New hypoallergenic peanuts could bring the salty snacks back to airplanes and school cafeterias
Navigating a world with peanut allergies can be… well, nuts.Even if you’re not the one who’s allergic.More than six million Americans have a food allergy, and peanuts are the third-most common allergen.
And it doesn’t just impact those who can’t eat it: Because reactions can be deadly, peanut-free policies and other restrictions are common in places like schools and restaurants.But a Minnesota-based startup is developing a new “hypoallergenic” peanut that could bring the salty snack back to hospitals, planes, cafeterias and restaurants without causing allergic reactions.Nurtured Nuts CEO Bryant Williams sought to remove three of the clinically relevant proteins found in peanuts — RH2, RH6, and RH7 — that can cause a severe allergic reaction by modifying peanut DNA using CRISPR.The result is a peanut that is hypoallergenic, not allergen-free.That means the nut isn’t meant to be eaten by people with severe peanut allergies, but rather that it could be consumed in communal spaces without posing the same risk to people with severe allergies.Currently, Nurtured Nuts has a clinical study underway in a major hospital to compare allergic reactions when people with peanut allergies are exposed to normal peanuts versus its hypoallergenic alternative.In late 2025, the USDA approved Nurtured Nuts’ application to grow and propagate its peanut seeds in Georgia.
The company is currently working on gaining FDA approval to prove that its hypoallergenic nut is safe to eat, which may come as early as 2027.From there, the nut could enter the market via restaurants, cafeterias or hospitals, though the exact timeline is still unclear, Williams says, due to ongoing conversations with potential partners who have different visions for products.Either way, a hypoallergenic nut could make it easier for communal spaces to serve peanuts without putting people with severe allergies in as much risk.For example, last summer Texas Roadhouse quietly started serving peanuts in...