Burlap Bags & Peanut Allergy

While peanut allergies are usually associated with food consumption, there are many other challenges this life-threatening allergy presents. There are many non-edible substances, like burlap bags, that can create an allergic reaction in someone with a peanut allergy. Since peanut allergies can be a life-threatening allergy, you should avoid burlap bags that have peanut residue in them to prevent a possible allergic reaction.

Burlap Bags Can House Peanut Products

• Burlap bags are a great way to store dry goods like birdseed. Unfortunately, birdseed can contain peanuts as a filler. This fact makes a burlap bag dangerous for someone who has a peanut allergy. The peanut in the birdseed can transfer to the bag and, if a person with a peanut allergy picks the bag up and accidentally picks up some peanut residue, the burlap bag can create an allergic reaction.

Burlap Bags Can Cause a Life-Threatening Reaction

• Once the peanut-allergic person touches the burlap bag and possible peanut residue comes into contact with his skin, an allergic reaction can quickly take place. Even worse, any peanut residue that might be transferred to the person's hand and then transferred to his mouth can create a life-threatening reaction. An awareness of where peanut dust and residue might be needs to be in the forefront of the mind of anyone who has a peanut allergy.

Care Should Be Taken with Burlap Bags

• Since peanuts and items containing peanuts can be stored in burlap bags, a peanut-allergic individual must take great care when around a burlap bag. While the bag might not contain peanuts at the moment, there is a very real possibility that it did at some point, since burlap bags are a popular item to reuse due to their extreme durability.
  In addition, anyone who will interact with someone with a peanut allergy should also take a fair amount of care to avoid peanut residue, as they could transfer it to the peanut-allergic individual.

Burlap Bags Frequently Store Peanuts

• In addition to burlap bags storing birdseed or other substances, they are also frequently used to store peanuts. They serve as a great way to transport peanuts, but this creates a problem for those who have peanut allergy. The burlap itself is a woven fabric that allows peanut dust to remain trapped in the bag itself long after the peanuts are gone.

Burlap Bags are Reusable

• As our society moves toward a more earth-friendly and recycling mentality, it is important to note the possibility of danger that burlap bags pose to someone with a peanut allergy. Just because a burlap bag does not currently contain peanuts does not mean it has not at one point and peanut dust is left behind.
  It is important to remember when reusing a burlap bag the danger it can pose to someone with a peanut allergy.