THE death of a teenager who suffered a fatal allergic reaction to peanuts after eating at a Barnsley restaurant has prompted a coroner to call for better communication between food outlets and the authorities.
Dylan Hill was allergic to peanuts and died in May 2015 after eating a korma meal at the now-closed Shaam’s restaurant in Wombwell.
Dylan, of John Street, Thurnscoe, was on a date with girlfriend Demi Cash and ordered chicken korma - the only dish he ever had in Indian restaurants as he believed it was free from nuts - but within two mouthfuls felt ill and was sick. He asked the waiter if the meal contained nuts and was told it did.
After returning home a short time later, Dylan collapsed at home and later died at Barnsley Hospital.
He did not have his Epipen, which should have been used in the event of an allergic reaction, with him, but at an inquest the coroner said it could not have prevented his death.
His inquest in December was told that just months before Dylan’s death, there had been another allergen-related incident at Shaam’s where Jordan Atherton had to be treated at hospital in similar circumstances after having a takeaway.
His family reported it to the restaurant but the owner did not pass details of the incident on to Barnsley Council or the Food Standards Agency.
The restaurant’s owner, Abdul Khalid said that if he had been given warning of Dylan’s allergy, he would have refused to serve the korma, but admitted there was no information regarding ingredients and allergens on the menu.
The restaurant, on High Street, Wombwell, closed in 2016.
Assistant coroner Tanyka Rawden has written to the health secretary Jeremy Hunt and the Food Standards Agency to express her concern that more deaths will occur unless cases of non-fatal anaphylactic reactions caused by eating at food outlets are reported to the relevant authorities responsible for the supervision and monitoring of food safety and hygiene.
Her report said: “The question therefore arises as to whether the emergency services and health services within the area can work together to ensure that Trading Standards Departments are made aware of all anaphylaxis incidents relating to commercial premises so that the appropriate action can be taken as regards those premises.”
Evidence was given at the inquest that the Trading Standards department of Barnsley Council had not been told of the incident involving Jordan Atherton. Had the department been aware, a visit to the restaurant to discuss the matter would have been arranged.
An examination of the ingredients of the korma showed that the ‘almond powder’ used in it contained 94 per cent almonds and six per cent peanuts. In evidence, it was clear the restaurant did not know the ‘almond powder’ contained peanuts as the ingredients had not been checked on purchase, the powder had been decanted into an unlabelled container, and the packaging disposed of.
