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Posted: Jun 23rd, 2008 at 04:55 pm     

My son�s preschool is currently peanut-free and doesn�t allow items with the cautionary labels, �May contain traces of, Processed in the same facility, etc.� I was told by the director of the school last week that other parents are pushing to get rid of the rule against bring in items with cautionary warning.

The school has around 300 students and ranges from 3 months to 6 years of age. The children bring in their own lunches, parents bring in the morning snack and the school provides the afternoon snack. The parents also bring in ingredients for class cooking projects.

I found the below articles that talk about the study how consumers are ignoring the cautionary warnings and the reality that the items have a 10% containing peanuts.

http://www.aaaai.org/AADMC/CURRENTLITERATURE/SELECTEDARTICLES/2007archive/consumer_attitudes.html

http://aapgrandrounds.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/18/6/68

http://www.aaaai.org/media/news_releases/2008/03/030508e.asp

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0091674907007610

Does anyone have any links to other research that shows that an item has cautionary warning is should be avoided? Has anyone else had this discussion with their school and have any suggestions?

I know the advisory warnings are viewed by some as legal protection for the company rather than an actual warning of true contamination. Threshold dosing studies have identified the most sensitive individuals reacting to as little as 0.25 mg peanut protein and 10% of those items with cautionary warnings actually may contain. I am really concerned about the younger children who may accept an item they believe is safe.

FYI: My kids bring their own snacks, lunch, cup cakes and know not to take food from anyone unless I have given the okay. The only issues I have had are with the weekly cooking projects but that is another story . .