A young woman tragically died after eating a small amount of tiramisu.
Deaths resulting from eating food at a restaurant are extremely rare, but they do occur in specific circumstances, usually related to foodborne illnesses, severe allergic reactions, or choking.
Foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria can occasionally lead to fatal complications, especially in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, or those with weakened immune systems.
Choking incidents, while uncommon, can occur when food is not properly chewed or if large portions are consumed quickly.
Severe allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis, can also result in death if a person unknowingly consumes an allergen, such as peanuts or dairy, and doesn’t receive immediate medical intervention.
Despite these risks, food safety standards, health regulations, and staff training have significantly reduced the occurrence of such fatal events, making death from eating at a restaurant a very rare event.
One 20-year-old woman, however, did die after eating just two bites of tiramisu.
Anna Bellisario went to a restaurant in Italy with her boyfriend last year, an establishment she frequented often as their specialized vegan dishes meant she could eat without worrying about her severe allergy to eggs and milk.
The fashion design student ordered the vegan tiramisu for her dessert, and her boyfriend explained that the servers showed her a menu with a list of allergens and only nuts were listed, according to Italian news reports transcribed by the Daily Mail.
The 20-year-old managed to eat two spoonfuls before she realized something was wrong, as she started coughing and rashes began appearing.
Struggling to breathe, Anna made her way to the bathroom to attempt to make herself vomit, but was unsuccessful in doing so.
She took her allergy medication and then lost consciousness so was rushed to the hospital where she remained in a coma for 10 days, before sadly being declared dead.
Anna passed away due to an anaphylactic shock caused by the dessert.
According to the Italian ministry of health, via the Daily Mail, the tiramisu was a ready-made product before it reached the restaurant, and it was immediately recalled from 63 establishments across the nation.
The product, Tiramisun, was immediately withdrawn due to the presence of allergens that weren’t clearly stated on the label.
After inspecting other glasses of tiramisu from the same brand, milk protein was discovered. On top of that, traces of egg was found in the mayonnaise used in the vegan sandwich that Anna had for her main course.
This tragic news came after the former boss of Pret A Manger – a sandwich shop franchise in the UK – reportedly broke down in tears after being forgiven by the father of a teenage girl who died after eating a baguette from the chain.
As per the Independent, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died aged 15 in 2016 after purchasing a baguette from a Pret at Heathrow Airport.
Natasha was allergic to sesame, which the restaurant failed to label on its packaging. The 15-year-old collapsed on her flight to France and passed away shortly after arriving.
Natasha’s father, Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, recently explained to Sir Craig Oliver in his podcast Desperately Seeking Wisdom, that he had a vision while at church and decided to forgive Clive Schlee, Pret’s former boss.