Some airlines have stopped serving peanuts on board due to allergy fears
Cheryl Chan/Getty Images
There is no strong evidence that people with peanuts allergies They are at risk of a severe reaction because of other people eating peanuts and allergens circulating in the air while on a plane. The same is expected to happen with other types of nuts and foods that people tend to be allergic to.
People with food allergies may experience symptoms such as rashes, nausea, and shortness of breath after exposure to allergens through eating, skin contact, or inhalation. In severe cases, this can cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis, which can cause swelling of the throat, dizziness and more severe breathing difficulties.
Some airlines have banned the sale of nuts on flights and their staff run announcements asking passengers not to eat them if they know someone on board has an allergy.
To examine the evidence behind the inhalation hazard, Paul Turner At Imperial College London and his colleagues focused on peanuts, analyzing the results of five studies.
One study looked for peanut particles in air samples from commercial flights where the snack was served. The researchers found none in nearly all of the samples collected. That’s because these planes have filters that remove airborne peanut particles before they circulate through the cabin, Turner says.
The exception was air samples collected immediately around the tray table where the peanuts were being consumed, but those allergens were at low levels, probably not enough to cause an allergic reaction, Turner says.
Four other studies looked at airborne allergen levels while people ate or shelled peanuts, either in their homes or in a laboratory. They also found very low levels of the allergen within half a meter of where someone was scattering or eating peanuts. At most, this would cause mild allergic reactions, such as watery eyes, Turner says.
But higher levels of the allergen were found in the seats, trays and floor of the first study plane. Cleaning those surfaces would likely remove much of the risk, says Turner, whose team is working with UK airlines to make flying safer for people with allergies.
The same results likely apply to other allergens, such as other nuts, shellfish and eggs, Turner says.
“This report summarizes what has been well established for years, that peanuts are very unlikely to be aerosolized and are an airborne hazard for travelers,” he says. Matthew Greenhawt at the University of Colorado.
Topics:
