Being allergic to peanuts doesn’t mean you have to forego your favorite fried foods. That’s because there’s no such thing as a peanut oil allergy. You do, however, have to differentiate between unrefined and refined peanut oil. The distinction between the two is very important and is the key to understanding why it’s okay to have peanut oil if you're allergic to peanuts. Refined peanut oil has been processed in such a way as to remove the proteins that cause reactions. Unrefined peanut oil does contain the protein that may cause allergic reactions and, therefore, should not be eaten by someone with a peanut allergy. Unrefined peanut oil can be recognized by its strong peanut flavor. If you have a peanut allergy and ingest unrefined gourmet or crude peanut oil, allergy symptoms may occur. The reaction is not to the peanut oil, but to the peanut proteins.
