With an eye on the food allergy community as a unique group of consumers since 2008, we're on a quest to find and share ways to continue enjoying the good things in life.


14 August 2010

Hey Hood Ice Cream People, What's with the Peanut Oil?


My children are now nine and six. The younger child is the one with the life threatening peanut and nut allergies. Like so many other families, the label checking and other precautions are a way of life for us. As we made our way through the supermarket the other day, I had them take turns locating and reading the ingredient/nutrition panels to practice looking for nuts and peanuts. I make homemade ice cream for my allergic son since his big reaction happened while eating ice cream, but I buy ice cream (with no nuts or peanuts) for my older, non-allergic son. I had my older son read the label on the Hood Green Monster Ice Cream even though it was clearly mint chocolate chip ice cream and I knew--or so I thought-- no nuts or peanuts are ever in mint chip ice cream. He read the ingredients in order: "MILKFAT AND NONFAT MILK, BUTTERMILK, FUDGE SWIRL, SUGAR, PEANUT OIL,..."

What?! Peanut oil? "Let me see that," I said. Yep, peanut oil. I was stunned. I know some people are comfortable with some peanut oils, but I am not. I don't want it in my house, in our bowls, etc. Our exercise in label reading turned out to be a great lesson because you never know what's in your food, especially if you don't read the label! Well, we put back the Hood Green Monster Ice Cream and got Friendly's Mint Cookies Collision ice cream instead. I discovered that Friendly's separates out the allergens on their nutrition panel, making it very easy to see which of the top 8 food allergens are ingredients. Hood does not make it easy to read, so be sure to read carefully! I always read past the separate allergen statements anyways, just to be safe, but this was a good reminder.

I must admit I am disappointed in Hood and will not purchase any Hood ice cream.

5 comments:

dannyscotland said...

A family friend's daughter has a very severe peanut allergy and they prefer Breyer's ice cream. It's all I buy for my own daughter. So far, we've been very fortunate that she has been able to eat some of it with no adverse effects. I can't believe they'd put peanut oil in ice cream....that just seems weird. I'm glad you caught it though.

Anonymous said...

Just discovered your blog. Enjoying it! Thanks for sharing your story!! Peanut oil in ice cream!? It's crazy what all they put in things.

Wondering, if you would be open to looking over my list of derivatives/ aliases for the allergies that your kids have, just to help me make sure it's comprehensive? I'm working on a tool for food allergy sufferers.

Kristy
kristy_swain@hotmail.com

Erin said...

I would never even think of peanut oil in Ice Cream. I too will not allow any kind of peanut in our home because of our daughter. Thank you for your reminder about label reading, you can never be too careful!

Libby said...

I know that peanut oil isn't supposed to contain the protein that causes the reaction...but until they figure out how to manufacture it in a peanut free facility, the stuff's not coming near my son!

(Seriously, how can there NOT be the potential for cross contamination with the source of the oil!!!)

Anonymous said...

I added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit mine and become a follower if you want to.

God Bless You ~Ron