The family of a 12-year-old girl who died after drinking a milkshake contaminated with traces of nuts at a London cafe is calling for a new rating system to assess how effectively food businesses manage allergens. Mia St Hilaire, who had a tree nut allergy, suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction after drinking a Twix milkshake at the Pop Inn Cafe in Bermondsey, south-east London, in August 2023.

An inquest concluded on Thursday that her drink contained hazelnut residue because the blender had not been cleaned after being used to prepare a Kinder Bueno milkshake.

Following the inquest, Mia’s family called for "significant changes" to ensure stronger protections for people living with food allergies and to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

In January 2025, the cafe was fined £18,000, while its owner, Baris Yucel, received 100 hours of community service after admitting six criminal offences under the Food Safety Act.

The offences included failing to provide accessible allergen information to customers, not preventing allergen contamination during food preparation, and serving food containing an allergenic substance that should not have been present.

CCTV footage presented during the investigation showed that Yucel had failed to clean the blender before making Mia’s drink.

Assistant coroner Briony Ballard heard evidence at London Inner South Coroner’s Court before delivering a narrative conclusion on the circumstances surrounding Mia’s death.

Family Calls for Dedicated Allergy Rating

In a statement read following the inquest, Mia’s parents, Adrian St Hilaire and Chanel Spence, stressed that people with food allergies should not be "at risk" when dining out.

"We hope that lessons will be learned from Mia's death and that changes will be made to prevent other families enduring the devastation that we now have to live with," they said.

The family argued that the existing food hygiene rating system does not adequately inform customers about how restaurants and cafes manage allergen risks.

"Consumers rely on food hygiene ratings when deciding where it is safe to eat, but they do not tell us anything about the way a food business runs allergy management systems.

"There should be a separate, clearly displayed rating dedicated to the allergy management, like the food hygiene rating.

"This would mean that people with allergies could make more informed choices about where they eat."

The proposed system would give customers clearer information about the measures businesses have in place to prevent allergen contamination, helping people with allergies make safer decisions about where to eat.

Allergy Campaigners Highlight Need for Greater Awareness

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founder of Natasha's Foundation, also called attention to the continuing challenges surrounding food allergy awareness and safety. Her daughter, Natasha, died aged 15 after suffering an allergic reaction to sesame in a Pret A Manger baguette.

She described allergies as "a serious, unpredictable medical condition".

"The inquest into Mia's death illustrates just how far we still have to go to improve awareness, understanding and regulation of food allergies," she said.

She added that Natasha's Foundation continues to work with businesses, schools, communities and the government to improve understanding of food allergies and reduce the risk of further deaths.

"Natasha's Foundation is working hard with business, schools, communities and the government to increase awareness and understanding of food allergies to try to prevent other families from having to go through the terrible loss that Mia's family endure."

Food Standards Agency Reaffirms Businesses' Responsibilities

Rebecca Sudworth, director of food policy at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), expressed her "deepest sympathies" to Mia’s family.

She emphasised that food businesses must take appropriate precautions to protect customers with allergies.

"Food businesses must take allergen risks seriously, every time," she said. "People have the right to know exactly what is in their food and drink, and it is a business's legal duty to provide accurate allergen information.

"We recently produced new guidance for businesses to make sure they understand their responsibilities to inform consumers about allergens, including the risk of cross-contact, and we are keeping this policy under review. We also have free allergy training and practical tools that businesses can use."

The case has renewed calls for stronger allergen management practices across the food industry, with Mia’s family and allergy campaigners urging businesses and regulators to do more to protect vulnerable customers.

Their call for a dedicated allergy management rating highlights the importance of transparent safety standards, effective staff training and proper cleaning procedures when preparing food and drinks for people with allergies.