The February issue of the Anaphylaxis Campaign’s newsletter warns that peanut shoots, or sprouts, are now being sold in some supermarkets both on their own and as an ingredient in stir fry vegetables.

Although they are clearly marked as peanut sprouts, rather than bean sprouts, they look very like the latter and could easily be mistaken for them, especially if they were in a mix. This could also be a problem where a canteen or restaurant was using a mixed stir-fry pack.

Although the campaign is not aware of anyone yet who has had a severe reaction to the shoots they believe that they are allergenic and are currently having them tested.

Meanwhile they advise any peanut allergic to avoid the sprouts until they have been thoroughly tested for allergenicity.

First published in April 2005

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