Label check

Checking food labels for tree nuts: a fast guide

How to spot tree nuts on a label, the names and products that catch people out, and a quick way to check before you buy.

Tree nuts cover a group of allergens - almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pistachio, pecan, brazil, macadamia and others - and the specific nut must be named on a UK label when used as an ingredient.

The names and forms to watch

Marzipan and praline (almond), nut “butters” and pastes, nut oils, pesto (often pine nut or cashew), nut flours in gluten-free baking, and “natural flavourings” derived from nuts. Amaretto and some liqueurs use nuts too.

Where tree nuts hide

Cereals and granola, cereal bars, chocolate and confectionery, baked goods, salads and dressings, vegan cheeses and “parmesan” alternatives (often cashew), and many ethnic-cuisine dishes.

A 30-second check

  1. Scan the ingredients for the bold-emphasised nut name.
  2. Read the full list for marzipan, praline, pesto, nut oils and nut flours.
  3. Decide on any “may contain nuts” line with your own consistent rule.
  4. Re-check on every purchase.

To avoid running this check by hand every time, ClearaScan lets you save your specific tree nuts once and flags them on any product.

More label checks

Checking a food when you are avoiding several allergens at once

When you manage more than one allergen, every label is a multi-step check. Here is how to do it without missing one.

Checking food labels for milk: a fast guide

How to spot milk on an ingredients list, the eight names it hides under, and a quick way to check a product before you buy.

Checking food labels for peanut: a fast guide

How to spot peanut on an ingredients list, the names it hides under, and how to check a product quickly before you buy.

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Common questions

Are tree nuts and peanuts the same allergen?

No. Peanuts are legumes, tree nuts (almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew and others) are a separate group. UK law lists them separately, though many people are advised to avoid both.

Does 'may contain nuts' mean the product has nuts?

No. It is a voluntary cross-contamination warning, not an ingredient declaration. Whether you avoid such products is a personal risk decision.

Written and reviewed by the Food Allergy Lab editorial team.

A note on this content. The Food Allergy Lab publishes general educational information, not medical advice. If you have or suspect a food allergy, speak to a GP, allergist or dietitian. Recipes and labels change without notice, so always check the ingredients on the product itself.