A 13-year-old girl with a severe dairy allergy died after drinking a hot chocolate from Costa Coffee that she believed was made with soya milk. Hannah Jacobs, from Barking in east London, had picked up the takeaway drink with her mother on the way to a dentist appointment on Feb 8, 2023. The schoolgirl and her family had known of her intolerance to dairy, egg, fish and wheat since she was a toddler and had navigated the risks throughout her life. Her mother ordered the drink and informed the barista of Hannah’s dairy allergy, according to Leigh Day solicitors. Concerns about the contents of the drink began after Hannah started to sip it in the dentist’s waiting room and suspected it was made with dairy rather than soya. They sought help from a nearby pharmacy where Hannah was given an EpiPen to self-administer, which helps to relax the muscles in the airways and combat allergic reactions, buying time for further help to arrive. An ambulance crew made its way to the scene shortly afterwards and attempted to save her life through resuscitation, but she was pronounced dead at 1pm. She had suffered a suspected severe anaphylactic reaction to the hot chocolate drink. An inquest into her death will begin at East London Coroner’s Court on Aug 12 and will attempt to establish the circumstances that led to her death.

Anaphylaxis Explained

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that comes on very suddenly once triggered. Experts say about 10 people die from anaphylactic shock every year as the result of an allergic reaction each year. A dairy allergy is the most common in children, with about one in 50 children allergic to cows’ milk in the developed world, according to Allergy UK. Hannah’s death follows the case of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 after an allergic reaction to sesame seeds in a baguette from Pret a Manger. In response, the government announced the introduction of stricter laws aimed at safeguarding allergy sufferers. Natasha’s Law came into force in 2021 and requires all food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and clear allergen labelling on pre-packaged foods made on the premises for direct sale. It had previously been sufficient for stores to have general allergen warnings posted around the shop rather than on individual items made in-store. Food businesses could face financial penalties if they fail to comply with the regulation, according to the Food Standards Agency. Costa Coffee has been approached for comment.

A Tragic Incident Raises Concerns About Food Allergy Safety

An inquest will take place next week into the death of a girl who died after suffering a suspected allergic reaction to a Costa Coffee hot chocolate. Thirteen-year-old Hannah Jacobs, from Barking in east London, died in February 2023 after sipping the drink, which she believed had been made with soya milk. The teenager had severe allergies to dairy, egg, fish and wheat, which she had been managing well since she was a toddler. According to the solicitors Leigh Day, Hannah’s mother had ordered the drink at the branch operated by a Costa Coffee franchise partner in Station Parade, Barking, and informed the barista of her daughter’s dairy allergy, before they went to a dental appointment. They were in the waiting room when Hannah sipped the drink and told her mother she believed it hadn’t been made with soy milk, as expected. She immediately began to have an allergic reaction. They rushed to a nearby pharmacy where staff administered an EpiPen, an emergency adrenaline injection which is used to treat anaphylaxis. An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and rushed Hannah to Newham university hospital, but staff were unable to save her and she was pronounced dead at 1pm on 8 February 2023. The inquest will open on Monday at East London coroner’s court and is scheduled to last for five days. Costa Coffee has not commented on the proceedings.

The Impact of Natasha’s Law

Hannah’s case echoes that of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 at the age of 15 after suffering a severe reaction to a sandwich from Pret a Manger. According to the law at the time, the sandwich did not require an allergy label as it had been made on site, but the artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette sandwich was later discovered to contain sesame seeds that weren’t declared on the packet. The teenager was severely allergic to nuts and fell ill and died on a flight to Nice. Thanks to the campaigning of her parents, Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, a food safety law known as “Natasha’s Law” was introduced in October 2021 to compel all food made on premises to have full ingredient and allergen labelling. The couple said they were “devastated” by Hannah’s death and had been providing support to her family over the last year. In a statement to the Daily Mail, they said: “This is a complex case, involving a number of different parties, so it is vital that the circumstances surrounding Hannah’s death are fully investigated at the inquest next week. The death of yet another child with food allergy underlines the severity of this serious medical condition, and the steps we all need to take – individuals, companies and the government – to keep people with food allergies safe.” The Ednan-Laperouse family have founded the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which campaigns on the issue and has funded a clinical trial to investigate potential treatments for children suffering from severe allergies. Approximately 10 people die each year in England and Wales as a result of allergies, according to Allergy UK, and the condition costs the NHS about £1bn a year. Between 2% and 3% of children living in the developed world suffer from an allergy to cow’s milk, making it the most common paediatric allergy, the charity says. Hannah’s family released a photograph of the schoolgirl, believed to have been taken on her 13th birthday. In it, the bespectacled teenager, wearing a pink sash and badge, holds helium balloons while smiling at the camera.

Remembering Hannah

Hannah Jacobs, from Barking, east London, took a sip from her Costa Coffee hot chocolate as she waited for the dentist - but instantly knew something was wrong and that her drink potentially contained allergens. A 13-year-old schoolgirl with a severe dairy allergy died after a suspected allergen mix-up with her Costa Coffee hot chocolate. Hannah Jacobs was intolerant to dairy products, along with fish and eggs, since she was a kid. When her hot chocolate was ordered, she believed the drink had been made with soya milk. But the teenager died after a suspected anaphylactic reaction. Hannah's mum ordered her daughter a takeaway drink from the coffee shop chain before going for a dentist appointment. She told the barista about her daughter's dairy intolerance, according to legal firm Leigh Day. But when Hannah, from Barking, east London, took a sip from her hot drink as she waited for the dentist on February 8 last year, she knew something was wrong. She told her mum immediately that it had not been made with soya milk, raising fears it had been made with dairy products. The teen was immediately rushed to a nearby pharmacy where chemists were able to administer an EpiPen, which is usually self-administered as a first response to anaphylactic attacks. An ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after and rushed her off to hospital, with several attempts made to resuscitate her. But medical staff were unable to save the young girl's life and she was declared dead at 1pm on February 8, 2023. An inquest into her death is set to begin on Monday, August 12, at east London's coroner's court, and is expected to last a week. The inquest will look into the situation when Hannah died and is set to hear testimonies from 11 witnesses and other experts. Hannah's family have released a heartbreaking image of the teen, which is believed to have been taken on her 13th birthday. The schoolgirl can be seen smiling widely as she holds birthday balloons wearing a sash and '13' badge. The Mirror has approached Costa Coffee for comment.