In Memory: Remembering those who've had fatal food reactions

[eragon]

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mothers-agony-as-teenage-girl-dies-from-peanut-allergy-on-city-street-29854519.html#comments

[yelloww]

I was just getting ready to post that one, so terrible.

[Macabre]

Abbie Benford, 15, of Hopkinton, MA, died 12/18/13 at Boston Children's Hospital, the week before her 16th Birthday.

[BensMom]

The story of the Irish girl (because it's so detailed) just makes me feel ill. Almost always, more than one thing goes wrong when someone dies from an allergic reaction. In this case, so many things. I'd like to think that ds wouldn't eat anything if he didn't have his epi with him. He always has it, but if he forgot it, I'd hope he wouldn't eat. 

I wish we had more details about Abbie Benford. It helps everyone learn. So many teen deaths. These 15 and 16 yr old girls hit close to home. My girl isn't the allergic one, but she's that age, and well, most of you know what we've been through.

[Macabre]

Shimmer James, - 6 years old, peanut reaction



https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/eeai9?fb_action_ids=10202660314097805&fb_action_types=fundrazr%253Acomment_on&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%255B128409557334036%255D&action_type_map=%255B%2522fundrazr%253Acomment_on%2522%255D&action_ref_map=%255B%255D

[CMdeux]

Connor Donaldson, Aged 12-- Manchester, UK-- anaphylaxis caused by peanut cross-contamination.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2588674/Schoolboy-12-died-severe-allergic-reaction-curry-containing-peanuts-takeaway-staff-assured-family-nut-free.html


The description of this type of anaphylaxis is so frightening-- really, we've seen reactions that were like this-- just the asthma that doesn't respond the way it "should" to a rescue inhaler... then... collapse. 

[twinturbo]

FWIW, the investigation found that the balti paste used not only contained traces of nuts but upon analysis was found that, unknown to the restaurant, their supplier of almond powder subbed with peanut to the tune of about 50% presumed to have been done by the manufacturer to use a less expensive product. No epinephrine injector on hand or used but I don't think he was ever truly diagnosed.

In addition the takeaway used almond powder in dishes, which contained 50 per cent peanut powder as suppliers sought to supplement the expensive ingredient with a cheaper nut.

[Macabre]

This is so very sad. So sad.

[SilverLining]

FWIW, the investigation found that the balti paste used not only contained traces of nuts but upon analysis was found that, unknown to the restaurant, their supplier of almond powder subbed with peanut to the tune of about 50% presumed to have been done by the manufacturer to use a less expensive product. No epinephrine injector on hand or used but I don't think he was ever truly diagnosed.

In addition the takeaway used almond powder in dishes, which contained 50 per cent peanut powder as suppliers sought to supplement the expensive ingredient with a cheaper nut.

My understanding was also that he had never actually been diagnosed as pa.  But his mother had.  I don't know whether she was carrying epinephrine for herself or not.  If she was, maybe she thought adult strength would be to strong for him.  But, isn't it less common in UK for people with allergies to actually be prescribed epi?

[eragon]

well, one reason could be :

1994 only 6 UK allergists, and now 2014 = 36 UK allergists. Which is better but most of these are in the south of England.

[LinksEtc]

"Tourist dies of allergic reaction to tahini"

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.583210

The woman, who was allergic to sesame, did not know that tahini ("tehina") was made from sesame seeds and developed a severe allergic reaction shortly after her meal.

[Linden]

Every few months it's the same story.  "He/she ate at a takeaway", "He/she was always so careful to avoid products with nuts in it".  And no Epi Pen.

It makes me cry but it also makes me really angry and frustrated.

[Macabre]

Linden--yes.

Links--at first I was thinking, "how could someone not know sesame is in tahini which is in hummus?  But she was from South Africa. Maybe they don't eat hummus there much.

[LinksEtc]

Links--at first I was thinking, "how could someone not know sesame is in tahini which is in hummus?  But she was from South Africa. Maybe they don't eat hummus there much.

I think this kind of situation may be more common than you might think.  I have heard stories over the years.  I had a USA doc who didn't think hummus with tahini would cause a sesame reaction.

A few links ...


http://www.livingwithout.com/issues/4_8/sesame_seed_allergy-2025-1.html

"My issue with sesame is that it's hidden," says Ali Cole, whose 6-year-old son Ezra is allergic to sesame seeds, tree nuts and mustard. "People don't always realize that hummus and tahini, for example, contain sesame.

"Tahini, a Little Known Sesame-Containing Food, as an Unexpected Cause of Severe Allergic Reaction"
http://www.jiaci.org/issues/vol16issue05/7.pdf

These symptoms required emergency treatment with intramuscular adrenaline and intravenous corticosteroids. On both occasions the patient was absolutely sure that she did not ingest bread, biscuits, or other foods containing sesame.

When we contacted the restaurant directly in order to clarify the possible cause of our patient's allergic reactions, we discovered that the menu included some tahini-based recipes.

[twinturbo]

In general I don't think America has historically populations that have sesame central to ancestral diet enough to influence widespread agricultural and dietary changes to the mainstream. Peanut, particularly roasted peanut, has a longer and larger agricultural and culinary history in USA. I don't think many people here grasp where and when it's used beyond crackers and breads/buns.

One way to measure the growth of consumption indirectly would be looking at rates of sesame importation into US commerce. I doubt the sourcing is domestic because it doesn't have that agricultural history. In Title 19 the codes for sesame and the like (sesame, ground) would probably he open to public information. The most difficult part that I would anticipate are the sheer number of individual categories and how the sesame enters whether in volume or weight.