Inquest Rules Unwashed Blender Caused Fatal Allergic Reaction in 12-Year-Old

A 12-year-old girl with a severe nut allergy died after consuming a milkshake cross-contaminated with hazelnut residue from an unwashed blender, an inquest has found. Mia Shay St Hilaire suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction after drinking a Twix milkshake from the Pop Inn Cafe in London on August 30, 2023.

The inquest heard that the blender used to prepare Mia's milkshake had not been cleaned after it was previously used for a Kinder Bueno milkshake, which contained hazelnuts. Approximately 25 minutes after Mia consumed two sips of her Twix shake and commented that it contained nuts, she collapsed. Despite receiving antihistamines and emergency medical treatment, she was taken to the Evelina Children's Hospital, where she died as a result of anaphylaxis.

Assistant coroner Briony Ballard stated that the failure to control allergen contamination at the cafe directly caused Mia's death. During the inquest, it was also noted that Mia was administered a dose of an adrenaline Auto-Injector (AAI) that was half the recommended strength, though Ballard added that the correct dose would not have prevented her death.

CCTV evidence confirmed that the cafe operator, Baris Yucel, 48, had not cleaned the blender before preparing Mia's drink. Following the incident, the Pop Inn Cafe received a food hygiene rating of '1,' with an inspector noting evidence of cross-contamination and a lack of appropriate allergen information.

Southwark Council pursued a case against the cafe, arguing that the cross-contamination led to Mia's severe allergic reaction and that her death could have been avoided. In January 2025, Yucel pleaded guilty to six offenses, including failing to provide allergen information, managing allergen contamination, and serving food containing an undeclared allergen. He was fined £18,000 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

In a statement read at the inquest, Mia's parents, Adrian and Chanel St Hilaire, highlighted the potentially catastrophic consequences of inadequate allergy management systems and called for a review of food allergy safety frameworks by the Food Standards Agency and other authorities. They emphasized that consumers rely on food hygiene ratings, which do not indicate a business's allergy management practices.

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, founder of the Natasha Foundation, whose daughter died from an allergic reaction in 2016, echoed the call for improved awareness and regulation, stating that food allergen regulations should be as critical as food hygiene standards. She noted that current systems for monitoring food allergens are inadequate.