Family of Girl Who Died From Allergic Reaction Calls for Dedicated Allergy Management Ratings

The family of a 12-year-old girl who died after drinking a milkshake contaminated with allergens has called for a dedicated rating system that scores food businesses on their allergy management practices. Mia St Hilaire died in August 2023 after consuming a Twix milkshake at the Pop Inn Cafe in Bermondsey, south-east London. Her order contained hazelnut residue because the blender used had not been cleaned after preparing a Kinder Bueno milkshake.

An inquest into Mia's death concluded on Thursday. In a statement, her parents, Adrian St Hilaire and Chanel Spence, said that families with food allergies should not be put at risk when eating out and that "significant changes" are needed to protect individuals with food allergies. They hope that lessons will be learned from Mia's death to prevent other families from experiencing similar devastation.

"Consumers rely on food hygiene ratings when deciding where it is safe to eat, but they do not tell us anything about the way a food business runs allergy management systems," the family stated. "There should be a separate, clearly displayed rating dedicated to the allergy management, like the food hygiene rating. This would mean that people with allergies could make more informed choices about where they eat."

In January 2025, the Pop Inn Cafe was fined £18,000 and its proprietor, Baris Yucel, received 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to six criminal charges under the Food Safety Act. These charges included failing to make allergen advice available or visible to consumers, not managing allergen contamination during food preparation, and serving food containing an undeclared allergen.

CCTV footage presented during the proceedings showed that Yucel had not cleaned the blender before preparing Mia's milkshake. Assistant coroner Briony Ballard presided over the inquest at London Inner South Coroner's Court.

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founder of Natasha's Foundation, whose daughter died at age 15 from a sesame allergy, echoed the call for increased awareness and regulation. She described allergies as "a serious, unpredictable medical condition" and noted that the inquest into Mia's death highlights the "far we still have to go to improve awareness, understanding and regulation of food allergies." Natasha's Foundation is actively working with businesses, schools, communities, and the government to enhance understanding and prevent similar tragedies.