Shop investigated for manslaughter as woman dies after being served tiramisu

An investigation into the death of woman who died after eating what she believed to have been vegan has been launched in Italy.

Anna Bellisario was dining at a restaurant in Milan, Italy with her boyfriend in January 2023 and ordered a 'vegan' tiramisu for dessert as she had an extreme dairy allergy, as well as an egg allergy.

According to reports, staff reassured her that the dessert was safe to eat - with Anna also checking the label - but after just two mouthfuls, the 20-year-old student started to feel unwell.

She then went into anaphylactic shock and was rushed to hospital where she tragically died on February 5.

Shortly after her passing, the tiramisu was removed from the market by the ministry of health as it potentially contained milk that was not labelled.

Now, the two women who own the pastry shop that supplied the restaurant with the dessert are now being investigated for manslaughter, Italian newspaper Corriere Dela Sera reports.

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The dessert in question was reportedly found to have traces of milk in it. It's also been claimed that traces of egg were found in the mayonnaise of the vegan sandwich Anna had as her main dish.

It's alleged that the two women mixed up the order invoices of vegan sweets with desserts containing milk.

They are also accused of not preventing the mixing of its vegan and non-vegan production lines in the laboratory pastry shop - which investigating judge Fiammetta Modica called 'a worrying picture of unscrupulousness’.

Following Anna's death, all of the products from 63 restaurants across Italy were recalled.

Yesterday (January 15), the judge ordered for the two women who owned the pastry shop - a mother and daughter - to be banned from all entrepreneurial activity.

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The judge also suggested that 'entrepreneurial chaos' played a part in Anna's death.

It was reportedly argued that had the separation of the ingredients and environments had been respected, as well as staff having had the correct training, there may have not been the mix up in the first place that lead to the 'fatal outcome'.

The Italian newspaper also reported that employees only took part in a four-hour course instead of proper training.

Sadly, it's not unheard of for people with allergies to accidentally come into contact with food they're allergic to.

Last year, a woman suffered a severe allergic reaction when nuts were served on a flight she was on.