Mets And Yankees Offering Peanut-Free Seats To Fans

Peanut-free sections have been popping up at baseball stadiums across the country for some time.

Now, fans of the Mets and Yankees with peanut allergies can breathe a sigh of relief, as the two teams have announced nut-free seating for this upcoming season, the New York Post reports.

But the idea is not entirely new to either of the teams. Last year, the Yankees offered a peanut-free suite at two games, and this year they'll be designating similar sections based on need expressed by fans.

For the Mets, this will be the second year in a row the team offers enclosed suites with power washed seats and a peanut-free menu for allergic fans.

Other big league teams to introduce peanut-free sections include the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres, according to Reuters.

The moves comes in response to a growing number of young people with food allergies.

According to CNN, a 2011 study found that eight percent of children under 18 in the U.S. have at least one food allergy with peanuts being the most commong, followed by milk and shellfish.

While some food allergy sufferers might experience only a mild irritation, others can have much more serious and even fatal reactions to consumption of, or exposure to, certain foods.