2019-05-01_Healthy_Food_Guide_UK

W

ESPOKETOTanya

Ednan-Laperouse,

motherofNatasha

(picturedright),

whosetragicdeathat 15 after

eatinga sandwichcontaining

seedshighlighteda needto

changethelawonfoodlabelling.

Natashahaddeveloped

multipleallergiestobanana,

dairyfoods,nutsandsesame

seeds.Shediedbecauseher

shop-boughtsandwichdidnot

includea fulllistofingredients.

‘WhathappenedtoNatasha

is theworstnightmareofevery

parentwitha childwhohasa

foodallergy,’saysTanya,51,who

livesinLondonwithherhusband,

Nadim,andsonAlex,15.

‘ItbeganwhenI weanedher

atsixmonthsandshehadan

anaphylacticreactiontobanana.

AtninemonthsI triedheron

formulamilk,havingchecked

withmyGPthatit wouldbesafe,

butherfacepuffedupandher

lipsswelledtoaround 10 times

theirnormalsize.It wasterrifying.

Afterthat,wecarriedtwoEpiPens

withuswhereverwewent.

‘Afteranotheranaphylactic

reactiontosesameseedson

a breadstick,Natashatested

positivetoallergiestoeggs,dairy

andtreenuts.Anotherattack

followedwhenshewassix,after

eatinga cookie.Theingredients

werelistedas“safe”,butwe

realisedthenthattheremusthave

beencross-contaminationinthe

factorywheretheyweremade.’

Bythetimeshewasnine,

Natashahadbeentaughttoread

foodingredientlabels,butthe

familyremainedonhighalert.

‘Ontheoddoccasionwewould

eatout,wealwaysaskedif the

restauranthadproceduresin

place to avoid cross-contamination

ofallergens.Wealsorequesteda

fulllistofingredientsinanything

Natashamighteat,’saysTanya.

AsNatashagotolderandwent

outandaboutwithfriends,eating

outbecamemoreofanissue,but

shehadmanagedtofindseveral

dishesathigh-streetchainsthat

weresafetoeat.‘At15,shehadn’t

hadananaphylacticreaction for

nineyears,’saysTanya.

Buton 17 July2016,Natasha

boughtanartichoke,oliveand

tapenadebaguetteata Heathrow

airportPretA Manger.It didnotlist

sesameamongtheingredients.

‘Natashahadanitchythroat

soonaftersheatethebaguette,’

saysTanya.‘Shetooksomeliquid

Piriton(anantihistamine)andshe

feltbetter.Butonboardherflight

anhourlater,herskindeveloped

largeredwelts.Shelooked as if

she’dbeenwhipped.’

Atthispoint,Nadim

administeredNatasha’sEpiPen,

butshestartedtohavesevere

breathingdifficultiesandneeded

anothershot.Tragically,the

adrenalinedidnotcontrolher

anaphylacticsymptomsandshe

died in hospital later that day.

❛We’re trying to get something positive

out of Natasha’s death

❜

ALLERGY LABELLING UPDATE

❛Peoplewithallergies

needtobeableto

trust food labelling

❜

Thelabellingloophole

Undercurrentregulations,thelaw

allowsfoodthatis preparedand

packagedonsitetofollowfewer

labellingrequirementsthanthose

requiredforfoodpreparedoff

site.Thatmeansit’ssufficientfor

a sandwichoutlettodisplay

generalwarningsaboutallergens

intheshopbutnotonpackaging.

AtNatasha’sinquestlastOctober,

coronerDrSeanCummings

expressedconcernsaboutthis,

saying:‘Acynicmightthinkit was

almosta devicetogetaround

regulationsrelatingtoinformation

onfoodallergens.’DrCummings

concludedthat,astherewasno

specificallergenwarningonthe

baguetteoronthedisplay,Natasha

wouldhavebeenfalselyreassured.

Natasha’sLaw

Aftertheinquest,Pretannounced

it wouldbeintroducingfull

ingredientlistings,including

allergens,forallproductsmade

onsite.Whilethismoveis

welcomedbyTanyaandNadim,

theywanttheregulationstoapply

toallbusinessessellingfood

madeandpackagedonsite.

Thefamilyhavesincemetwith

MichaelGove,SecretaryofState

forEnvironment,FoodandRural

Affairs,anda consultationhas

takenplacewitha viewto

implementinga possible

‘Natasha’sLaw’laterthisyear.

‘We’retryingtogetsomething

positiveoutofNatasha’sdeath,

sothisdoesn’thappentoanother

familylikeours,’saysTanya.‘Since

theinquestwe’vehadsomany

lettersfrompeoplefearingthe

samethingwillhappentothem.

‘Peoplewithallergiesneed

tobeabletotrustlabels– they

havenothingelsetotellthemif

a product is safe to eat or drink.’ PHOTOS: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

30 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDEMAY 2019

Health