11-year-old schoolgirl Ellie Robinson-Smith from Kent was rushed to hospital after drinking a Fruit Shoot. The young girl had taken a few gulps of the drink when she realised that something was wrong. It is thought that is may have been contaminated with a pencillium-type mould.
Ellie told her mother Sammi that the drink which she had removed from a multipack of 48 tasted like ‘oven cleaner’. Ms Smith, 29, immediately noticed the drink had a repulsive smell and taste and took the drink from her three year old just before she had a chance to drink it. She rang the complaints number on the bottles and was told to send a sample to Britvic.
Over the next hour or so, Ellie, then 10, began complaining of a burning throat, sickness and diarrhoea. Her mother called 101 and was told by the operator to take her daughter straight away to A&E where she underwent an ECG.
Although the results of the investigation are pending, Britvic said it believes the bottle was contaminated with a penicillium-type mould, which can cause people to feel or be sick. Ms Smith was told that the mould can react with preservative in the drink to produce a very strong ‘petrol or chemical’ taste and smell.