| Category | Common Products Containing Tree Nuts | Hidden Tree Nut-Derived Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Processed Foods | Granola bars, protein bars, cereals, snack mixes | Nut flour (almond, walnut, hazelnut), chopped nuts in mixes |
| Baked Goods & Cereals | Cookies, cakes, pastries, muffins, flavored oats | Tree nut extracts, nut-based flours, nut milk additives |
| Chocolate & Confectionery | Chocolate bars, pralines, nut-filled candies, nougat | Hazelnut paste, almond paste, praline, nougat containing nuts |
| Nut Butter & Dairy Alternatives | Almond milk, cashew cheese, hazelnut spreads, nut butters | Cashew-based cream, almond-based yogurt, nut-based emulsifiers |
| Sauces & Condiments | Pesto (often contains pine nuts), salad dressings, nut-based sauces | Ground almonds in sauces, cashew-based cheese sauces, nut-thickened dressings |
| Oils & Cooking Ingredients | Almond oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil, nut-based thickeners | Cold-pressed nut oils, nut-based emulsifiers in cooking sprays |
| Alcoholic Beverages & Flavored Drinks | Amaretto (almond liqueur), hazelnut coffee syrup, nut-flavored spirits | Natural almond or hazelnut flavoring, tree nut-based extracts in liqueurs |
Key Insights
- Granola bars, cereals, and snack mixes may contain hidden nut flours, chopped nuts, or nut-based additives.
- Baked goods (cookies, pastries, muffins) often use almond flour, hazelnut flour, or nut extracts.
- Chocolate and confectionery products frequently contain hazelnut paste, almond paste, praline, or nut-based nougat. Watch for marzipan and frangipane (almond) and gianduja (hazelnut-chocolate paste).
- Dairy alternatives (almond milk, cashew cheese, hazelnut spreads) are common sources of tree nuts.
- Pesto, salad dressings, and nut-thickened sauces may contain pine nuts, cashew cream, or almond-based emulsifiers.
- Cold-pressed nut oils and nut-based cooking ingredients (e.g., almond oil, walnut oil) contain nut protein. On US packaged foods they must be declared by name (only highly refined oils are exempt, and tree-nut oils are usually cold-pressed), but restaurant and unpackaged foods may not disclose them.
- Nut-flavored alcoholic beverages, like Amaretto (almond liqueur) and hazelnut coffee syrup, contain tree nut derivatives. Alcoholic drinks are regulated by the TTB rather than the FDA, so allergen labeling on them is voluntary.
- Mortadella and some other deli meats often contain pistachios. Meat and poultry products are regulated by USDA-FSIS, where ingredients are listed but a “Contains” statement is voluntary, so read the full ingredient list.
- On FDA-regulated packaged foods, tree nuts used in flavorings, extracts or hydrolyzed proteins must be declared by name, so they are not truly hidden. “May contain” statements and “nut-free” claims, however, are voluntary and unregulated.