Guide
Tree nut allergen labeling: name the nut
US packs must name the specific tree nut — almond, pecan, walnut, cashew, pistachio, hazelnut, Brazil nut, macadamia, coconut — not only “nuts”. Pine nuts are not on FDA’s tree-nut list for FALCPA, which surprises people who treat every seed as a tree nut.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
US packs must name the specific tree nut — almond, pecan, walnut, cashew, pistachio, hazelnut, Brazil nut, macadamia, coconut — not only “nuts”. Pine nuts are not on FDA’s tree-nut list for FALCPA, which surprises people who treat every seed as a tree nut.
Where this shows up in a real kitchen
US bakeries miss coconut in macaroons and coconut aminos, almond flour in “keto” cookies, and pecan pieces in a granola cluster that the front calls “maple crunch”. A mixed-nut bar that says Contains: nuts has not finished the job.
The US rule
Tree nuts are a FALCPA major allergen and are labeled by type. FDA’s tree-nut list includes coconut. Peanuts are a separate major allergen (legume). Pine nuts are labeled as an ingredient but are not the FALCPA tree-nut category. Name each nut that is actually in the recipe.
How to apply it
Break “nut mix” into almonds, cashews, pecans. Declare coconut milk as coconut. Keep peanut butter on the peanut line. If you rotate walnuts for pecans by price, the label rotates the same day — no “and/or walnuts and/or pecans” as a permanent hedge unless both can truly be present and you label honestly.
- List each tree nut in the formula, including coconut and flours.
- Put those names in the ingredients and Contains.
- Keep peanuts on their own major-allergen line.
- Reissue labels when the nut mix changes.
Worked example
Pecan sandies, 6 oz box: enriched wheat flour (wheat), butter (milk), pecans, sugar, eggs. Contains: wheat, milk, pecan, egg. Coconut is not in the recipe. A holiday version with almond extract that is true almond still needs almond if the extract carries the allergen — read the spec rather than assuming “natural flavor” is empty.
Checks that belong on this pack
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Coconut is named when used | FDA’s tree-nut list includes it. |
| Contains: pecan, not Contains: nuts | Type is the rule. |
| Almond flour is not hiding as “low-carb flour” | Flour type is an allergen name. |
| Peanut is not filed under tree nuts | Different major allergen. |
A permanent “Contains: tree nuts” on every SKU
Only the nuts that are ingredients belong in Contains. Blanket nut lines train customers to ignore you and fail FALCPA specificity.
What LabelClear can and cannot print
Paste pecan, almond, coconut and walnut by name. The UK word “nuts” is not specific enough for a US Contains line.
Questions
Are shea and cocoa tree nuts?
What about nut oils?
Is nutmeg a tree nut?
Official sources
Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.
- Food allergiesU.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA)U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Food Labeling GuideU.S. Food and Drug Administration
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