Órla Baxendale, a 25-year-old professional dancer, tragically passed away after consuming mislabeled cookies from Stew Leonard’s supermarket chain. The New York Post reported that she suffered anaphylactic shock from a peanut-containing Vanilla Florentine cookie at a social gathering on Jan. 11.
The cookies did not mention peanuts as an ingredient, leading to their recall from Stew Leonard’s stores in Danbury and Newington, Connecticut. Stew Leonard’s and Cookies United are now pointing fingers at each other, leaving uncertainty about who is accountable for the mislabeling that caused the tragic incident.
According to an attorney representing the woman’s family, the tragic death of the dancer showcased
“gross negligence and reckless conduct of the manufacturer and/or sellers.”
Stew Leonard’s alleges that Cookies United failed to communicate a change in the Vanilla Florentine cookies’ ingredients, resulting in the use of peanuts instead of soy nuts without their knowledge. Stew Leonard Jr., the supermarket chain’s president, emphasized the seriousness of accurate labeling, particularly regarding peanuts, in a video on the company’s website.
However, Cookies United claims that they informed Stew Leonard’s about the ingredient change prior to Baxendale’s death.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Food, Standards, and Product Safety Division is further investigating the incident.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
