{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T12:50:45Z","timestamp":1790772645724,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,1]],"date-time":"2022-11-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1667260800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Perspect Public Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Aims:<\/jats:title><jats:p> Food allergy is a major public health concern. Failures of food allergen avoidance and the consequences for those with food hypersensitivity (allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease) have a forensic context. The aim of this study was to collate and analyse the use of action in the United Kingdom (UK) courts as redress following adverse food allergy reactions or failures of allergen management. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods:<\/jats:title><jats:p> Details of prosecutions during the study period (1 January 2014 to 31 January 2020) were recorded from regular key word Internet searches. National and local news reports were primary sources, along with commentary from enforcement and regulatory professionals. Information was also collected from coroners\u2019 inquests by attending hearings and direct contact with coroners and participants in the hearings. Freedom of Information requests were made to local authority enforcement departments. In several cases, the authors had direct involvement in investigations. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title><jats:p> From 2014 to 2020, there was an increase in reports. Seventy prosecutions were recorded as well as two associated appeals and two applications for Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice. This resulted in 68 convictions; seven individuals received custodial sentences, three of which were suspended although one individual had a tagged curfew imposed. Fines ranged from \u00a350 to \u00a393,000. Details of the law applied and the evidence gathering processes are reported. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion:<\/jats:title><jats:p> Legal action, including landmark prosecutions for Gross Negligence Manslaughter and Preventing Future Deaths reports from coroners, with salience of criminal penalties, has led to changes in labelling law and improved allergen management practices better to protect the interests of patients with food hypersensitivities. A central system of collation of such data, and on \u2018near misses\u2019, will enable more focused root cause analysis to further improve allergen management and reduce patient risk. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/17579139221136723","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,2]],"date-time":"2022-12-02T09:31:35Z","timestamp":1669973495000},"page":"347-354","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["The forensic implications of food hypersensitivity \u2013 a review of cases in United Kingdom courts: January 2014\u2013February 2020"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"142","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5513-5979","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"MH","family":"Gowland","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Allergy Action, St Albans, UK"},{"name":"Visiting Fellow, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"MJ","family":"Walker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of the Government Chemist, Teddington, UK"},{"name":"Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Coyne K. Restaurant receives HEPN after customer\u2019s allergic reaction. Environ Health News 2019; 25 July. Available online at: https:\/\/www.cieh.org\/ehn\/food-safety-integrity\/2019\/july\/restaurant-receives-hepn-after-customer-s-allergic-reaction\/ (last accessed 16 November 2021)."},{"key":"bibr2-17579139221136723","unstructured":"The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 (2013 no 2996) (and equivalent legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), Regulation 7, Hygiene prohibition orders. Available online at: http:\/\/www.legislation.gov.uk\/uksi\/2013\/2996\/regulation\/7 (last accessed 16 November 2021)."},{"key":"bibr3-17579139221136723","unstructured":"The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013: PART 7 Action to prevent other deaths, Regulation 28. 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Available online at: http:\/\/www.bailii.org\/ew\/cases\/EWCA\/Crim\/2019\/837.html (last accessed 1 March 2020)."},{"key":"bibr10-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Takeaway owner fined following death of 15-year-old girl in the centre of Bath. Bath ECHO 2018; 27 June. Available online at https:\/\/www.bathecho.co.uk\/news\/crime\/takeaway-owner-fined-chloe-gilbert-southgate-79056\/ (last accessed 10 September 2022)."},{"key":"bibr11-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Coyne K. Secretary of state backs London borough to take legal action against supermarket. Environ Health News 2021; 27 October. Available online at: https:\/\/www.cieh.org\/ehn\/food-safety-integrity\/2021\/october\/secretary-of-state-backs-london-borough-to-take-legal-action-against-supermarket\/?utm (last accessed 8 December 2021)."},{"key":"bibr12-17579139221136723","unstructured":"APA, The Association of Public Analysts. 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Available online at: https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/811469\/victim-surcharge-circular-june-2019.pdf (last accessed 8 March 2020)."},{"key":"bibr16-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Jackie Scott, 16th January 2014. Available online at: https:\/\/www.judiciary.uk\/publications\/jackie-scott\/ (last accessed 8 December 2021)."},{"key":"bibr17-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Owen Carey, 30th September 2019. Available online at: https:\/\/www.judiciary.uk\/publications\/owen-carey\/ (last accessed 8 December 2021)."},{"key":"bibr18-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 8th October 2018. Available online at: https:\/\/www.judiciary.uk\/publications\/natasha-ednan-laperouse\/ (last accessed 8 December 2021)."},{"key":"bibr19-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Fuller C. Restaurant staff warned before East Grinstead boy died from allergic reaction to spaghetti. Argus 2021; 2 November. Available online at: https:\/\/www.theargus.co.uk\/news\/19688665.restaurant-staff-warned-east-grinstead-boy-died-allergic-reaction-spaghetti\/ (last accessed 8 December 2021)."},{"key":"bibr20-17579139221136723","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2222.2000.00864.x"},{"key":"bibr21-17579139221136723","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaci.2007.01.021"},{"key":"bibr22-17579139221136723","unstructured":"Perrett M. FSA budget cuts: what it means for food safety. Food Manuf 2016; 4 February. 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