Warning issued after girl, 12, died from drinking milkshake made in an unwashed blender
The parents of a 12-year-old girl who died after drinking a milkshake made in an unwashed blender want restaurants and cafes to be given a separate, clearly displayed rating for how they handle allergies.
An inquest at Inner South London Coroner's Court concluded on Thursday, Oct. 8, that Mia Shay St Hilaire, who had a hazelnut allergy, suffered a severe allergic reaction after drinking a milkshake at the Pop Inn Cafe in the Bermondsey neighborhood of London, according to reports by the BBC.
Alongside Mia's parents, Adrian St Hilaire and Chanel Spence, lawyer Michelle Victor said the investigation highlighted 'serious concerns' about the handling of food allergies across the service industry and called on the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) to review the current system and consider reforms.
"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," they said.
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Mia visited the cafe with her aunt and sister in August 2023. CCTV evidence captured cafe operator Baris Yucel making the drink in a blender that had not been washed after its previous use.
Assistant coroner Briony Ballard concluded that the drink 'had been cross-contaminated with hazelnut residue' from a milkshake that had previously been made in the same unwashed blender.
"She developed rapidly progressing anaphylaxis and later collapsed at her aunt's home," Ballard said.
Despite life-saving efforts, including being rushed to an ICU at the Evelina London Children's Hospital, the 12-year-old died.
Yucel pleaded guilty to six offenses in January 2025 after Southwark Council brought a case against the cafe.
These included, the council said in a release, not making allergen advice available or visible to consumers, failing to manage allergen contamination during food production, and serving food that contained an allergenic ingredient that was not supposed to be present.
Yucel was fined £18,000 ($24,000) and given a 100-hour community order.
Southwark Council cabinet member Natasha Ennin said: "What happened to Mia-Shay is a tragedy and my heart goes out to her family and the people who loved her."
In a statement to the Southwark News, Yucel's lawyer said District Judge Dean noted the 47-year-old was of previous good character, with no previous incidents reported against him during 22 years in the food business, and accepted he had shown 'genuine remorse'.
Yucel no longer owns or operates the cafe, which currently has a perfect five-star food hygiene rating.
Mia's parents said: "If the local authority had ensured that the cafe's allergy management responsibilities had been properly understood, and put into practice, we believe Mia would still be alive today."
Rebecca Sudworth, Director of Food Policy at the FSA, said in a statement to PEOPLE: "Food businesses must take allergen risks seriously, every time." She said the agency has produced new guidance for businesses, including on the risk of cross-contact, and offers free allergy training.
Thomas Bamford