Almond paste warning after curry death

30 September 2003 by
Almond paste warning after curry death

An inquest into the death of a 21-year-old woman with a severe allergy to peanuts, who fell ill after eating just two mouthfuls of a takeaway curry, today recorded a verdict of misadventure.

Kate Obertelli, a beauty salon worker from Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, warned staff at the curry house that she had the life-threatening allergy, the inquest in Preston was told.

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Nuts: caterers urged to make checks
But after just a small amount of the chicken korma, made with almond paste which unknowingly contained peanuts, Kate immediately suffered an acute reaction while at her friend's home. Struggling to breathe she was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead, the hearing was told. Recording a verdict of death by misadventure, coroner Howard McCann said the danger was that sufferers of the allergy were unaware that almond paste contains peanuts. McCann also paid tribute to Kate's parents, who have said they have no intention of starting a "witch hunt" against the unnamed takeaway following their daughter's death in July. Kate's father, Mike, said: "There has been a mistake but we cannot be angry about that." Speaking after the hearing, Obertelli said enquiries were being made to find the manufacturer of the almond paste and he urged takeaway owners to carefully check ingredients. He said raising awareness may stop another tragedy.
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