This is a useful piece of information if what you’re about to consume could possibly contain nuts. Perhaps you’re about to tuck into a nice fuitcake? Or maybe a packet of hobnob-esque biscuits. If you like these things and are allergic to nuts then being told in no uncertain terms that the product doesn’t contain the source of your misery, would make you happy. And you’d probably chomp away on the product with gay abandon.
By the same token, a small notice on a product saying “May Contain Nuts”, in products where you wouldn’t expect to find them, could be a life-saving addition to a Pork Pies packaging.
But what about when the product is one where you wouldn’t normally expect to find any nuts, and you still find a notice telling you it doesn’t contain any nuts?
I understand there are a lot of people who are allergic to them, and that we should err on the side of caution with peoples health, but at what point do you need to start adding this warning to a bag of carrots?
That’s not a typo. I actually wrote ‘a bag of carrots’. As in those orange little vegetables that you dig up from the ground. The ones that don’t contain any nuts.
Did carrots ever contain nuts? Do people pick up a bag of carrots and think, “you know what, I’m tempted by this bag of orange deliciousness, but I really should check if there are any nuts in there first”. Perhaps Tesco are just responding to customer trends, and people are spending increasing amounts of time querying staff about the nut content of their fresh vegetables?
I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Well Angry, it’s the safety angle, we can’t be too careful with allergies”. OK, fair enough, but I’m allergic to cats, yet I’ve never found a bag of carrots with “Doesn’t Contain Any Cat” on it. A friend of mine is allergic to Penicillin, yet I’ve never seen “Doesn’t Contain Medicine” on the side of a tin of beans.
Why is it any more likely to have nuts in a bag of Carrots, than traces of Cat? In fact, due to the curiousness of said felines, I would imagine it’s more likely you’d see traces of Cat in a bag of vegetables than a trace of nuts. Unless you know of a peanut that can climb up a tree to get a better look around a food factory?
I guess it’s now only a matter of time before we start having to list everything that’s not in a product rather than just the ingredients?
What label would you like to seen on your food so you be 100% sure it didn’t contain any of a particular ingredient?
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Oli · May 26, 2006 at 7:44 am
Tis a cover ones ass angle, also a legal requirement if the carrots where made in a factory that also processes nutty foods.
Yes, i too did my stretch as a factory worker
Ranting Dullard · May 26, 2006 at 7:50 am
I would sooner it said something along the lines of ‘Nuts? Take a risk man. Stop being such a coward and eat the sodding food. Besides, you could get a sympathy shag out of it’.
Its extreme I know, but it would be less annoying.
Admin comment by Mr Angry · May 26, 2006 at 8:27 am
Oli – Carrots aren’t ‘made’…
RD – ‘Sympathy Shag’ foods… I like the sound of that…
BoyOnTop · May 26, 2006 at 8:51 am
I blame the lawyers personally.
Me mum, amongst other things, once ran a small factory that made muffins. They produced a specialist version that contained no dairy or wheat or nuts or much of anything really other than a bit of rice dust. They promoted it as hypoalergenic food. However, despite rather high hygene standards, it was made in a room where nuts where sometimes used. Some poor sod bought some and nearly died for a trace of a trace of a trace of nuts being in the muffin. They got sued to within an inch of the companies life for not having that “no nuts but made near nuts” on the package.
Oli · May 26, 2006 at 10:11 am
OK, wrong word used
Dr Clip · May 26, 2006 at 11:02 am
Maybe they should forget the warnings altogether? This would rid these allergic genetic freaks from our gene pool. I do hope my girlfriends sister doesn’t read this or i’ll be in big trouble.
Maybe these lables have a hidden agenda? It might be possible that Tesco’s are trying to lure in our furry little squirrrel friends to increase there revenues? If 80% of products have a “May Contain Nuts” label, then there is a better chance that a squirrel may just buy it.
Lets just take a time out and do the maths (math for Americans).
Lets Assume that Squirrels earn the average squirrel wage, which is according to http://www.howmuchdoesasquirrelearn.com is £25,000 per annum. On average I think humans spend about 10% of their income in Tescos’ so lets assume the same for squirrels, we are talking about £2,500 per squirrel per year. In the UK there are 2,681,000 squirrels (red and grey combined).
So if Tescos can capture this market with their sneaky labelling tactis then they have bagged themselves an extra £6,702,500,000, thats £6.7 Billion. Not bad eh? Just think about it.
As you can tell, I am very busy at work today.
Sooz · May 26, 2006 at 1:35 pm
It’s madness!
I’ve had a wrapped pack of salmon stating ‘contains fish’. Duh!
I would like men to have labels. ‘Warning: could be a womanizer. Bit of a wanker. ‘ That would be very very useful ;o)
Dr Clip · May 26, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Yeah and labels on women as well.
May go off once a month. Handle with care.
karilyn · May 26, 2006 at 2:57 pm
i find that my allergies are a pain, as it’s the least obvious food that can lead to a trip to doctors. but compo culture is rife! most of my family all tripped over the same pothole in the road ….. good for a free holiday
Katy Newton · May 26, 2006 at 5:36 pm
All foods should have a label on them which say something like:
“This food was made in the world, which is also where nuts grow.”
William Board · May 26, 2006 at 6:33 pm
Why not a contrary approach
Doughnuts: Do not contain nuts
Katy Newton · May 26, 2006 at 6:37 pm
I just went and made myself some toast and peanut butter and I would like to report that there is a label on the jar which says:
“WARNING: This product contains nuts.”
I think it should be more prominently displayed. If I were allergic to nuts, I would be pretty annoyed if I only noticed the warning label after I’d bought the peanut butter.
William Board · May 26, 2006 at 7:37 pm
As mentioned to me by my better half and seen by her in the local supermarket.
A notice prominently displayed alongside the wet fish
“may contain bones”
She’s a smart one though so played safe and just bought squid.
William Board · May 26, 2006 at 7:38 pm
As mentioned to me by management and seen by her in the local supermarket.
A notice prominently displayed alongside the wet fish
“may contain bones”
She’s a smart one though so played safe and just bought squid.
nf girl · May 26, 2006 at 8:22 pm
What label would you like to seen on your food so you be 100% sure it didn’t contain any of a particular ingredient?
This product does not contain dog shit.
Admin comment by Mr Angry · May 26, 2006 at 8:57 pm
BoT – “made near real food”, a nice label!
Doc – chasing the Squirrel Dollar is clearly a lucrative business.
Sooz – “just add beer”.
Doc – The views of commentors do not necessarily reflect those of the author.
Karilyn – Anything you’re not allergic too?
Katy – Even that crackle-on-your-tongue Space Dust stuff?
William – my point exactly
Katy – you can be sure someone has returned that product after reading the warning…
William – Squid, eurghghh… I much prefer that nice Calamari stuff.
NF – What about “made near dogshit”? I take it you don’t eat at McDonalds then?
US · May 27, 2006 at 7:34 am
“Doesn’t contain pubic hair” should be labelled on army food – but that’s a different story.
Sooz · May 27, 2006 at 11:43 pm
I wouldn’t mind if men had a label saying ‘does not contain nuts’.
Rob D · May 28, 2006 at 8:16 pm
Q: What do you call a squirrel with a nut allergy
A: Hungry
Seriously though I see that Tesco’s are soon going to be selling computers and judging by some of your comments guys I think the packaging should carry the warning ‘MAYBE OPERATED BY NUTS’
Four Dinners · May 28, 2006 at 9:43 pm
Carrots packaged by nuts’d be nearer. There’s a takeaway van not far from here. I’ll speak to him about statin’ these keebabs do not contain nuts. Crap maybe, but no nuts.
Anonymous · May 29, 2006 at 5:23 am
Google…
Google news and reviews…
ellie · May 29, 2006 at 12:12 pm
After reading this post and all of the thoughtful comments, I went to my pantry to look for warning that should be there on my jar of peanut butter. It’s not there. I’m dismayed.
karilyn · May 29, 2006 at 12:39 pm
i wonder if a lunatic came into the room would he have to wear a t shitrt with “may be nuts”
Admin comment by Mr Angry · May 29, 2006 at 3:34 pm
ellie – there probably isn’t any nuts in it then.
Karilyn – it should be compulsory…
karilyn · May 29, 2006 at 6:28 pm
ps peanuts are not nuts but legumes as they grow underground
Devil's Kitchen · May 30, 2006 at 8:19 pm
“Doesn’t contain traces of fucking aubergine.” God, I hate those sodding vegetables…
DK
TJ · May 31, 2006 at 3:05 pm
As I work for a company that sells laxatives (should have tried harder at school)do I need to get on to our packaging people and make them add a cautionary note; WARNING: may make you shit?
Bryan Sosmaweif · June 5, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Just so you know, Asda Sparkling Mineral Water is “Suitable for Vegetarians”