer! 😣Because the Colavita Vinegar is safe from any peanut cross contamination I have added Colavita to my Some Products OK list.

#peanutfree #peanutallergy #oliveoil #nopeanutfoods #peanutfreeoliveoil #oliveoilnotjustoliveoil #peanutfreefacility #colavitaoliveoil #peanutinoiliveoil #colavitafoods #montabellooliveoil #crosscontactoliveoil #peanutcrosscontact #peanutcrosscontamination

#foodallergy #foodallergyawareness #oliveoilcrosscontact #oliveilcrosscontamination

Welcome to No Peanut Foods

No Peanut Foods: A Place to Find Foods and Products that are both Peanut Free and also Processed in a Peanut Free Facility. I have created this site because I have a severe peanut allergy and this has always been a source of a huge amount of anxiety and stress for me. I have been bullied and ridiculed by many about this, it is something that I have been made to feel ashamed of, and I have been told many times by those I trusted that, ‘You have an epipen’, as if it is a magic wand, which it is not! I recently became aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration​ Does Not require foods, or products such as bath/body/oral care, that are processed in a facility containing peanuts to be labeled as such. The only law is that if it’s in the ingredients it’s listed. This is complete insanity! I could easily eat something without peanuts in the ingredients, but still have an allergic reaction & go into anaphylactic shock because something else in that facility contained peanuts, and it inadvertently got into what I was eating due to cross contamination or cross contact. I searched online and could not find a list of which companies go the extra step and label for any cross contamination. So I have decided to take matters into my own hands😉. I have been reaching out to every company that I found in my own kitchen and my own bathroom cabinet and asked, ‘is this product made in a facility containing peanuts?’. I have created a list of companies that are safe for those of us with a peanut allergy and lists of what is not safe due to the risk of cross contamination.

You can view these lists on No Peanut Foods Lists.

I hope my research helps those of us with a peanut allergy feel safe eating again😊

#peanutallergy #peanutfree #nopeanutfoods #nopeanuts #peanutcrosscontamination #peanutcrosscontact #fdacrosscontact #adultwithapeanutallergy #foodallergy #FA