Takeaways put allergy sufferers at risk of death

More than half of allergy sufferers have had their lives put at risk by contaminated restaurant or takeaway food, a survey suggests.

Some 58 per cent of those with allergies say their potentially life-threatening conditions had been triggered by food that staff had assured them was safe to eat, the poll for law firm Slater and Gordon found.

A third (30 per cent) managed their symptoms with medication. One in ten needed a doctor and one in 15 (7 per cent) needed emergency hospital treatment.

Almost six in ten (58 per cent) reported experiencing negative treatment, including being ignored, not taken seriously or even being accused of being “fussy”.

Censuswide surveyed 1,000 food allergy sufferers between 4 and 9 April.