People with peanut allergies considered as Butler County Fair food vendors avoid using peanut oil

That is roughly 3 million to 6 million people.

Carol Bullen, owner of Bullen’s food based out of Xenia, Ohio, runs the “Fresh Cut French Fries” stand near the grand stands where she offers corn dogs, french fries, chicken sandwiches, fried cheese and fried pickles.

In the 30 years of running her concession business, her food has never been cooked in peanut oil.

Bullen said she stayed away from the oil because of allergies.

“That’s our main thing. Like, I use fully cooked chicken because I don’t want to hurt anybody, so I do anything that’s going to help the public, because you don’t know the reaction after somebody goes home,” she said. “And you don’t want it to be from your trailer.”

Vendors don’t shy away from peanut oil simply because of allergies, either.

Some don’t use it because of it’s higher flash point — the temperature at which the oil will ignite if exposed to a flame — than other oils. Others stay away because of preference.

Donut Spot owner Terri Niederman has used a lard based oil since opening in 2009.

However, she said Michelle Obama’s health kick influenced her to switch her oil to soy.

“It took me a little while to find what I liked, because a couple of them were, I’m sorry, but they were disgusting,” Niederman said.

Even though Niederman doesn’t use peanut oil, she does offer products with peanuts on them.

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