The continued problems caused by allergies hit another hiatus this week in the UK when the owner and manager of an Indian takeaway were found guilty of manslaughter through gross negligence following the death of a teenager in 2016. Megan Lee, 15, died from a takeaway in Lancashire. A friend ordered though the service Just Eat and had pointed out their allergy to nuts and prawns; but the food that arrived was later found to have had a “widespread presence” of peanut protein. Megan died on New Year’s Day 2017, having suffered irreversible brain damage caused by an asthma attack.
The crown Prosecutor said, “The law required the two men to take reasonable steps to ensure customer safety and to provide food that was not harmful.” This they failed to do, infact the company and the defendants admitted that the takeaway was even found guilty of failing to discharge a general duty of employers, contrary to the Health and Safety at Work Act, and another count of failing to put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures in contravention of European Union food safety regulations. The two men are facing prison and will be sentenced in November.
I have been trying to find any record of death caused by food allergies in Spain, but cannot find any. My Spanish friends also seem to be unaware. If anyone does know I would like to learn about it. Even though this was caused by malpractice as the teenagers did make their allergies known it is till incumbent on the client to always make the food outlet aware.