Ask the allergist is a regular feature in our newsletters where Canadian allergists answer your questions!
Please note: The allergists featured in this series answer questions on general topics, please talk to your doctor if you have questions about your own health or the health of your child.
This month, we asked Dr. Julia Upton a question about baking allergens.
Someone in my household has peanut allergy. If I bake peanut butter cookies, do peanut allergens stay in the oven and in the air afterwards? Can I use the oven again safely?
Sometimes food proteins can become airborne during different cooking methods, such as boiling, frying or steaming. This can happen with foods like fish and shellfish, though not usually with peanut. Even so, inhaling food proteins is an uncommon way to experience a food allergen.
To help manage cross-contamination in the kitchen, clean all equipment, utensils, and surfaces after use. Oven use would not typically pose a significant risk, however, you can discuss with your allergist if the person in your household is thought to require extra precautionary measures.
Learn more
Dr. Julia Upton is on staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in the Immunology and Allergy Department; and an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and is a member of our Healthcare Advisory Board.
Please note: Dr. Upton is answering as an individual allergist and her answers do not constitute an official position of her affiliated organizations. Her responses are for informational purposes only and do not constitute specific medical advice, recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Please talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you may have regarding your own health or the health of your child.
Do you have a food allergy-related question you’d like to ask an allergist? If so, send it along to us at info@foodallergycanada.ca.
Tags: ask the allergist, Baking, peanut allergy