Whittaker’s Peanut Slab sparks debate after woman eats it boarding Bali flight
A Whittaker’s Peanut Slab has become the centre of debate after a New Zealand woman was criticised for eating the chocolate while boarding a flight to Bali.
Madi, who goes by Life with Madi online, said she was enjoying the nutty treat when another passenger challenged her over the risk it posed to travellers with severe nut allergies.
“I’m just eating my peanut slab in peace and quiet and the lady behind me in the tunnel says, thank God I’m not anaphylactic,” she said in a video posted on social media.
Madi said she was taken aback by the comments and insisted she never intended to put anyone in danger.
“The lady approached me unsolicited and made passive-aggressive comments detailing that she was not anaphylactic and not allergic to peanuts,” she said.
She said she would have acted differently had she known someone nearby had a serious allergy.
“If I knew I was travelling with someone or that someone was going to be next to me, I would show appropriate care and consideration.
“I definitely don’t feel as though I’ve been malicious or unempathetic.”
The exchange sparked discussion online, with opinions split over whether eating peanut products before boarding a plane is acceptable.
Many commenters backed the woman who raised the issue.
“My husband would legit die because of this, you could have eaten it before or after the plane,” one person wrote.
“When you are sharing space like that, you do have to think of the collective welfare,” another said.
“As a nurse I’ve literally watched people going into anaphylactic shock from someone eat peanut in a completely different room to them,” read another.
Others defended Madi, arguing she could not have known whether anyone nearby had a peanut allergy.
“These comments are so weird. They f***ing serve peanuts on airplanes,” read one of the most-liked comments.
Many people are concerned about nut particles in the air, with a number of stories online about such incidents.
In 2014, 4-year-old Fae Platten nearly died after a passenger opened a packet of nuts several rows behind her, reported the Telegraph. An EpiPen saved her life.
The only issue? The reaction to airborne nut particles is believed to largely be a myth on planes.
Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, argues medical studies show aircraft ventilation systems filter out heavy peanut dust particles.
Instead, the child’s severe reaction was likely caused by physical residue left on tray tables and seats from previous flights, which remains a legitimate contact hazard.