Pillsbury products choose not to include \"trace of peanuts or treenuts\" on labels

Well, I spent last evening and this morning finishing up what I was going to write.

I hit submit topic and lost everything I had typed. Maybe that was a hint for me to shorten it. Hmmm! Here goes again!

My 23 mo. old son is PA.
My newborn son was born just a little over 6 weeks ago and I am breastfeeding him.

While pregnant and nursing, our allergist recommended me to stay away from nuts/peanuts because that COULD potentially pose a risk to my newborn and trigger an PA in him. I know that many forms of chocolate also have peanuts/tree nuts used as ingredients in the chocolate. (I used to eat candy bars all of the time and now I don't get to eat any of them--major craving here)

I did a great job staying away from them while pregnant. It's quite easy to when you have to avoid them anyway having a PA child.
House is cleared of them. WE don't order or buy any products that say they even have a trace amount of peanut/nut in them. I appreciate companies who DO list this on the label. (i.e....Nestle)

My husband purchased some cookie dough the other day from Pillsbury. Chocolate chip cookie dough in the refrigerated section.
I always double check the label when he brings something like that home because a few times he somehow misread the label and thought something was peanut/nut free and lo and behold...it wasn't. So, I checked the label myself and nothing was listed.

Cool! A brand of cookie dough I can feel safe with. WE indulged (while our kids were sleeping). I only had two and a half cookies but boy was it some kind of party in my tummy having some chocolate. I have craved it the whole pregnancy. Now that I am nursing I have wanted a little bit of chocolate but hadn't found anything I felt safe enough to eat until along came this cookie dough.

WOW! I was so excited! The next day I even helped myself to a little bit of cookie dough. Okay! I always liked cookie dough and there wasn't any time to bake them so I ate a little. Feeling like that satisfied my chocolate craving for the moment I decided I could stop.

Our 5th yr. anniversary is tomorrow. We are going to enjoy a weekend with one another and my mother will watch two of our kids (including the PA son) and I will take my nursing newborn.

I have been storing up milk for the trip in case I want to enjoy a little chocolate or drink while away. That way there would be no chance that my newborn would get a tummy ache from the chocolate and no chance of getting any trace amounts of nut/peanut from something I ate that could unknowingly contain some. So, feeling all prepared for this weekend I decided to call Nestle and Pillsbury. I wanted to know MORE products
that didn't have any peanut/nut in them.

I called Nestle. They assured me that if the label DOESN'T include peanut/nut in the ingredients panel or say "may contain traces amounts of peanut/nut" I would be totally safe to eat it. I was very relieved and feel very assured that I can use their products and not worry.

I called Pillsbury. After numerous times of being put on hold, the lady finally took the UPC code off the cookie dough I had eaten. I don't know why I even was questioning her other than I guess I wanted her to look at that label and confirm what I had read and be able to tell me other products like that they didn't have the nut/peanut in them.

She said, "You're right! This doesn't list peanut or nut as an ingredient! " I had explained to her about the severity of my PA child's situation. She even said that she is milk intolerant and it can cause the same reaction in her if she comes into contact with any mild product.

Feeling as if we were on the "same page" I indicated to her that I was so happy that I had finally found a cookie dough that didn't even contain a trace of peanut/nut.

She said, "Wait a minute! I didn't say that it didn't contain a trace of peanut or nut. I said that the label didn't list it as an ingredient. There could be trace amounts in the product. WE just don't list possible trace amounts because we are not required to!"

WHAT! Excuse me! Did I just hear you say that the cookie dough I felt so safe eating
MAY contain traces of peanut/nut in it and you didn't put it on the label. Do you know that I would have NEVER eaten it at all while nursing my baby or being here in my house where my PA child plays if I had known that there may even be a TRACE AMOUNT!?!?!?!

You tell me! How would that make you feel, mam. If you are milk intolerant and severely so and you thought you could trust a reputable company like PILLSBURY to list this for you if there was even a chance of a trace amount of milk product and you found out that they just don't list it for no particular good reason. Let's say you had
a severe attack after eating something they made that didn't include it on the label?
I think you would be feeling about the same way I am right now. SCARED AND NERVOUS because I accidentally, unknowingly ingested something that could have a trace amount of peanut/nut and have now exposed my newborn to it all last night and today breastfeeding him.

Let's also say that my child who is PA or any other child who is PA can read. He/she has been taught to read labels very carefully. Cool! They say....this cookie dough or this candy bar doesn't list peanuts/nuts on the label. There is nothing on the label that says it could even contain a trace amount. So my PA kid or your PA kid feeds it to them feeling safe.

Let's say it really did contain trace amounts and guess what...now we are on the way to the hospital with an emergency life threatening situation on our hands because you all choose not to include this information on the label.

UN-FREAKING-believeable! I was so upset! I was nervous too. My 23 mo. old son who has the PA is so allergic that he can't be touched or kissed by anyone who has come into contact with even a trace amount of peanut/nut without them washing up first.

What if I had gone into his room in the middle of the night like I always do and kiss him again or brush my hand against his face without knowing what I know now?

I unknowingly put our 2 sons in danger. The 23 month old and my newborn. The only problem here is that I never would even have this problem or concern/worry if Pillsbury thought enough about the children/adults in this world who do have to deal with PA on a daily/moment by moment basis.

Are you feeling a little nervous yourself?
Maybe you are a nursing or pregnant mommy and you've thought you were safe all of the time with Pillsbury products. Maybe you work for Pillsbury and could help make a difference.

The lady claimed, " Who knows, maybe Pillsbury may choose to start including TRACE AMOUNT labeling in the next couple of years."

Couple of years? Mam, I guess I am going to have to Pillsbury products off my shopping list for the next "????" however many years it's going to take for your company to realize how extremely important this is.
Is Pillsbury willing to include this no matter the cost? Anyone who doesn't have a PA child or isn't PA themselves would think ....well, it would only cost a few more pennies extra to include this info. on the label.

No! It will cost way more than that! It may COST someone's life if they don't choose to spend the few extra pennies it would take to include this on their labeling.

Hmmm! Let's weigh this out!

A few pennies extra spent per product or the COST of someone's life with a huge lawsuit against the company. Tell me...what do you think?

I can't believe this craziness. Especially from such a reputable company like Pillsbury. I might expect this from an off-brand company/product but from Pillsbury!!???!!?!??!?!

Maybe you've experienced this from another company and can let us all know WHO they are so we can avoid their companies products until they get smart in their HEARTS and start including it on their labels.

Maybe you are a pregnant mommy with/without a PA child already and had never heard that you are supposed to stay away from nuts/peanuts while pregnant or nursing just like me.

Maybe you are another adult/parent who deals with PA everyday and has the same fears I do.

Whoever has some concerns like me, comments or suggestions, I would like to hear from you! YES, YOU!

Please...I want to know that someone out there hears my "Cry for help!" I want to know what you know about things like this.

Maybe you work for Pillsbury and can make a difference in the LIFE of a PA child/PA adult or a PA family just by passing this on.

I am waiting to hear from you!

---momomom