Despite his vigilance over the list of ingredients in dishes, a 23-year-old British man died after eating a slice of pizza ordered on Deliveroo.
- James Atkinson, 23, with a peanut allergy, died after eating a pizza ordered on Deliveroo.
- The investigation revealed that he suffered anaphylaxis after ingesting peanuts present in the food delivered.
- His parents hope this investigation will provide lessons about allergies and ordering food online.
An investigation has been opened into the death of James Atkinson, which occurred on July 10, 2020. The young man allergic to peanuts went into anaphylactic shock after eating a slice of pizza ordered via the Deliveroo application, reveals the British newspaper The Guardian.
Peanut allergy: a reaction from the first slice of pizza
Very conscientious about his peanut allergy, James Atkinson, 23, searched the Internet for possible ingredients in the restaurant’s dishes. He and his roommate finally decided to order fries, chicken tikka masala pizza, onion bhajis, sag aloo and two meat curry dishes.
Upon eating his first slice of pizza, the young computer scientist immediately realized something was wrong. He asked his friend to take his EpiPen while he called an ambulance.
When help arrived, James was having great difficulty breathing. He then received three injections of adrenaline. However, he lost consciousness in the ambulance. Despite the efforts of the hospital to which he was transported within 4 minutes, James Atkinson died.
During the inquest, the medical examiner indicated that the cause of death was anaphylaxis after ingestion of peanuts. She specifies that the analysis showed that there had been a “large quantity of peanuts” in food. Additionally, tests showed that the victim did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system that could have affected his decision-making.
Anaphylaxis: better consideration of allergies in orders
At the start of the inquest, which is expected to last another two weeks, James Atkinson’s parents said they hoped it would provide lessons about allergies and ordering food online.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal. It is characterized by different types of symptoms whose intensity varies:
- hives: rash similar to nettle stings;
- facial edema or angioedema (laryngeal spasm);
- breathing difficulties;
- digestive disorders: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
- discomfort: paleness, feeling of imminent death, drop in blood pressure;
- loss of consciousness, or even a coma.
Anaphylactic shock is the most serious form of anaphylaxis and can be life-threatening.
Signs of an anaphylactic reaction usually appear within minutes of contact with the allergen. Most often, the latter is dietary (6 out of 10 cases). Next come bee, wasp or hornet venoms, then medications.
