Often I get asked about the risk of protein from peanuts, tree nuts or seeds becoming aerosolized, thus leading to a severe allergic reaction.

How many of you have been asked if you carry any of those when boarding a plane, as there is someone severely allergic to one of them?

I have spent many hours trying to explain to airline staff that there is no danger and asking if they have cleaned their planes in between flights to prevent protein transfer. The reason being this IS why people get an allergic reaction.

Naturally, I have been told they have to follow the rules and totally discard my opinion on the matter.
I have written to airlines, discussing the above and have never received a reply.
They don’t want to accept their guilt in the process and don’t want to acknowledge research based evidence.

So let me start with the best evidence possible.

• The most interesting one was made in 2013 by H Brough, from St Thomas Hospital London, showing that shelling a peanut the dust would go highest at 1cm above it. They managed to show minute amounts (4.7 nanograms) 1m above it. As soon as shelling stopped, no residual levels could be found at any height. The conclusion was that it is highly unlikely that particles will remain in the air.
• To note that in 2016, Jin et al. replicated the same test, but this time inside an actual aeroplane.

So far, there is no evidence of dust or protein being released from eating already shelled peanuts or tree nuts.
Jin et al. also proved the existence of Ara h2 (one of the main peanut proteins) on the uncleaned surfaces of the aeroplane.
As such, the only chance of it getting aerosolized is if someone near you sneezes or coughs at you while eating whatever you are allergic to.