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Mia Shay St Hilaire: Her Family’s Call for Allergy Reform

Last updated: 29 October 2026 · By Eve Williamson, co-founder and CEO

Mia Shay St Hilaire, 12, very sadly passed away in August 2023 after a severe allergic reaction to a milkshake from a café in London. The conclusion of her inquest in October 2026 confirmed that the milkshake had been cross-contaminated with hazelnut. Her family is calling for allergy reform.

Mia Shay St Hilaire was 12 when she very sadly passed away. She had a tree nut allergy, and on the 25th of August 2023, she lost her life from anaphylaxis after being served a milkshake that had been made in the same blender as a drink containing Kinder Bueno. The person making the drink failed to clean the blender properly.

What did the court and the inquest find?

Café operator Baris Yucel pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court to six food-safety offences. He was sentenced on 24 January 2025, receiving an £18,000 fine and a 100-hour community order. (Southwark Council, January 2025).

HM Assistant Coroner Briony Ballard found that Mia’s milkshake had been cross-contaminated with hazelnut residue from a blender that had not been properly cleaned, causing her anaphylactic reaction (1 Crown Office Row, October 2026).

What does the inquest reveal about allergen checks?

Evidence heard at the inquest revealed how fragmented allergen regulation is in the UK. A 2020 inspection had noted that the café did not use an allergen matrix, but this was judged “minor” and there was no follow-up as a result (Leigh Day, October 2026). Despite this, the café kept a food hygiene rating of five out of five, because allergen management falls under a separate food standards inspection, which has no public-facing rating (1 Crown Office Row, October 2026).

This raises questions about whether current regulations are robust enough to protect people with allergies. The café’s operator later pleaded guilty to failing to make allergen information available, yet guests had no public rating that showed how well it managed allergens.

What is Mia’s family calling for?

Mia’s family have been campaigning for allergy reform in her memory. They are asking for:

  • The creation of a single, clear and comprehensive allergy management framework that enables businesses to understand and comply with their legal obligations.
  • The introduction of a dedicated allergy safety rating scheme, allowing consumers to make informed decisions when choosing where to eat.
  • Enhanced guidance and training for local authority inspectors to ensure a consistent approach to assessing compliance with food allergy requirements.
  • Greater support for food businesses to ensure staff receive effective allergy awareness training and fully understand the importance of robust allergy management procedures.

Read the call for change from Mia's family, backed by Natasha's Foundation here.

What can restaurants and cafés do now?

Robust standards and training are needed to protect people with allergies.

  • Clean shared equipment such as blenders, spinners and fryers between uses, or keep separate equipment for allergens.
  • Make allergen information available in writing, and tell guests where to find it.
  • Train every staff member in cross-contact, not just the 14 allergens.

The FSA allergen guidance for food businesses explains what the law requires.

As someone with a serious peanut and tree nut allergy, the devastating passing of Mia hits especially hard. It should never have happened.

Support and further reading

To learn further about Mia’s campaign and support the people fighting for allergy reform, please see Natasha’s Allergy Research Foundation, and updates from the family’s solicitors at Leigh Day.

Read Eve's post on LinkedIn

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