A tragic incident unfolded in Texas when a college student, who was severely allergic to peanuts, died after unknowingly consuming a dish at a restaurant that had recently altered its recipe to include peanut sauce. The 23-year-old, Alison Pickering, was a student at Tarleton State University and was just days away from her graduation when the incident occurred.
Pickering had been aware of her peanut allergy since her preschool years and had always been careful about her dining choices. She often frequented the same restaurants and ordered the same dishes to ensure her safety. On May 12, 2023, she went on a date to a restaurant she had visited before and ordered a dish of mahi mahi, which she had safely consumed in the past.
However, unbeknownst to Pickering and the restaurant’s wait staff, the kitchen had recently modified the recipe for the mahi mahi dish to include peanut sauce. After consuming a few bites, Pickering realized something was amiss. She administered her EpiPen and managed to walk to an ambulance that was nearby. Despite her quick actions, her condition deteriorated rapidly.
Pickering fell unconscious and never regained consciousness. Her death was attributed to “severe anaphylactic shock from ingesting peanuts that were not disclosed on the restaurant menu,” according to her obituary.
In the wake of their daughter’s tragic death, Pickering’s parents have been advocating for changes in the food industry to prevent similar incidents. They are urging for improved communication within restaurants, especially regarding changes in recipes that involve allergens.
The Pickerings are pushing for guidelines that would help restaurants communicate better with their customers about ingredients, similar to labels on grocery store items. They believe that these changes could potentially save lives.
In a similar incident, a 19-year-old freshman at Maranatha Baptist University in Wisconsin, Hannah Glass, died after consuming a gluten-free brownie made with roasted peanut flour. Glass, who also had a severe peanut allergy, became violently ill and broke out in hives after eating the treat. Her family donated her organs after her body completely shut down.