Ont. school board bans peanut butter substitute

The Thames Valley school board is taking some heat for banning peanut butter substitutes from its schools.

Peanuts and nut products are not allowed in Ontario schools because some children suffer from severe nut allergies.

But the president of a company that has developed a safe peanut butter substitute says the London, Ont., school district is the only jursidiction to take issue with his product.

Scott McMahon says WowButter, produced by Hilton Soy Foods in nearby Perth County, is safe and parents he's talked to are upset with the school board.  He's urging them to fight back,

In a letter to principals the board's educator director Bill Tucker specifically named WowButter for creating confusion with real peanut butter.

Tucker says lunch time in many schools is chaotic and is isn't possible for teachers and lunchroom supervisors to distinguish between sandwiches made of peanut butter and a peanut butter substitute.