Chic-fil-A

I have never had my son eat at Chic-Fil-A because I was always told by them that they used peanut oil. You were right that you cannot always trust workers to give you the right answer. Just this past week, we went out to eat at a Golden Corral buffet. We eat there fairly regularly; however, we have always avoided anything fried for my son because all of their fried items (chicken, okra, shrimp) contain egg in the batter. Well, for the first time in many of our visits they were serving french fries, which my son LOVES. I almost gave it to him thinking that a place like Golden Corral would never use peanut oil as it is more expensive. But, I asked the waitress who sent me back to the kitchen. The cook did not know but thought it was canola. I said "could you please go back and visibly check?" Well, he had a hard time finding a container and a younger cook came out and said that no, they didn't use peanut oil. For some reason, I didn't trust him. I waited for the other cook. He came back and and said that they used a blended oil which did, indeed, have a very small amount of peanut oil in it. Thank god I asked and I'm glad I didn't trust the first bozo.
Christine

We used to eat at Chick-fil-A all the time and my PA son never had any problem. Our first allergist had told us that peanut oil was fine. I didn't know at the time that they were using peanut oil. Now...having learned a lot more on my own (and here!) I no longer let him have any peanut oil at all. I would be too nervous at this point to take that kind of chance.

I have a friend that used to work at Chick-fil-A and I know for sure that they use peanut oil. We went to one in Colorado, but I didn't eat. While we were there a family with a PA child came in and asked about the oil. The staff seemed very well trained and informed her on the spot that they did use peanut oil. I don't know which type they use (cold or hot pressed) but I would stay away regardless.

Just attended a FAN Conference today and Dr. Robert Wood of Johns Hopkins University Hospital (and PA himself), spoke specifically about peanut oil. Although the processing that peanut oil undergoes in the US usually eliminates the peanut allergen, there is the possibility that a minute amount will remain, therefore he does not recommend anyone take the chance and allow a PA child to eat ANYTHING fried in peanut oil. I guess it is a little like Russian roulette - you might not react the first 99 times but the 100th ... We don't take any chances with our son.

Regarding french fries and other fried foods. I have always been afraid that other foods may be cooked in the same oil (even if it's safe oil canola...) because we also have an egg allergy and if breaded foods with egg are in the oil, the fries can be cross contaminated! I watch the fries at McDonald's and they ONLY do fried in that vat of safe oil. If you have multiple allergies be aware of what else is cooked!

Thanks for all your replies! I will not take my son to Chic-Fil-A anymore despite his history of no reactions. You're right: The next visit could be the one where he does react. Safe or not safe, it's not worth the risk.

Thanks again for making this a simple decision for me!

Our allergist also said stay away from anything cooked in peanut oil because you never know if all the allergen has been denatured. He did not want me to take the chance and, believe me, I wouldn't have. I did ask an employee about peanut oil at Chic-fil-A and she said, "Yes, we do cook in Peanut oil but it is the safe kind." Excuse me, but when we talk about a peanut allergy, I don't feel I can take that chance even on the "safe kind".

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Tammy Lynn

The posts on this thread are almost three years old. Time certainly flies... Has anyone had any additional experience with Chik-fil-A? My PA DD will never go near it even though the chicken is cooked in the refined, supposedly protein-free peanut oil. But I am wondering whether their products should be banned from our peanut-free school.

a few years ago we took the girls (both PA) to chik-fil-a fairly often with no reactions. since at least one of them is very sensitive, i was really shocked when i discovered everything was fried in peanut oil. so...no...we never had any reactions from eating there but we also don't go there anymore just in case. joey

Well, our little 19 month old gets contact reactions when we eat there. She doesn't eat any of the food whatsoever, but whenever we have, she gets a certain flare to her exzema. It took a while and several times for me to be sure that's what was happening, but I can say now that the oil that remains on our hands (and then we touch her and the things around us), does make her have a mild reaction. I guess stranger things have happened, but since we've discovered that she was initially sensitized through daily use of peanut oil in a medical product, it would make sense that she would also react to it. Allergist has confirmed this as well.

For what it's worth, we found out after much searching, that the compound we were told to use on her from 7 months or so on to cure the severe exzema on her scalp was fluocinolone suspended in PEANUT OIL. I asked her allergist if that could have triggered the allergy, and she said yes. It was sitting on open skin for four hours per day under occlusive dressings, so yup, there's the trigger of her allergy. So I guess it would make sense that she would react to peanut oil that most others don't react to.

Vanessa

I also found out about chik fila by word of mouth. I was really upset that they didn't have it printed anywhere (2yrs ago) so I contacted the company. I did get a nice response back from them and it makes me feel a lot better since you said they now have it printed on their packaging.

Hi There,
I,too, was a big chick-fil-A eater with my children until I found out what they used. My son had not eaten there yet but I had asked for my DD when she wanted to eat there.
Also, I am not sure how wide spread the restaurant "HOUSTONS" is,(an upscale Friday's type rest.) but they use peanut oil to fry chips and chicken fingers. They manager had said that it was a delicate peanut oil,(LOL) as if that would reassure me!

I am wondering if that would be the cold compressed kind???
It's very frustrating........

Take care,
Ginger

The Chik-Fil-A in Denver used to have a little sign in the middle of their menu that read: We Fry in Peanut Oil. The Steak Escape had the same sign. I say used to because I have moved - not because they took the sign down [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

It used to make me nervous just walking past those places!

I am so sad to read earlier in this thread about Golden Coral - we are just now finally getting one in our area, and was really looking forward to it - We'll have to see how it goes.

You'd think Chik-fil-A could find a different oil to fry their foods!! Looks like another letter writing campaign!

Quote:Originally posted by Momma Kitty:
[b]You'd think Chik-fil-A could find a different oil to fry their foods!! Looks like another letter writing campaign![/b]

They have always fried their food in peanut oil and millions of people love it that way and have no problems with PA. A wiser track would be avoidance... especially since they now at least LABEL properly. I'd save the letter writing for the companies that DON'T disclose peanuts in their ingredients... there are still soooo many of them.

~Melanie

We do not eat there as there are no chains in the Midwest, but I couldn't do it. I read the studies too regarding cold/vs cooked peanut oil...but personally I would stay far away.

This has been a very helpful thread for me. At first when we found out about my dd allergy I checked anytime we ate to make sure no peanut oil was used. I seemed to find that it was mostly used in the more expensive places. I will now check fast food/inexpensive places as carefully as I check other restaurants. Thank you!

Kelseymom

Interesting that this is brought back up this week.

I just wrote to Chick-fil-a and asked if there was anything in the works to change oil. It took two replies to get one that was relevant to my question. The first reply was answering my letter "regarding your concern about our hydrogenated oils and your child's nutrition". I wrote back and asked for a "real" response instead of a form letter.

You'll see that they are actually using International Food Information Council Foundation as a reference as well as FAAN. Anyone heard of that Foundation? Wonder who funds them. I want to know if this guy would let his child eat the food in this "safe" peanut oil...I somehow doubt it.

Here's the email I received...

Dear Mrs. Sxxxxxx:

Please accept our apologies for any misunderstanding conveyed in our previous response. We have fully researched this issue and we hope that the following information addresses your concerns and question about our use of peanut oil.

We have exclusively used refined (heat processed) peanut oil to cook our chicken products since our founder created the Chick-fil-A sandwich in the 1960s. He found it to be the purest oil to use, which was both healthy and better tasting to our customers. Because there was understandable concern, we began, in 1999, labeling our foil bags and nugget boxes informing customers of our use of peanut oil.

*From International Food Information Council Foundation -
Q. Are oils derived from foods that can cause allergy, such as peanut oil, also allergenic?
A. Not usually. Most commercial oils such as peanut oil are highly refined (hot solvent extracted), which removes protein from the product. These types of oil are most commonly used in commercial food preparation. Since it is protein in allergenic foods that causes food allergy, highly refined oils are non allergenic, research has shown that individuals with a severe peanut allergy have not had reactions to heat processed oils. However, people with a food allergy should avoid

I did a quick search on the IFIC...here's a statement from their website that I found very telling:

"IFIC is supported primarily by the broad-based food, beverage and agricultural industries."

Gee I wonder if the peanut industry has made any donations to them????

Maddy

My 16 year old daughter is peanut allergic and has eaten Chick-fil-a for 14 years. This has always been my childrens favorite fast food and I felt it was maybe a little healthier than others. Her high school serves Chick-fil-a chicken bisquits 2 mornings a week, and she usually has one. She has never had a reaction to anything she has eaten at Chick-fil-a. She has had other reactions to cross contamination, but never from Chick-fil-a. Her doctor considers her to have a life threating allergy, but usually her reaction is to vomit violently within minutes of eating something that has peanuts/cross-contamination.
I believe each family has to do what is best for their child. This family still eats at Chick-fil-a.

raising for Susanhopes