A catering company based in Belfast has been fined on three charges after a customer ended up in hospital after a nut allergy reaction.
At Belfast Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Event Warrior Limited T/A, trading as Craft Event Co, was fined after pleading guilty to three food safety offences.
The first charge involved serving food that was unsafe for allergenic consumers. The second was for failing to ensure that all staff were adequately supervised and trained on food hygiene matters and, in particular, allergen management.
The third charge was in relation to failing to have proper procedures in place in their food safety management system to provide allergen-free food.
The prosecution was brought by Belfast City Council following a complaint that a customer suffered an anaphylactic reaction after consuming food containing nuts provided by the company at a function in September 2023.
The individual, who has a nut allergy, administered an epi-pen and was kept in hospital overnight for observation.
The company was fined £4,500, ordered to pay £548 in costs, and also required to pay £1,000 in compensation to the individual involved.
The company says on its website: “We are a bespoke wedding and events catering company based in Northern Ireland – passionate about bringing your vision to life. Our reputation is built on high standards, beautiful food, creativity and great customer service.
“From sourcing the finest seasonal ingredients and sustainable local produce we showcase dynamic and beautiful food.”
A spokesperson for Event Warrior Ltd apologised for the incident, and said after their own investigation into the events, they have implemented “significant further training” and “additional protocols”.