Riverford Organic - Rant - allergic reaction

[susyp]

For lack of anywhere else to rant, I just wanted to let it out about Riverford Organic.

I get a box every week. Last week I splashed out and added some Olive and Tomato Focaccia to my order, as my 4 year old loves focaccia. She is highly dairy allergic. I checked the ingredients several times - no milk.

Then, for 4 nights - she was constantly waking up screaming in pain with chronic wind - and had tummy ache all day. I thought she was ill and she missed a few days of school (bearing in mind she has only just started school). Then on nights 3 and 4, when the calpol clearly wasn't working, we decided to try antihistamine - instant response with the wind but she still had tummy ache in the day. I checked everything she had had several times, no dairy - and concluded she must have been eating out of other children's lunch boxes - cue firm mummy talk about not eating other people's food.

So on Saturday I decided to email Riverford to double check the focaccia had no dairy in it. Got a response saying I would hear back in 48 hours. No response so far. So today I rang my local franchisee - she checked online - it says the focaccia had buttermilk as the second ingredient! I have a pdf of the page from Saturday - it doesn't list buttermilk. Clearly, we both think - they are covering their backs. And yet no phone call to me.

In the end I ring the press office as the only HO number I can find. Eventually some 12 year old who is head of customer services calls me back to apologise. He clearly has no idea of the seriousness of this. No promise to end contract wit the bakery, no promise to investigate or to go through all their website to check accuracy of ingredients. No offer even of any compensation, free box - not that that is the point and would probably not have sated my anger. Needless to say I have cancelled any future deliveries.

Unbelievable though from a company who pretend to be ethical. Can I take this any further does anyone know? Is it a trading standards issue?

Susypx

[Bouncy]

Hi Suzy...I'd be pretty p****d off - I think you have a right to be. I have friend with a child with worse allergies than yours; the consequences could be even worse. Could you try the advertising standards agency (as the product was not as advertised)?- or local trading standards? (I think such a thing exists). I emailed the ASA in a Groupon rage quite recently and they got back to me quickly...

[Saffron]

The Defra page has some useful info... scroll down for the current stuff on labelling.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/food/labelling/

[susyp]

Interesting link Saffron thanks.

Hoping this may have been why she appeared to have an infection we corresponded about on Sunday! As buttermilk is probably one of the worst things she can have. It kind of explains everything that's been going on with her health wise.

I've now heard from someone more senior at Riverford that they are taking this seriously and investigating it properly - and will come back to me with the findings. Which really is what I wanted.

Making our own bread now. We already make our own cakes so it's not that much of a stretch hopefully.

And to think that 4 years ago I couldn't cook for toffee - now making bread and cakes myself!!

Just shows you nothing is impossible!

susypx

[bodsier]

Glad to hear it. Sorry to hear. I was surprised to hear that you had heard nothing, knowing how caring and ethical they are, it seemed incongruous. Sometimes these things take a little time to filter through to those more senior. They are usually really efficient. I think |Riverford are great. Really fresh food and a really good service. I hope it all gets sorted out. It seems that their food is produced by local bakeries in your area rather than their own. It may have been a mistake on the bakeries part, and not their own, but it's good that they are taking it seriously and dealing with it.

[susyp]

Their customer service is pretty poor. I had to make a big fuss before I had any response. GOing to try Abel and Cole now!

susypx

[Saffron]

susyp Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Interesting link Saffron thanks.

> Hoping this may have been why she appeared to have

> an infection we corresponded about on Sunday! As

> buttermilk is probably one of the worst things she

> can have. It kind of explains everything that's

> been going on with her health wise.

Yes, food allergies and intollerances can manifest in odd ways. I can imagine that upset of gastric fauna can have additional effects elsewhere in the body. Can you get dairy free probiotics? Does such a thing exist? (I'm thinking that many probiotics are cultured in milk? If not, I see a gap in the market!) Hope your LO is feeling better. xx

[EDmummy]

Non-diary probiotics here - http://www.livestrong.com/article/265506-can-people-on-a-dairy-free-diet-take-probiotics/ although I'd congratulate any parent who can get saurkraut down the throats of their little ones (mine do actually like it but they are strange).

There is mention of soya yoghurts but they are not suitable for all dairy allergies. I happen to get symptoms as bad as with milk when I eat soya yoghurt but not when I eat other types of soya bean products. For me, it all depends on how it is prepared.

[Saffron]

Mmm, I love saurkraut. It was standard around our house as children - Mother's family is of Czech heritage. Weirdly Little Saff loves pickled beetroot, must be her grandmother's genes.

Going to buy some on the way home. We haven't had any in ages! Thanks for the idea.

[susyp]

arg it's still going on despite piriton - I am loathe to give too much as it makes her exhausted - last few nights waking up screaming in pain with wind and tummy ache in day. She actually seems quite happy but I am a wreck!

At least I have clarified, yes she is still very allergic.

Sigh

Susypx