Nut allergy tragedy after Café Flo meal

A coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure after a 28-year-old woman with a severe nut allergy died after eating bread containing nuts before her meal at a London Café Flo restaurant on 22 December last year.

Describing the death of Luisa Dennis as a "terrible tragedy", Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman said: "It is perfectly natural that she did not look at the menu when the bread was being ordered."

The menu at the Café Flo in Theyer Street, Marble Arch, clearly labelled all products liable to contain nuts. Dennis had checked the menu to ensure her dishes did not contain nuts, but had not noticed the bread.

She began feeling unwell immediately after eating some bread. She washed out her mouth and finished her meal, but collapsed soon after leaving and died that night in hospital.

The Institute of Grocery Distribution has written a voluntary code of practice governing the labelling of foods likely to cause allergic reactions. A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said it was generally well adhered to by restaurants.