They mean... "Now you can't sue us."

For the people with those allergies, having information of possible crosscontamination and having a short list in English (not chemical names) of major allergins can be very important. Just wish they would add citrus fruits to the list. That or quit hiding lemon juice and other citrus additives with chemical names.

I have a grandson who turned 5 today. He is unfortunately allergic to nuts, soy, and a myriad of other things. He will be starting kindergarten this year. This is critical information to me. We already avoid foods that say "processed on equipment with nuts." What is so important is when they mention the degree to which a food is contaminated. This needs to be further researched and proper labels should be made. We look carefully for any "hidden" or sensitive ingredients. We, of course, have notified the school, but are still terrified of him being given some food by a friend or at party that may cause him to go into analphylactic shock. Correct labels will be his and other's best chance for survival.

I'm a cook at a child dev. center - this semester we have eliminated peanuts from our menus and food activities. The incidence of kids w/alergies does seem to be on the rise - why?

jackie - I can very much identify with your fears of sending your grandson off to school. I have 2 grandsons who are allergic to nuts and one has fish allergies. When the first one was starting kindergarten, my daughter went to the school and talked to the cooks. They were very helpful & understanding and then the first day of school they put a chocolate chip cookie on his tray. He has always been very aware & worried about his allergy, so he didn't eat it. Then I mentioned the buns they might use for hamburgers...sure enough when checked, found out the school had a contract with Bunny Bread. Bunny Bread is not safe...so he would take his own bun on days hamburgers were served. When the second grandson started school we had to be even more cautious, because he LOVES sweets, and becomes quite upset when he can't have what the other kids are having. Now that they both can read, it has certainly helped. You have to stay on your toes constantly. Some products will be safe, then all of a sudden they aren't. Case in point; one certain cake mix was safe for years, then we just noticed in the last year they now having a warning on them. Don't know if they just decided to list it, or if they weren't ever safe. Needless to say, we spend a long time in the grocery store...reading!

My son, who will be 16 next month, had his first reaction 14 yrs ago. Life has never been the same. When we first started on this adventure, they didn't label the food like they do now. I read everything, even products I've bought before cause they change their ingred. all the time. I've learned, like the article says, to stay with the big name products, but even they switch their ingreds, too. Just read, read, read is my advice. My son was homeschooled for the first 3 years because of my fear to send him to school where peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are everywhere! I know not every one has that as a choice. When I did sent him he never ate their lunches. He, even to this day, brings his own lunch. Our school, and many others, will help and give them their own "nut free" lunch table. He had his friends, without exposed nuts in their lunches, sit with him. He never, and to this day, has had to use his Epi-pen. We went last week to the allergist to have him tested to see if anything has impoved. His allergy to peanuts is still off the charts. He'll never grow out of it. But to our surprise, and the doc, his allergies to tree nuts was low. We had the doc do a skin test and it showed that they were either zero or very close. Peanuts are a legume, not actually nuts. Now I'm trying to find each nut packaged and made by themselves to start introducing his system to them. It is impossible. Doc told me to find them packaged by themselves and only ones that are completely USA products. The other countries don't have and don't follow the same guidelines as we do. Something I never even thought of. I just assummed that if it's a "US" labeled product then it would be safe. Not true, who knows what the other countries do before shipping to the US to have packaged.

Let's give a BIG company some recognition for being highly tainted -Walmart -Great Value brand! I can only buy a handful of Great Value products due to my 6 yo twins egg and peanut allergies. It is ridiculous - peanut warning on strawberry jam - egg warning on chicken broth. No love for Lipton/Knorr either - it's all processed near egg.

Mrsgberg: Thanks, I'll check out Blue Diamond Almonds. :)