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.
As the weather grows colder, fireplaces are used more often. This month, we’re revisiting a question answered by Dr. Julia Upton on tree nut allergy and burning wood in fireplaces.
I’ve heard that if you have an allergy to tree nuts, you need to be careful with the wood burned in your fireplace as it can trigger symptoms. Is this true?
The burning of regular wood in a fireplace would not be expected to pose a risk to people with tree nut allergy.
There may be some risk of aerosolized tree nut (nut protein getting into the air) with fire starters and fire logs. These types of logs are made of multiple materials and can contain sawdust, fibres, oils, seeds, and other ingredients which may include tree nut shells.
The allergic risk of burning a log containing tree nut shells in a well-ventilated fireplace is unknown and likely low, however, some manufacturers have included an allergen alert on their product. You can check the product packaging or contact the manufacturer for this type of information. If you still have doubts about a product, the safe choice is to avoid using it.
Do you have a food allergy-related question you’d like to ask an allergist in the months to come? If so, send it along to us at info@foodallergycanada.ca.
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.
Tags: ask the allergist, fireplace, tree nut allergy