Update: Food Labeling Deemed "Inadequate" After Girl Died Eating Baguette
Updated 9/28/18: A coroner has ruled that Pret A Manger's allergy labeling was inadequate in the inquest into the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse.
According to the BBC, coroner Dr. Sean Cummings said he would be reporting to Environment Secretary Michael Gove over whether large businesses should be able to benefit from regulations that allow reduced food labeling for products made in shops.
Cummings added: "I was left with the impression that Pret had not addressed the fact that monitoring food allergy in a business selling more than 200 million items year was something to be taken very seriously indeed."
Original story, 9/24/18:
A girl with a severe sesame allergy died after eating a Pret baguette that didn't include ingredients on the packaging.
Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, collapsed during a British Airways flight from Heathrow to Nice on July 17, 2016, the BBC reports following an inquest into the teenager's death.
Natasha's father Nadim Ednan-Laperouse administered two EpiPen injections, but Natasha died within hours at a hospital in Nice.
In a statement, Nadim said: "It's a daily battle and the pain is indescribable."
The founder of Wow Toys company-who lived with his family in Fulham, west London-continued: "Everything we say and do is a reminder that she isn't with us-her empty bedroom, school uniform hanging in her wardrobe, her holiday bag packed for her holiday in Nice has never been unpacked. We can't bear to."
A spokesperson for Pret told the BBC: "We were deeply saddened to hear about Natasha's tragic death, and our heartfelt thoughts are with her family and friends."
Natasha ate an artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette bought from the main Pret a Manger shop in Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport, the family's solicitor confirmed. The teenager collapsed during the flight and later died in hospital.
It's believed that the sesame was baked into the baguette, rather than containing seeds on its crust.
Pret a Manger has said its products are not individually labeled with allergen or ingredient information. Its website includes an updated allergen guide-which is also available in store-of all its products.
The company added that they have signs on shelves and at cash registers telling customers to speak to a manager who is trained to provide allergen advice.
"We take food allergies and how allergen information is provided to our customers extremely seriously," a Pret spokesperson said.
"We will continue to do all that we can to assist the coroner's inquest."
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