Pie caused children's reactions

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Children who became ill after eating chicken pie at three nurseries in Bradford had allergic reactions to histamine, an investigation has found.

Fifty children under the age of five became feverish and developed rashes and swollen tongues after eating the pies in July.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) detected histamine in the pies, which can cause allergic reactions.

Investigations are continuing into how histamine became present in the pies.

The HPA found that the food, which all came from the same kitchen, was prepared and transported in a safe manner and "food handling and preparation was not connected to this incident".

Quick recovery

The meal had been prepared at Knowleswood Primary School in Holme Wood.

It had been served to children at Pippin's Childcare and Education Centre on the site of Knowleswood Primary; Newhall Park Daycare in Bierley, and Munchkin's Childcare and Education Centre in Laisterdyke.

The children who had eaten halal or vegetarian options did not become ill.

Histamine is not normally found in chicken, but is more common in fish. It does not alter the smell or look of the food and is not destroyed by the cooking process.

Dr Martin Schweiger of the Health Protection Agency said "it may not be possible to conclusively discover" how the histamine came to be in the pies.

Although the children's allergic reactions were severe, they all recovered quickly and were back at nursery the following day.