Órla Baxendale, a 25-year-old professional dancer from the UK, tragically passed away on January 11, 2024, after eating a Vanilla Florentine cookie that contained peanuts. The cookie was mistakenly labelled and sold at Stew Leonard’s, a well-known supermarket in Connecticut.
Despite not indicating the presence of peanuts, the cookie triggered a severe allergic reaction in Baxendale, leading to anaphylactic shock.
She had consumed the cookie while attending a social gathering in Connecticut. These cookies were sold at Stew Leonard’s between November 6 and December 31, 2023, and have since been recalled from the Danbury and Newington locations.
An investigation into Baxendale’s death found that the cookie was manufactured by Cookies United, and its packaging failed to mention the presence of peanuts.
Marijo Adimey, the attorney representing Baxendale’s family, labelled this failure as gross negligence and reckless conduct by the manufacturer and/or sellers. Adimey emphasised that this tragic incident could have been avoided with proper labelling.
Stew Leonard’s, where the cookies were sold, claimed that the bakery it sourced from in Long Island did not notify them of any ingredient changes in the Vanilla Florentine Cookies. On the other hand, Cookies United stated that they had informed the regional supermarket chain about the ingredient change months prior to Baxendale’s death.
Cookies United alleged that Stew Leonard’s rebranded the packaging without properly indicating the presence of peanuts.
Baxendale had moved to New York City from the UK six years ago to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer. She was a scholarship student at the Ailey School and had performed at prestigious events like New York Fashion Week and dance productions at Lincoln Center.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s Food, Standards, and Product Safety Division (DCP) labelled Baxendale’s passing as a heartbreaking tragedy that should have never occurred. The DCP is currently investigating the incident alongside officials from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, the Food and Drug Administration, and Stew Leonard’s to prevent similar tragedies.
This mislabelling incident underscores the critical importance of accurate food labelling, particularly for individuals with known food allergies.
Punita Ponda, Northwell Health’s associate division chief for allergy and immunology, stressed the necessity for individuals with food allergies to thoroughly check labels. Ponda recommended carrying an EpiPen and scrutinising the labels of all food products to prevent allergic reactions.
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