Death by ‘vegan’ tiramisu: 21-year-old woman with extreme milk allergy dies after eating two bites of dessert with traces of milk at Italian restaurant

A woman with an extreme milk allergy died after eating two bites of a dessert with traces of milk at an Italian restaurant.

According to local media, 21-year-old Anna Bellisario and her boyfriend went to a fast food restaurant at the end of January.

The restaurant specializes in vegan dishes – everything that must be without meat, eggs or milk.

Anna, who studied fashion design, frequented the restaurant because she didn’t have to worry about her egg allergy and the even stronger milk allergy she had since birth.

After her main course, she ordered a “vegan” tiramisu for dessert. According to her friend, the staff even showed her the list of allergens in the dish. Apparently only “traces of nuts” were mentioned.

After her main course, she ordered a “vegan” tiramisu. According to her friend, the staff even showed her the list of allergens in the dish. Only “traces of nuts” are apparently listed (file image)

After only two spoonfuls of dessert, she had a feeling something was wrong.

She started coughing, developed a rash and struggled to breathe. She went to the bathroom and tried to make herself throw up, but to no avail.

Even her allergy medicine made no difference. Then she lost consciousness. She was rushed to San Raffaele Hospital in the northern city on Sunday 5 February and was in a coma for ten days.

She was then pronounced dead. The reason for her anaphylactic shock was the supposed vegan tiramisu, which contained traces of nuts – enough to make Anna collapse.

According to the Italian Ministry of Health, the dessert was a ready-to-eat product that had already been recalled from 63 restaurants across Italy.

Traces of milk protein were also found in other tiramisu glasses of the same brand.

Traces of egg were also found in the mayonnaise of the supposed vegan sandwich that Anna ate as a main course at the restaurant.

The Milan public prosecutor’s office launched a manslaughter investigation against both the owner of the restaurant and the tiramisu producer.

The Tiramisun product was withdrawn from the market by the Ministry of Health on Monday 6 February due to the risk of the presence of allergens as it may contain milk proteins not listed on the label.

The public prosecutor has also ordered an autopsy, which is expected to take place in the coming days.

Even her allergy medicine made no difference. Then she lost consciousness. She was rushed to San Raffaele Hospital in the northern city on Sunday 5 February and was in a coma for ten days. She was then pronounced dead