A tragic case of food safety negligence led to the death of 12-year-old Mia St Hilaire, who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after consuming a milkshake at the Pop Inn Café on Southwark Park Road in southeast London.
Mia, who had a severe tree nut allergy, went into anaphylactic shock in August 2023 after her milkshake was contaminated with traces of hazelnuts and almonds from an unwashed blender. She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
An investigation by Southwark Council’s food safety team revealed that the café’s owner, Baris Yucel, failed to clean the blender before preparing Mia’s drink. CCTV footage confirmed that residue from a previous milkshake remained in the machine, leading to the fatal reaction.
The café was fined £18,000, and Yucel was sentenced to 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to six charges under the Food Safety Act.
Mia’s parents, Adrian and Chanel St Hilaire, expressed their devastation, stating:
“We think of Mia every day, and knowing her death could potentially have been prevented so simply only adds to how heartbroken we are as a family.”
Southwark Council noted that proper food safety protocols could have prevented the tragedy. An inquest into Mia’s death is expected to take place at a later date.
The case underscores the critical importance of strict allergen management in food establishments and raises concerns about food safety enforcement.
