Peanut allergies are among the most common food allergies in the world.
For a simple ingredient to be so deadly for a select group of people is often terrifying to think about – and when fatalities occur that could have been easily prevented, it’s nothing short of heartbreaking.
Kellie Travers-Stafford is well-acquainted with this form of heartbreak. She and her husband Michael lost their daughter to the accidental consumption of a single cookie.
15-year-old Alexi Ryann was at a friend’s house when she saw an open pack of chewy Chips Ahoy cookies.
The cookies were in their usual red packaging and Alexi had long acquainted this packaging with a safe food.
But what Alexi didn’t notice was that the packaging had a label on the side of the opening that indicated it contained Reese’s peanut butter cups pieces.
As she finished her snack, she suddenly began to feel a tingling sensation in her mouth and rushed home.
But her condition was already deteriorating very quickly.
Kellie and Michael used 2 epi-pens on her as they waited for what felt like forever for paramedics to arrive.
But shortly after, Alexi went into Anaphylactic shock and her breathing had stopped, leaving her unconscious.
Within 90 minutes of innocently consuming what she thought was a harmless cookie, Alexi had passed away.
Kellie found herself absolutely devastated. She posted the story of what happened on Facebook, where she wrote out her grieving emotions.
She and her husband had dedicated their lives to protecting Alexi from peanuts and knew she was very aware of what she could and couldn’t eat, but the familiar packaging that she associated with safety led to her mistake.
The heartbroken mother went on to talk about how Chips Ahoy makes use of countless different packaging colors for different varieties of their cookies.
But somehow neglected to make a distinct wrapper for something containing an ingredient fatal to countless people around the world.
The label that indicated Reese’s was used in the cookies was located on the pulled back flap and hadn’t been able to warn Alexi of the dangers.
The post went viral, leading to Chips Ahoy’s official Twitter page posting a response stating that they take allergies extremely serious and have the extra ingredient presence clearly listed on the package.
The parent company behind Nabisco, Mondelez International, also released a statement about the incident.
The statement stated that they were saddened to hear about the tragic incident, adding that they recommended that all consumers read the labels on packaging correctly and clearly before making purchases or consuming the goods contained within.
The company’s statement also mentioned how the packaging of the Chips Ahoy cookies with Reese’s peanut butter cup morsels clearly indicate that they contain these peanut butter cups on the side panels of the pack and along the front, using both visuals and clear lettering.
Where do you stand in this manner?
Do you think brands should be required to have clear distinctions between their products, especially involving those that contain common allergens?