Only choose organic nuts after checking the certification on the exact pack. Then decide whether a single variety or a mix is better for your breakfast and shared supply. For an office supply, clear allergen information and airtight, dry storage are important. A mix containing Brazil nuts is not a basis for an unlimited daily portion.
You buy for a shared supply and want to know which types of nuts it contains, how to make product information available and how to store the nuts. For food supplied as part of a business, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the requirements for allergen information.
You’re looking for organic, unsalted nuts to enjoy with breakfast and want to choose the mix yourself. Words such as ‘natural’ or ‘unroasted’ alone don’t tell you whether a product is certified organic.
You don’t want to open more than you’ll use at once and are looking for a pack that suits your rate of use and the available airtight, dry storage space.
First, check the organic designation on the exact product variant. Then compare the ingredients, allergen information and packaging with how the nuts will be used in the office.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Organic origin | For the exact variant, check the EU organic logo, the control body’s code number and the indication of agricultural origin. | If I want to be sure the nuts are certified organic, I check the packaging rather than relying on words such as ‘pure’ or ‘unroasted’. Around 29% of consumers prioritise verifiable organic origin. |
| Sharing allergen information | Read the ingredients and warnings about the possible presence of other allergens, and keep the product information with the supply. | If colleagues help themselves from a shared tin, I want them to be able to check which nuts it contains. Around 29% of consumers prioritise allergen information when food is shared. |
| Breakfast ingredients | Check whether the nuts are unsalted and which varieties are in the mix. If you eat them regularly, also check whether it contains Brazil nuts. | If I add nuts to my breakfast, I want to choose between a single variety and a mix. Around 21% of consumers prioritise control over what goes into their breakfast. |
| Packaging and storage | Choose a pack size that suits how quickly you’ll use it, and store the nuts airtight and dry. Don’t assume every tin seals well enough. | If the supply is used slowly, I don’t want to open more than necessary and want to store the nuts appropriately. Around 21% of consumers focus mainly on supply size and storage conditions. |
Organic certification doesn’t mean a product is free from nut allergens. Even a product containing just one type of nut may carry a warning about the possible presence of other allergens.
Read the ingredients and warnings for the exact variant, and keep that information available when sharing the product.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, Brazil nuts are high in selenium. You can’t work out an exact safe daily amount from the percentage of Brazil nuts in a mix.
So don’t present a mix containing Brazil nuts as something people can eat or refill without limit.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing nuts airtight and dry. A larger supply is only practical if you can store it properly after opening.
Choose an amount that suits how quickly you’ll use it, and check that the storage space and packaging seal well.
The product information for AH Organic Unroasted Nut Mix describes a 350 g mix to snack on or add to yoghurt.
Jumbo Organic Unroasted Almonds 175 g are an option if you want to choose a single type of nut.
PLUS describes an organic, unroasted and unsalted nut mix in a 150 g tub.
These product picks include a loose nut mix and a nut mix bar. If you’re buying organic, check the labels on the exact packaging.
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A good fit if you’re looking for an unroasted, unsalted nut mix for the office. Check the organic labelling on the packaging before choosing it as certified organic.
The ingredients list hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and cashews. The product information states that it may contain traces of peanuts.
Store in a cool, dry place and seal the pack well after opening.
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This is a nut mix bar for a snack, not a loose nut mix for a shared tin. If certification is a requirement, check the organic labelling on the exact packaging.
The ingredients list includes agave syrup, raisins, peanuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds, among other ingredients. The product information warns that it may contain traces of other nuts.
The pack contains 75 g; store in a cool, dry place.
No. ‘Unroasted’ describes how the nuts have been processed; organic certification relates to their production and processing. Check the organic labelling on the exact packaging.
Only use the tin if you can keep the nuts airtight and dry in it, and keep the original product information with them. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends cool storage, for example at 10 to 15 °C. Having a lid doesn’t, on its own, prove that a tin is suitable for these conditions.
When food is supplied to consumers as part of a business, such as catering, the allergen information must make clear which types of nuts are included. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out these information requirements; they don’t automatically apply as a legal obligation to every private supply shared between colleagues.
The European Commission states that the EU organic logo may only be used for products certified as organic by a recognised control authority or control body. Pre-packed foods produced in the EU and sold as organic must meet the logo requirements, including the control body’s code number and an indication of agricultural origin.
Don’t use this as standard advice. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a handful of Brazil nuts alone may contain more selenium than the tolerable upper intake level. Selenium levels also depend on the soil, so the proportion of Brazil nuts in a mix doesn’t tell you an exact safe daily amount.
