Nut allergy

Exile_geordie

hollydays wrote: »

And here's a quote from someone with a severe nut allergy-what they said about restaurants.

"
(Curiously, Adam is unaffected by peanuts, the nut that most commonly causes allergic reactions. A 2004 House of Commons report found that as many as one in 50 children may be allergic to them.) "

And that's because a peanut is not a nut it is a legume

persa

I have various nut allergies - the worst ones result in anaphylaxis fairly swiftly, but I do have some mild ones which will result in painful stomach cramping several hours after the event. Not all allergies have an immediate effect, it's just the worst ones that do.

Asking the waiting staff should be enough. I think it's disgusting people here have effectively suggested it's the OP's fault for being ill for not cross-examining the chef.

However: accidents happen. I went to a work do once where I was brought the wrong course twice and each time it had nuts in it. I have to say, when you're allergic to nuts, you avoid them, so you're not that great at spotting them. A colleague stopped me from eating the food so I didn't thankfully didn't react.

The restaurant apologised and offered me a free meal for 2 - did I take it? Of course I didn't. If a venue tries to kill me, I don't get upset, I just don't go back. There are plenty of other restaurants out there.

I don't think the OP was negligent in asking if their food had nuts in it. Equally, I don't think this is an issue worthy of compensation.

PS if you know you're an allergy sufferer, you really should carry meds with you. If this is your most severe reaction, I doubt you need an epipen, but some antihistamines would help. You should talk this over with your doctor - you can get some super strong ones prescribed which you can't get over the counter.

JP08

To be honest the staff are not always going to know. Nut allergy is not too bad to ask about - most people are aware of it. And recognise nuts when they see them (though marzipan isn't always obvious).

My little nephew is a bit more difficult - anything from the pea family is an issue. So, the most obviously issue (other than peas OBVIOUSLY) is peanuts. Cross contamination is a real pain. He ended up going to hospital from a kiddies party as a result of someone having a few peanuts from one bowl then some crisps from the next. He then had some of the same crisps.

Even less obvious is canap! cases - even my missus (who's worked in catering for 25 years) was unaware they are often made with lupin flour (pea family again). http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/lupin/articles/lupinallergy.html

gregg1

persa wrote: »

I have various nut allergies - the worst ones result in anaphylaxis fairly swiftly, but I do have some mild ones which will result in painful stomach cramping several hours after the event. Not all allergies have an immediate effect, it's just the worst ones that do.

Asking the waiting staff should be enough. I think it's disgusting people here have effectively suggested it's the OP's fault for being ill for not cross-examining the chef.

However: accidents happen. I went to a work do once where I was brought the wrong course twice and each time it had nuts in it. I have to say, when you're allergic to nuts, you avoid them, so you're not that great at spotting them. A colleague stopped me from eating the food so I didn't thankfully didn't react.

The restaurant apologised and offered me a free meal for 2 - did I take it? Of course I didn't. If a venue tries to kill me, I don't get upset, I just don't go back. There are plenty of other restaurants out there.

I don't think the OP was negligent in asking if their food had nuts in it. Equally, I don't think this is an issue worthy of compensation.

PS if you know you're an allergy sufferer, you really should carry meds with you. If this is your most severe reaction, I doubt you need an epipen, but some antihistamines would help. You should talk this over with your doctor - you can get some super strong ones prescribed which you can't get over the counter.

Why do people never take responsibility these days?!

if you know you have an allergy or intolerance it is 100% your responsibility to ensure you have made every effort to protect yourself. This includes phoning a venue BEFORE you eat the food to find out if they cater to your requirements. Not just taking a chance on asking a waitress on the night! A few minutes on the phone is all it would have taken.

Of course the OP was rather negligent in not doing that. And it's Rather melodramatic to say it's "disgusting" for anyone to suggest that is the case.

Poppie68

persa wrote: »

I have various nut allergies - the worst ones result in anaphylaxis fairly swiftly, but I do have some mild ones which will result in painful stomach cramping several hours after the event. Not all allergies have an immediate effect, it's just the worst ones that do.

Asking the waiting staff should be enough. I think it's disgusting people here have effectively suggested it's the OP's fault for being ill for not cross-examining the chef.

However: accidents happen. I went to a work do once where I was brought the wrong course twice and each time it had nuts in it. I have to say, when you're allergic to nuts, you avoid them, so you're not that great at spotting them. A colleague stopped me from eating the food so I didn't thankfully didn't react.

The restaurant apologised and offered me a free meal for 2 - did I take it? Of course I didn't. If a venue tries to kill me, I don't get upset, I just don't go back. UThere are plenty of other restaurants out there.

I don't think the OP was negligent in asking if their food had nuts in it. Equally, I don't think this is an issue worthy of compensation.

PS if you know you're an allergy sufferer, you really should carry meds with you. If this is your most severe reaction, I doubt you need an epipen, but some antihistamines would help. You should talk this over with your doctor - you can get some super strong ones prescribed which you can't get over the counter.

It's not disgusting to expect someone to take reasonable steps to help themselves, for something as potentially dangerous as a nut allergy surely you don't nonchalantly ask a waitress when you are sat down.
The OP didn't even check the menu out on the website until after the incident, if they had they would of seen the meal contained nuts.
I'm baffled why a veggie, nut allergy diner wouldn't check before the event because what was the op going to eat if the waitress had say 'yes there are nuts in it'.?

hollydays

markfj wrote: »

I'm a chef, for what its worth

My advice would be to go to a DR firstly and check it is an allergy, if it is it can be fatal, esp nut allergies

Secondly, there are stricter rules and guidelines in place from earlier this year, where chefs and food serving staff should legally know what products are in each food and of course, if you ask someone in the hotel serving food they should know

I would normally expect a note from the customer beforehand stating they are allergic to nuts, but even if all the veggy options had been done in advance and contained nuts, an alternative should have been available when asked, its possible someone when serving touched one with nuts, before touching one without and that's enough to set a reaction to some

I don't see why so many people blame the OP, take the goodwill gesture, advise restaurants next time in case, and seek dr advice to see if it is an allergy and how serve it is, would be my advice.

Useful advice here. If us posters are coming across as blaming the op, that's obviously not right, as they did have a nasty experience. It is looking like the op has self diagnosed , and she could have more than one allergy.

. I for one feel quite frightened for the op at her laissez faire approach.

If she was my daughter I'd tell her she had had a close shave but had been rather silly. I'd suggest she contact the hotel and ask for an explaination of exactly WHY the waiting staff were not aware of this, quoting the law the previous poster mentioned.
As I already said, get an exact list if what was in the meal-including whether the oils used were refined or unrefined and brand names.

At that point I'd be better able to decide whether to take up the hotels offer. I wouldn't let them off lightly.
Personally if it were a member of my family I'd go along with her and ask to see the exact products in the kitchen used so I could examine the label .

Latazza

Sue Sue Sue !

Semple

markfj wrote: »

I'm a chef, for what its worth

My advice would be to go to a DR firstly and check it is an allergy, if it is it can be fatal, esp nut allergies

Secondly, there are stricter rules and guidelines in place from December 2014 regarding Food Allegergens, where chefs and food serving staff should legally know what products are in each food and of course, if you ask someone in the hotel serving food they should know

I would normally expect a note from the customer beforehand stating they are allergic to nuts, but even if all the veggy options had been done in advance and contained nuts, an alternative should have been available when asked, its possible someone when serving touched one with nuts, before touching one without and that's enough to set a reaction to some

I don't see why so many people blame the OP, take the goodwill gesture, advise restaurants next time in case, and seek dr advice to see if it is an allergy and how serve it is, would be my advice.

Some great advice here.

Without going down the path that most have done asking why you've stayed at the party and history of allergic reactions before.

You came here to ask what compensation you deserve I should really turn it back to you, and ask what exactly are you expecting?

Compensation normally works by reimbursing you for a loss caused because of an issue in control by them. Typically in this example, i would expect compensation to be a refund on the meal, and possibly a taxi home if you had to leave the party early due to feeling unwell.

In this case though, the Hotel has offered a complimentary 1-night stay, which is a far greater cost than the example above.

If i was you, i would accept the Hotels generous goodwill gesture, and take Mark's advice above when eating out in the future.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

BoP will now explain for the hard of reading.

OP, restricts the foods she can eat because they are a veggie. OP also suffers allegedly, from a nut allergy. OP was invited out for Christmas lunch thing, it is the time of year. OP asked waitress whether nuts were used on the beans and toast option.

Later, the same evening, OP suffered a reaction so bad, they could only drink water, and had severe scratching as well. Later, OP found original flyer, saying veg option was not beans on toast, but some mushroom tart topped with spinach, French cheese and crushed nuts.

Compensation amounting to a free night has been offered to OP.

Unfortunately it is not known whether an optician is required to correct reading difficulties.

Moral.

If your lifestyle restricts your wants and needs, make doubly sure that places you frequent that you are aware of your imposed limits.

daytona0

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

BoP will now explain for the hard of reading.

OP, restricts the foods she can eat because they are a veggie. OP also suffers allegedly, from a nut allergy. OP was invited out for Christmas lunch thing, it is the time of year. OP asked waitress whether nuts were used on the beans and toast option.

Later, the same evening, OP suffered a reaction so bad, they could only drink water, and had severe scratching as well. Later, OP found original flyer, saying veg option was not beans on toast, but some mushroom tart topped with spinach, French cheese and crushed nuts.

Compensation amounting to a free night has been offered to OP.

Unfortunately it is not known whether an optician is required to correct reading difficulties.

Moral.

If your lifestyle restricts your wants and needs, make doubly sure that places you frequent that you are aware of your imposed limits.

I'm not going to take the jerk route on this occasion, but I will just comment that your use of commas made it a difficult post to comprehend!