A 20-year-old woman with a severe dairy allergy died after eating a vegan tiramisu mistakenly made with mascarpone.
Anna Bellisario went into anaphylactic shock as she ate the dessert at a fast-food restaurant.
She passed away after spending 10 days in a coma.
Prosecutor, Marcello Viola has now ruled that she died due to “incorrect use of mascarpone in the production of the cream intended for vegan tiramisu”.
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The amount of casein found in the dessert shows there weren’t just traces of the soft cheese, but it was, in fact, a key ingredient.
According to the investigation, the company that produced the tiramisu is responsible for Anna’s death.
This conclusion was reached through intercepts, observation, and even the interrogation of an employee.
Mr Viola said: “The established negligent behaviours allowed for confusion between ingredients and preparations of animal origin, such as mascarpone, and ingredients of plant origin.”
Anna and her boyfriend were having dinner at a vegan restaurant in Milan, Italy, on 26 January last year.
After just two spoonfuls of the tiramisu, she began coughing, broke out in hives, and experienced difficulty breathing.
Despite taking medication, she soon passed out and was rushed to a local hospital, where she died on 5 February.
The suspects, whose names are withheld, are charged with manslaughter.
The mum and son who ran the business that produced the dessert have been banned from operating for a year.
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