With childhood food allergies on the rise, you can play an important part in keeping children safe. Journalist Georgina Wintersgill reports.

摘要

The tragic case of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died of an anaphylactic reaction after eating a Pret a Manger baguette, has highhghted just how serious food allergies can be (Siddique, 2018). Natasha, who had multiple severe food allergies, died in July 2016 after eating an 'artisan' baguette containing sesame. A second Pret customer, who died in 2017, is believed to have suffered an allergic reaction to a flatbread product containing dairy, the chain has said. Death from anaphylaxis-related food reactions are, thankfully, rare - there are around 10 such deaths in England and Wales each year (NHS, 2016). However, food allergy is common: in the UK, around 5% to 8% of children suffer, compared to 1% to 2% of adults (Food Standards Agency (FSA), 2016a).