The parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, a teenager who died in 2016 following an allergic reaction to sesame in a Pret A Manger baguette, have launched a £10 million prize to support allergy research. Natasha, 15, from Fulham, west London, suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction after consuming the sandwich, which did not list sesame as an ingredient and contained seeds that were not visible.

In response to their daughter’s death, Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse established Natasha’s Foundation in 2019 to raise awareness and promote changes in food labelling laws. Their advocacy contributed to new regulations requiring food outlets to provide full ingredient lists and allergy information on items made and packaged on-site for direct sale, such as sandwiches, salads, and cakes.

The newly announced prize aims to fund research focused on preventing food allergies before they develop, with a particular emphasis on the first 1,000 days from conception. The foundation identified this period as a critical window for intervention to reduce the rising rates of food allergies, which affect millions of people in the UK and globally.

Describing the prize as the largest fund of its kind in the UK, Tanya Ednan-Laperouse said it is intended as a long-term investment to inspire scientific breakthroughs that could ultimately create a future without food allergies. “This prize offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a future without food allergy. It will fund research focused on turning back the dial on a disease that affects millions,” she stated.

Starting immediately, scientists will be invited to apply for the prize, with a scientific advisory panel selecting successful applicants. Those chosen will collaborate on developing new methods to prevent food allergies, aiming to reduce the risk for future generations.

The initiative marks a significant step in allergy research funding, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve food safety and public health while addressing the emotional toll allergies have on families. The Ednan-Laperouses hope that by advancing research and prevention, no other family will have to endure the loss they experienced.