Infant nut risk prompts call for packaging warnings

The danger of suffocation for infants from swallowing nuts is far higher than that from toys, said the German risk body as it called for warnings to be printed on food packaging.

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, BfR, said its research had found that foreign objects swallowed the wrong way by young children were often nuts, particularly peanuts. The group said the risk of swallowing nuts or pieces of nuts which reach the respiratory tract is “significantly higher than the risk of infants swallowing small parts of toys the wrong way”. Their shape, compact size and oily surface mean they can reach the windpipe and penetrate the deeper areas of the airways more easily than other foods.

BfR President Professor Dr Andreas Hensel said: “Warnings like ‘Caution. Nuts can reach children’s airways’ should, therefore, be printed on the packaging of nuts.”

Foreign objects swallowed the wrong way can reach the respiratory tract, causing health problems and in extreme incidences suffocation, said the BfR. The body says this is the reason why toys have to carry a cautionary label. At present, there is no such labelling obligation for nuts.