Unlisted ingredient in pizza triggers fatal allergic reaction in student, a call for transparency in food industry

James Atkinson passed away in July 2020 after consuming a pizza he ordered from Dadyal Pizza, a beloved Italian restaurant in Newcastle.

He intended to share the meal with his dorm peers, but he wasn't aware that the pizza, named "Tikka masala," could carry ground peanuts, which he was extremely allergic to.

Soon after consuming the pizza, his lips and throat started to swell. His friends promptly called an ambulance; despite receiving two doses of adrenaline from medical responders, the young man lost consciousness and suffered cardiac arrest.

The concluded investigation disclosed the cause of death as an anaphylactic shock. James Atkinson was severely allergic to peanuts, but he could not have anticipated their inclusion in the pizza he ordered because the ingredient was not listed.

The final investigation unveiled that the young man, keen to order the "Tikka masala" pizza, attempted to check online if it contained peanuts, to which he was allergic.

With no such information available, he decided to proceed with the order. However, it was later discovered that ground peanuts, which were not listed on the menu, were an ingredient in the pizza.

The pizza shop owner advised the investigators that customers should alert the staff about any potential allergies. Karen Dilks, the coroner probing the case, urged restaurants to list all their dish ingredients.