Nut Contamination

We have a standing rule in this house that we do not eat any baked goods that come out of other peoples houses or from a bakery. That is, barring a few exceptions. Nuts of all kinds show up in baked goods and the risk of cross contamination is just too great. So, we just veto all baked goods.

With that said, I spend a lot of time baking (my 30lb weight gain is proof of that). We bring cupcakes to parties so Alec has safe food. We almost always opt to bring dessert with us when we head out and we keep "safe" items here at all times in the event of some last minute invite.

Today while I was at Wal-Mart shopping for ingredients to make Mike's birthday cake I noticed this container. Note the MAY CONTAINS warning. Milk, Eggs, Almonds, Coconut, Wheat and Soy.

(As a side note, Coconut while considered a nut by the FDA is not actually a nut - it is a fruit. And likewise, the FDA considers a Peanut a nut and it isn't. It is a bean most closely related to the lentil)

Do you want to take a guess as to what the container is?

Come on, guess....




Unbelievable! Baking Powder is not something that I would have ever considered to have any contamination issues. Not only that but if someone was going over the ingredients of something they made, I would have never even thought to check the baking powder ingredient list. This is very much like the time I found frozen green beans with a peanut warning or the time I found packaged romaine lettuce with a nut contamination warning. UNREAL is the nicest word I can think of.

It it just another reassurance that nothing should ever be considered safe without looking at the ingredient statement.