Gardening Soil & Gardening Products Often Contain Peanuts & Tree Nuts

I am a avid gardener and in my free time you’ll find me working in my garden. Being outside, surrounded by butterflies and the sweet smell of flowering plants and growing my own vegetables brings me so much joy. I have always considered my garden a safe space, one where I did not have to worry about peanuts or the risk of an allergic reaction from exposure to peanuts. But, I have learned that this not always the case. Gardening soil and gardening products often contain peanuts and peanut by-products such as peanut shells and husks.

The other day I came across a post online from someone with a peanut allergy who had used Schultz brand potting soil in their own garden and then had an allergic reaction. They realized after the reaction that the soil they had used contained Peanuts. When I came across this information I was extremely surprised, I had not thought about peanuts being an ingredient in soil or gardening products.

I did a quick search and found that not only are peanuts a common ingredient in potting soil and many gardening products but, because soil is not a food it does not fall under USA Food & Drug Administration labeling laws, so the full ingredients, allergens or otherwise, do not really need to be disclosed. On the post I saw about Schultz soil they said that the bag did state that peanut shells/husks were present in the potting soil, but I can understand that you are not thinking about potting soil being a potential place for peanuts so one might not read the package, or just glance at it quickly and overlook this.

After learning that peanuts are commonly found in many gardening products, from soil to sprays, I began to reach out to gardening companies to discover which brands are safe for me to use, free from peanuts and peanut by-products. For some brands the information was on their website, and for others I reached out and emailed the following:

I am wondering if any of your products contain Peanuts/Peanut shells? I have a serious peanut allergy and I cannot use, or be around, anything where there are peanuts, or any risk of cross contamination from peanuts. Before I buy your products I would like to know if they are free of peanuts. I am asking because I have found many gardening products (soil, fertilizer etc) have peanuts and I never would’ve imagined this.

Here is what I discovered:

BioAdvanced:

Dear Elizabeth

No, our products do not contain peanuts, peanut shells, or peanut oil.

Jessica

BioAdvanced Consumer Affairs Team

I have added BioAdvanced to my No Peanuts List.

Burpee Garden Soils:

Burpee called me and explained that some of their soil related products are made by IMC Outdoor Living. I spoke with a very nice representative from IMC Outdoor living who let me know that they do not process anything with peanuts or tree nuts, but the do use coconut coir. I have confirmed that the following products with the Burpee label are all free of peanuts and tree nuts (aside from coconut): Potting Mix, Seed Starting Mix, Bagged Coir Bricks, Raised Garden and Container Mix.

I have added Burpee Garden Soils to my No Peanuts List.

Earth Science:

Hello Elizabeth,

I am responding to confirm that our fertilizer products are packaged in peanut-free facilities.

I have added Earth Science to my No Peanuts List.

EcoLogic:

I did not reach out to EcoLogic because I saw at the store that their, Lawn & Yard Insect Killer Granular2 contains peanut shells, this is on the product's label. I will not use their products because of this. I have added EcoLogic to my Not OK Peanuts in Facility List.

Espoma:

Hi, Elizabeth,

Thank you for your mail.

There are no nut ingredients in any of our liquid or granular fertilizers nor are any nut products processed in our facility.

As for our soils, there are no nut ingredients, but we cannot guarantee there were no nut ingredients in the facility where they were made.

Because Espoma does no use any nut ingredients I am adding them to my No Peanuts List. If this was a food product I would not because they cannot confirm that the facility is peanut free. In this case however I feel safe using their fertilizers and soils.

G&B Organics Gardener & Bloome/Kellogg Garden Products-

On their website:"Our garden soils do not contain any nut-bearing wood fines. However, we cannot be assured that some of our vendors may not have had some nut-bearing remnants mixed with other materials delivered to our facilities. For this reason, we advise individuals who are at risk, not to use our products."

I do not feel comfortable using their soil/products since they clearly state that they advice to not use their products. I have added G&B Organics and Kellogg Garden Products to my Not OK Peanuts in Facility List.

Malibu Compost:

Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for your great question. I will look into this at the bagging facilities and see if they have any peanut processing clients. We do not have shells or hulls, etc. in our products. I'll get back to you as soon as I hear back from them. Thanks Elizabeth! Malibu Compost Team Member

Hi Elizabeth,

Our baggers are a non-peanut facility business so you are in the clear there too! Thank you Elizabeth for your questions and for what you are doing. We are happy to be added to your new website as well. Thanks again Elizabeth.

Malibu Compost Team Member

I have added Malibu Compost to my No Peanuts List.

Mother Earth:

We do not use anything peanut related in any of our products, but users should always expect that fertilizer ingredients like bat guano and even soybean inputs can cause irritation if handled without protective equipment.

I have added Mother Earth to my No Peanuts List.

Schultz:

I did not reach out to Schultz because Schultz is the brand that I saw a post about their potting soil containing peanuts and causing an allergic reaction. I will not purchase any their products. I have added Schultz to my Not OK Peanuts in Facility List.

Scotts Brand / Miracle Gro:

"The Potting Mix is formulated regionally using various materials that may include peanut or tree nut by-products.”

I know that Scotts Brand/Miracle Gro does not consistently state this information on their product's label. I choose to not use ANY Scotts or Miracle Gro products because their potting mix's can contain peanuts and I will not support a brand that does not offer full transparency with what is in their products. I will not use their soil, fertilizers, sprays, any of their products. I have added Scotts Brand/ Miracle Gro to my Not OK Peanuts in Facility List.

Sun Gro:

Thank you for contacting Sun Gro® Horticulture, the manufacturer of SunShine®, SunShine Advanced®, Fafard®, Proven Winners® Soils & Plant Foods and Black Gold®.

We stopped using any nut or nut by-products in all of our brands in 2017. Our products are safe to use related to nut allergies. We always suggest you read and follow the label on any product you may use.

Note that Sun Gro manufacturers many safe potting soils and pant foods for a variety of brands. I have added Sun Gro to my No Peanuts List.

The following brands have not responded to me

These brands are on my Not OK Peanuts in Facility List:

EB Stone

EKO

Organic Labs

Whitney Farms

Peanuts really are found in anything. I have now learned that the long list of products that I need to be careful of includes potting soil, plant foods, fertilizers and a variety of gardening products. Always, always, read the product's label, no matter what it is. If you are not sure contact the brand directly. It is always better to be cautious, and stay safe.

On this post I am sharing what I have discovered. Ingredients, and formulations, can and do change. Always refer to the product label directly, and double check it every time to make sure it is safe and that there have not been any changes made to the product. Once again when you are not sure if something is safe, skip it, it is never worth the risk.

I will continue to update this post along with my lists on www.NoPeanutFoods.com as I hear back from more brands.

Is Your Coffee & Tea Peanut Free?

This week I am looking into if my coffee and teas are peanut free, and processed in a peanut free facility. I started my lists of food and products safe for those of us with a peanut allergy on the No Peanut Foods site by looking first at the food brands I had in my own panty, then the bath/body oral care brands. The other day I was enjoying my morning cup of Groundwork Venice blend coffee and I realized that I had overlooked reaching out to the brands that make my coffee and tea. I wondered, ‘could there be peanuts in my coffee or tea, could there be a risk of cross contact from peanuts at the processing facility?’.

At first I thought this was very farfetched, after all I had never seen peanuts listed anywhere on any coffee or tea that I had purchased. When I reached out to food brands I learned that many of the items that I thought were safe for me to have, such as extra virgin olive oil and pasta (you can read about that on another blog post), were actually made in the same facility as foods with peanuts. Those brands informed me that their products were not safe for me to have due to the cross contamination risk from peanuts when I reached out to them. I decided to reach out to the coffee and tea brands that I have in my own pantry to learn if they are safe for me to drink. Is my coffee and tea both peanut free and processed in a peanut free facility?

I always start my research into if a brand is safe for me to have by checking the faqs section on their website. If I do not see a section on peanut allergies I email or call them. I checked out these companies: Art of Tea, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, Blue Bottle Coffee, City Bean Roasters, GGET-Go Get Em Tiger, Groundwork Coffee, Harney and Sons Tea, Heavenly Honey Company Teas, Illy Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, Joshua Tree Coffee, Kauai Coffee, LAMILL Coffee, Mighty Leaf Tea, Numi Tea, Peet's Coffee, PG Tips Tea, Rishi Tea and Botanicals, Sight Glass Coffee, Stumptown Coffee, The Republic of Tea, Traditional Medicinals Tea, Twinings , Two Leaves and a Bud, Verve Coffee Roasters and Whidbey Tea.

Here is what I sent the companies I emailed:

I am wondering if any of your coffee or teas contain peanuts, or are made in a facility with peanuts? I have a peanut allergy and I cannot have anything where peanuts are present in the facility. I am only asking about peanuts, I am not asking about other nuts/tree nuts or other allergens, only peanuts. I did not see any peanuts listed anywhere on your products, but I thought it best to check. I keep reading about the risk of cross contact in production facilities so I just wanted to check with you. I also found out that a different tea brand is not safe for me because they make tea with peanuts on the same line with their other teas and it made me think it best to check with you. Please let me know. Thank you very much!

Which brands are Safe and which are Not Safe? Here is what I learned:

Art of Tea

Art of Tea sent me several kind, understanding and thorough emails, here are the pertinent excerpts from these emails:

To answer your question - no, not any of our teas contain peanuts. Nor are our teas processed in a facility that is exposed to peanuts from outside sources. The health and safety of our customers is our number one priority so we implement specific procedures and protocols to contain the allergens that are present in our facility (i.e. chocolate, milk, egg, tree nuts, wheat, and coconut). These procedures are implemented daily and are closely regulated...Bryan, our quality control manager, did ask me to suggest to you that it might be a good idea to stay away from the blends that contain chocolate powder. The chocolate powder provided by our supplier is processed in a plant that may or may not also process peanut products. That is the only potential cross-contamination that he is concerned with. The only teas of ours that contain chocolate powder are below:

1) Aztec Spice: ( https://www.artoftea.com/products/aztec-spice)

2) Velvet: ( https://www.artoftea.com/products/velvet-tea)

Surprisingly, our Dark Chocolate Peppermint ( https://wholesale.artoftea.com/products/dark-chocolate-peppermint) only contains cacao nibs and not chocolate powder. Simply wanted to clarify that now in case you come across that particular blend while exploring our website and wondered. Although, the full list of ingredients for each tea is listed on its product page - just below the photographs.

Safe(mostly)-I am so impressed with Art of Tea' customer service. They answered my questions so completely and with such kindness that I cannot wait to try their teas. I will of curse keep in mind what they said about the two teas that might have potential for cross contamination from peanuts in the chocolate powder so I will not try those two teas listed above. It is because of these two teas that I have added Art of Tea to my Some Products OK List on the No Peanut Foods site just to air on the side of caution.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank you for reaching out, we sure are in love with the Tres Dragones too!

All our products from our coffee to our house made syrups are produced in a facility that is 100% peanut free.

Safe-My sister bought me some of their Tres Dragones beans as a present and before trying it I reached out to them. They wrote me back right away and I am happy to receive such a kind response from Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. Their coffee is consistently rated some of the best and I thrilled that it is safe to try both their coffee beans and house made syrups. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for waiting! Here's the response from our team: Thank you for your inquiry about the potential for our coffee beans to come into cross-contact with peanuts. We use shared equipment in our cafes and production facilities and they are not dedicated allergen-free. As such, while we use good manufacturing practices to prevent cross-contact with allergens, we are unable to validate that our products are completely free of allergens such as peanuts. Don't hesitate to reach out with any further questions! Sincerely,

Alyssa

Blue Bottle Coffee

Not Safe-I had to exchange a couple emails back and forth with Blue Bottle Coffee to find out a concrete answer. Unfortunately, because they have peanuts in both their production facility and cafes they are not safe. I have added them to my Not OK- Peanuts in Facility list on the No Peanut Foods site.

GGET-Go Get Em Tiger:

Regarding the facility where the coffee is roasted peanut-free, yes there's no other food production at the roastery at the moment but there will be when the commissary moves over!

Not Safe-After they answered my email they did move their roasting facility to the same place where they make their food and much of their menu contains peanuts. Unfortunately their coffee is no safe to enjoy since it roasted, packaged where peanuts are present. I have added them to my Not OK- Peanuts in Facility list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Groundwork Coffee:

Good afternoon Elizabeth,

Thank you for reaching out to us with your allergen concerns. Happily I can assure you that in our coffee roasting/packaging facility we do not have any allergens present and all of our tea suppliers have documented allergen control programs in place as necessary. Our coffee roasting and packaging, along with our tea packaging occurs in North Hollywood and our commissary, where we bake our pastries and make our sandwiches and salads, is at a separate location in Venice.

I hope this alleviates any of your concerns and that you'll feel safe as you continue to enjoy our products.

Best regards,

Daniel Quinn

Compliance / QA Officer

Groundwork Coffee

Safe-I really like Groundwork's and am so relieved to know that their coffee and teas are peanut free, and processed in a peanut free facility. But be aware, as of November 2020 Groundwork is now offering a latte made with peanuts!! This means that their coffee shops, which are scattered around Los Angeles, are no longer safe to visit. They have assured me however that their prepackaged coffee is still safe to enjoy and is still roasted and packaged in their allergen free facility in North Hollywood.

My favorite coffee blend they offer is the Venice blend. I appreciate that they are are certified organic, fairly traded, and ethically sourced all of which are very important to me. I am glad they took the time to send me a thorough, and understanding response to my inquiry. Once again only their prepackaged coffee/tea is safe to enjoy. Because of this I have added them to my Some Products OK List on the No Peanut Foods site.

Harney & Sons:

Hi Elizabeth, Our teas are gluten free, sugar free, and vegan. We are not a nut free facility, we do have blends with tree nuts, peanuts, and coconut that are made on shared equipment. Best, Courtney

Not Safe-Unfortunately Harney & Sons teas are not safe at all, and I have added them to my Not OK- Peanuts in Facility list on the No Peanut Foods site. I am always grateful when a company provides me with a actual yes/no answer; even if the answer is not one that I want to hear.

Illy Coffee:

Good Afternoon Elizabeth,

Thank you for your email. Our coffee products are peanut free. The facility where the coffee is produced is also free of any peanut products as only coffee is produced in the facility. Please feel free to contact us at customer care at 877-455-9347 should you have any further questions or concerns.

Thank You

Customer Care

Safe-Most of the larger brands do not take the time to write back, or respond with a inadequate and unhelpful answer, like PG Tips did. I regularly drink Illy espresso at restaurants and I am so happy that they wrote me back a through and complete answer letting me know there coffee is peanut free and produced in a peanut free facility. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Intelligentsia Coffee:

Hi, Elizabeth! Thanks for your question. In our Chicago facility, the only items actually produced and packed in our facility are coffee and tea. None of our teas contain peanuts. In our Los Angeles facility, we only produce and package coffee — no tea is mixed or packed there, at all. There is no risk of cross contamination from products containing peanuts in either facility. But yes, it's always a very good idea to check! Thanks again, Katie O'Shea | Customer Experience Manager | Intelligentsia Coffee, Inc.

Safe-I often walk to to meet friends at Intelligentsia. Their espresso is wonderful, and I love that they use Straus Organic Milk, my favorite milk, and what I use at home in my coffee every morning. I appreciate that they answered my question, explaining where each product is packaged and processed; making me feel even more comfortable that their coffee and teas are both peanut free and processed in peanut free facilities. They also did not make me feel crazy that I asked; some companies have not been so nice. I am very glad that I can continue to drink Intelligentsia Coffee and Teas and support them. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Joshua Tree Coffee:

Hi Elizabeth,

Thank you for reaching out and posing a great question! We do not have any open products in our café/roastery that contain peanuts, we do, however sell prepackaged cookies from Alternative Baking Company that do.

They are not in contact with our roasting or packaging areas and are never opened in the shop so there should not be any contact risk but we do understand the severity of some allergies and want to be completely open about it.

I hope this adequately answers your question, thank you for choosing our coffee and if there is anything else we can do for you, please let us know!

Eric

Joshua Tree Coffee Support

Safe- I am looking forward to trying Joshua Tree Coffee because they offer organic blends and I have heard their coffee is delicious. I am glad that they replied with a through answer, even mentioning the packaged cookies they have at their space. This makes me feel very comfortable trying their coffee knowing that they understood my question and took it seriously. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters:

From their website: For all of our consumers that are concerned about nut allergies, we are proud to operate facilities that are free from tree nuts and peanuts. We also have a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) process in place to reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination. The process includes extensive cleaning of machines and does not allow for two processes with different allergens to be produced on the same day. Our coffee beans are roasted and packed in separate facilities from our canned products and do not contain any type of tree nut or peanut allergens in any process.

Safe- Can't wait to try La Colombe coffee; I have heard their coffee is delicious and they are found at many restaurants. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Mighty Leaf Tea and Peet's Coffee:

Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for contacting Peet's Customer Experience and my sincere apologies for the delay. Our coffee and tea are both packaged in a facility that does not handle peanuts!

Have a wonderful day and again my apologies for the long wait.

Best,

Iris | Customer Experience Advocate| Peet's Coffee & Tea | Mon-Fri 6am-6pm PST | 800.999.2132

Safe-Mighty Leaf Tea is part of Peets Coffee. I love the Mighty Leaf Jasmine Green Tea, it is smooth and fragrant and not harsh like many green teas can be. I regularly drink Peet's coffee and enjoy their espresso too. Peet's Coffee is my regular destination to meet my Mom and I am so glad I can continue to visit their shops, and drink their teas and coffee. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Numi Tea:

Dear Elizabeth,

Thank you for contacting us and I apologize for any delay in response that you have received in the past. With regards to your question about peanuts, all Numi products are peanut free. Our teas are packaged in facilities and on machines that do not process or work with peanuts. Our teas do not come into contact with soy, dairy, or gluten products either.

Our teabags are compostable and made from Manila hemp cellulose. They are non-GMO verified, oxygen whitened and the tag is made from 100% recycled material and soy-based inks. They do not contain any peanuts.

Hope this information is helpful!

Best regards,

Maggie

Numi Organic Tea

Safe-I am happy that Numi Tea wrote me back; even if it took two emails and a Instagram post to get the answers I needed. Their teas are organic and made with real ingredients, nothing artificial and no preservatives or additives. I particularly like their jasmine green tea, its floral and delicious. I am very happy that I can continue to enjoy it. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

PG Tips Tea:

Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for contacting PG Tips. Like any food manufacturing facility, Unilever manufacturing facilities are not allergen-free. However, we have a robust Food Safety and Allergen Control Program in place for all of our products and ingredients. As well, our labels are in compliance with all guidance and regulations with regard to allergen labeling. Regulatory guidance directs that companies take proper precautions and have thorough cleaning procedures. Even though we take these extra precautions, there is no guarantee that our products are allergen-free. Therefore, if this is something that is of concern, we suggest not using the product. If you need any further information please feel free to contact us back. Sincerely, PG Tips Consumer Services

Not Safe-PG Tips has provided me with my least favorite kind of answer; a non-answer. They do not bother to even look into which allergen I am inquiring about. I am not asking if their tea, or processing facility, is allergen free, only peanut free, and there is no mention of peanuts in their email. If a company cannot provide me with a answer then they are added to my Not OK-Peanuts in Facility List, and that is where I have placed PG Tips. I do not feel comfortable continuing to support this brand, or drink their tea, which is a real shame because I really liked their black tea.

Rishi Tea and Botanicals:

Hi Elizabeth,

Thank you for contacting Rishi Tea and Botanicals! We appreciate your time in contacting us directly to ensure the tea you enjoy safe. Here at Rishi, we take allergens seriously. To ensure no cross contamination occurs, we have an allergen control program in place. We're proudly Food Safety, SQF Level 2 certified and take the utmost precautions in ensuring these allergens are never cross contaminated. A few of our tea blends contain coconut flakes and we use Ramon nuts at our facility. We do not use peanuts.

We hope this information finds you well. Please let us know if you have any further questions, we’re happy to help!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kindly,

Andrea Walczak

Customer Support Representative

Update-Some Rishi Teas are Safe- Although this is a great response I was just alerted July 2023 that some Botanical Blend Rishi Teas that contain hibiscus also have a clear ‘may contain’ warning. The hibiscus is sourced from a farm that also grows peanuts and they explain that the hibiscus may contain peanuts. So, although they do not use peanuts in their teas the risk is present in some teas. I have moved Rishi to my ‘Some Items OK’ list and will always check the product package before I consume their tea.

I like Rishi Tea because they make organic, direct trade, high quality teas. One of my favorites is the sweet matcha which has simple ingredients: cane sugar and Japanese matcha green tea, that’s it. It has a taste similar to green tea ice cream, which was one of my favorite ice creams growing up and a flavor I can’t have anymore since I cannot find one that is made in a peanut free facility, so this sweet matcha is a real treat. I have added them to my Some Products OK list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Sight Glass Coffee:

Hi Elizabeth,

Our roasteries exclusively process coffee and only-coffee. Contact surfaces on processing equipment used for coffee are only used for coffee. Processing equipment and coffee storage areas are isolated in a separate room from the rest of our building and any other food processing activities. There is no room for cross-contamination at our roasteries.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best,

Jose

Safe-I am looking forward to trying Sight Glass Coffee as many of their blends sound wonderful and some are organic. They do have several cafes and I do not know if those spaces are safe to visit. I can only confirm that their packaged coffee is free from an peanut cross contamination. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Stumptown Coffee:

Hey Elizabeth,

Thanks for reaching out!

We do not process anything besides coffee in our roasting facility, so there is very little chance that the beans came in contact with other allergens, but we can't guarantee that at some point during the coffee beans' life they weren't exposed to any type of nuts.

We've talked with many of our Green Coffee Buyers and in house Roasters, and while they believe you should be safe, Stumptown Coffee Roasters is not certified "nut free." Our coffee has always proven safe for folks with those allergies, however any coffee you purchase from us would be at your own risk.

I hope this helps answer your questions! Please let us know if you need anything else.

// Melanie

Not Safe-Although Stumptown Coffee sent me a nice response it does not put me at ease because I cannot be sure that their coffee is peanut free, and sadly I do not feel safe drinking their coffee after reading their response. I am not going to risk having an allergic reaction. I do appreciate that they took the time to send me a thoughtful response, and took my question seriously. I have added them to my Not OK- Peanuts in Facility list on the No Peanut Foods site.

The Republic of Tea:

Dear Citizen, Thank you for your email. None of our teas contain peanuts and we do not produce any items with peanuts. Sip by Sip Rather Than Gulp by Gulp, Minister of Citizen Services

Safe-The Republic of tea has many wonderful teas; my favorites are the British Breakfast, I enjoy a cup with a spoonful of sugar and a splash of milk almost every afternoon, and the Mango Ceylon Black Tea. I am very glad to know I can continue to have their teas and that they are all peanut free and made in a peanut free facility.

Traditional Medicinals:

Their website states: "We do not use any ingredients that contain dairy, meat, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, corn, or soy in any of our tea products. Our Mother’s Milk Chocolate Fruit & Nut and Honey Cashew Crisp bars contain tree nuts (cashews & almonds) and soy. We practice Good Manufacturing Practices to ensure the proper identification of each ingredient and in order to prevent cross-contamination before the herbs enter our facility, we actively maintain allergen policies with all of our suppliers."

Safe-I love all Traditional Medicinals teas but I particularly like their Throat Coat tea; I drink it whenever I am feeling under the weather, or have a cold, and it helps tremendously. I am very happy that their website states that their teas are peanut free and made in a peanut free facility. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Twinings:

Hello Elizabeth, Twinings does not permit the presence of any of the allergens that require declaring under allergen labelling regulations: · Gluten · Egg· Nuts · Sesame seeds · Soy · Mollusc · Mustard

· Lupin · Wheat · Coconut · Milk (except for Chai Latte & French Vanilla Chai Latte K-Cups®)

· Celery · Crustacean · Fish · Sulphur dioxide Therefore, all our teas and infusions are free from those components and their derivatives. Danesha H.

Safe-I like Twinings classic teas like Earl Grey and English Breakfast. You find their teas at many restaurants, and at hotels. I am so glad they took the time to write me back because I have found that many larger companies send a form email basically declining to answer questions about food allergies. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

Two Leaves and a Bud:

Our teas are packed in a facility free from any peanuts or tree nuts. The only thing produced in our facilities is tea. When it comes to other allergies, we do recommend that you avoid our teas with flavoring, as we don't test the flavoring for allergens and can't be 100% certain that they are okay for people with other allergies. Here is a list of our teas that have no natural flavoring, so you can be totally confident that you are safe with these: Organic Assam, Organic Darjeeling, Organic English Breakfast, Jasmine Petal, Organic Tamayokucha, Organic Bai Mu Dan, Organic Chamomile, Organic Peppermint, Organic Invigorate, Organic Better Belly, Organic Better Rest, Organic Paisley English Breakfast, Organic Paisley Sencha Green,Organic Paisley Chamomile, Organic Paisley Peppermint.

Safe-I appreciate that Two Leaves and a Bud Tea answered my question with a thoughtful and understanding response, even letting me know to be extra safe and avoid the teas with natural flavorings. Even though they do not have any peanuts in their facility I have added them to my Some Products OK list on the No Peanut Foods site since they do have tea with flavorings and informed me which of their teas I should stick to enjoying.

Verve Coffee Roasters:

Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for reaching out with this question! I can confirm that our coffee is roasted and packaged in a facility with no peanut cross-contamination, and any of our packaged coffee at Whole Foods or our Melrose cafe would be peanut-free. We do use peanuts in some of our commissary food items, so there may cross-contamination in the food items within the cafes. I hope this helps to answer your question, but please let me know if I can share any other details. Thank you again and stay well,

Brynn

Brynn | Customer Experience Team

VERVE COFFEE ROASTERS

Safe-I am so glad that Verve Coffee Roasters provided me a straight forward and understanding answer to my question. I am looking forward to trying their packaged coffee. I will only be trying their packaged coffee and not any of their foods or drinks at their cafe's due to the risk of cross contamination from peanuts. I have added them to my Some Products OK list on the No Peanut Foods site since they do offer food made with peanuts at their cafes.

Whidbey Tea:

Hi Elizabeth,

Thank you so much for reaching out. Our teas do not contain any peanuts and all our products are manufactured in a facility which does not process peanuts.

Hope this is helpful information. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on our teas!

Cheers,

Joey

Safe-Whidbey Tea offer a a variety of lovely classic teas. All their teas are organic and I like their English Breakfast, Jasmine Green and Earl Grey Teas. Their teas have deep, rich flavor along with bright notes. Their tea packaging is beautiful, which is always a plus. I have added them to my No Peanuts list on the No Peanut Foods site.

The following Companies have not responded to my inquiry:

City Bean Roasters

Heavenly Honey Company Teas

Kauai Coffee

LAMILL Coffee

Remember that it is important to never assume that a coffee/tea/food/product is safe and free of peanuts just because you do not see an allergen alert on the label. These warnings are placed by brands voluntarily. I have discovered it is those items, the ones that do not mention anything about their facility, do not have any ‘may contain’ or ‘processed in a facility with’ warning, that have actually been the foods and products that hold the most risk. These companies often write me back that their food or products are processed in a facility with peanuts and not safe.

Please only support brands that offer transparency with their ingredients and processing facility, and who take the time to answer questions. As a consumer we can make our voice heard by purchasing from these companies, and not from others. Hopefully, with much encouragement, the FDA labeling laws will change and it will be mandatory to list any allergen cross contact risk so that those of us with a peanut allergy, or any serious food allergy, can feel safe knowing what is in our food and products. You will find the brands that I love and choose to support on my Lists on the No Peanut Foods site.

Please always remember that brands change their facilities and ingredients all the time, so every time you purchase a product, even if it is one you have bought before, always check the ingredients and make sure the formulation has not changed. My lists and research is meant only for guidance.

#peanutfreecoffee #peanutfreebrands #noeanutfoods #peanutfreetea #groundworkcoffee #groundworktea #therepublicoftea #harneyandsons #peanutsintea #peanutsincoffee #foodallergy #peanutallergy #peanutfreelists #Intelligentsia #IllyCoffee #stumptowncoffee #pgtips #pgtipswonttellyouwhatisintheirtea #nopeanuts #peanutfreezone #peanutfreekitchen #peanutfreepantry

Burt's Bees Will Not Tell You What is in Their Products!

I have been writing about my struggle to find bath/body/oral care products that are made in a peanut free facility. This is super important if you have a peanut allergy so that you can be sure that what you are using is truly free of peanuts, and offers no risk of cross contamination, or cross contact, from something with peanuts manufactured in the same facility. I have been reaching out to every brand that I found in my own bathroom cabinet and have emailed or called each brand and asked the same question to find out if any of their products processed in a facility with peanuts? Here is the email that I send to companies:

Hi, This might be a odd question, I am wondering if any of your products are processed/made in a facility with peanuts? Is there any potential for cross contamination of peanuts? I love many of your face products but, I have a peanut allergy and I cannot use any products where peanuts are present in the facility. I am only asking about peanuts, I am not allergic to any other nuts. I did not see any peanuts listed anywhere on your products, but I thought it best to check. I just read that a face lotion they my sister uses is made in a facility with peanuts & therefore not safe for me to use; it would’ve never occurred to me to check face/body type products until I saw that. Please let me know. I hope I can continue to use your products. Thank you very much! Elizabeth Noble

Here is the response I received when I emailed Burt's Bees:

Nehemie (11/06/2019 05:03 AM)

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank you for reaching out to us at Burt's Bees.

We cannot provide a list of products that are safe for use with your allergy because our products may have been manufactured on a shared line with products containing nuts, or raw materials used in our products may have been processed in a facility that also processes nut-based ingredients.

Therefore, we are unable to state that any Burt's Bees products are nut-free. Several of our products are known to contain ingredients derived from nuts, such as nut butters (cocoa, kokum, shea, etc). Again, because of manufacturing these products adjacent to one another, we cannot recommend these products. Food allergies are a very complex: they can be very limited (single nut) or broad (range of tree nuts) depending on the individual; and they differ by topical application vs ingestion.

Please make sure that you carefully review the ingredient list of any product prior to use, particularly because the listed ingredients for a product may change. If you have a known allergy to nuts, you should always consult with your physician if you have questions regarding whether it is safe for you to use a particular product. Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Burt's Bees Consumer Services

I was so very upset to read such a rude, condescending and extremely unhelpful response. But, I kept stupidly thinking, 'maybe they didn't understand my question?' So I decided to send a follow up email and request again that they answer my question, I wanted them to let me know if peanuts were present in either their products or their facility, not nuts in general. I also was not sure how consulting my doctor would help ascertain if Burt's Bees products are produced in a facility with peanuts? I was very upset when I wrote my request for further clarification and here is what I wrote back to Nehemie:

Hi Nehemie,

I’m confused by your answer. I was only inquiring about peanuts in your products and facility, not about tree nuts or any other allergen!!

Does Burt’s Bees use PEANUTS or have PEANUTS in the processing facility? I understand why the products are not nut free; I use your products and can read the ingredients.

My question is only about PEANUTS.

I will throw out all my products as a precautionary measure if I don’t hear back from you, but this seems like a question you should be able to answer.

Thank you

The following day I received this response:

Nehemie (11/07/2019 05:07 AM)

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank you for your response.

As we stated before, we cannot provide a list of products that are safe for use with your allergy because our products may have been manufactured on a shared line with products containing nuts, or raw materials used in our products may have been processed in a facility that also processes nut-based ingredients. Therefore, we are unable to state that any Burt's Bees products are nut-free.

If you have a known allergy to (any) nuts, you should always consult with your physician if you have questions regarding whether it is safe for you to use a particular product. Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Burt's Bees Consumer Services

I have not written Burt's Bees back to thank Nehemie for her unhelpful and rude answer to my request for further clarification. Burt's Bees still did not answer if there are peanuts in their processing facility and they have made me feel like I should have never asked the question in the first place. After all I have a 'known allergy and I have consulted my physician'! I will never again purchase their products and I am on a journey to urge everyone I can to do the same. This is not how you treat a customer.

I have reached out to countless other bath/body/oral care brands and many have, like Burt's Bees, have basically declined to answer my question, or spoke to me about nuts in general instead of looking into whether peanuts specifically are in their facility. But, none of those brands, through emails, or phone conversations, even come close to how rude and condescending Burt's Bees has been to me, and none have made me feel as hurt by their words and inability to answer a simple yes/no question as Burt's Bees has.

To view my list of brands that offer transparency with their ingredients and their processing facility visit my lists on the No Peanut Foods website.

#burtsbees #customerservice #badcustomerservice #burtsbeesistherworst #peanutallergy #peanutfree #peanutfreefacecream #pesnutfreelipbalm #nonpeanuts #peanutfreezone #brandtransparency #foodallergy