Restaurant Pays Fine of $28,000 After Serving Children Insect Repellent Instead of Cranberry Juice

**Perth Restaurant Fined After Serving Insect Repellent to Children Mistaken for Cranberry Juice**

A restaurant in Perth, Australia, has been handed a hefty fine of AU$40,000 (approximately £28,000) following a serious incident in which two young sisters were served insect repellent instead of cranberry juice. The alarming event took place in June 2024 at Miky’s Italian Fusion restaurant, leading to the children requiring medical attention.

Sisters Hannah, aged 12, and Olivia, aged 11, visited the establishment with their parents, Marcus and Michele Lemin. According to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the girls were served a pink liquid which they initially believed to be cranberry juice. However, after a sip, the sisters immediately detected something was wrong and spat the drink out, claiming it was “poisoned.”

Michele Lemin shared her shock during an interview with ABC, recounting the moment she tasted the drink. After the children’s outcry, she decided to taste the contents herself, only to also spit it out in disgust. “I said, ‘Don’t be silly,’ but the taste was overwhelming,” she explained. This prompted Marcus to confront a staff member regarding the suspicious beverage.

Initially, the restaurant staff member was hesitant to reveal the identity of the liquid. Marcus recounted that the staff member insisted the substance was “just old cranberry juice” and attempted to withhold the bottle from him. “He took the bottle out of the fridge and placed it under the counter. That’s when I said, ‘No, you need to give me the bottle, I need to see what it is,’” Marcus stated.

Upon inspection, it was revealed that the drink contained citronella, commonly found in insect repellent, highlighting a significant safety lapse in food handling practices at the restaurant. Following the incident, the children experienced a range of symptoms, including headaches, burning stomachs, and tingling sensations in their hands and fingers. They were subsequently taken to Perth Children’s Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for assessment, where they were kept under observation for several hours before being released.

In light of the severe implications of this incident, the Department of Health launched an investigation into the restaurant’s practices. On March 3, the former owner of Miky’s Italian Fusion, Michele Angiuli, was found guilty in Perth Magistrates Court for selling unsafe food and failing to ensure the necessary due diligence in food safety protocols. In addition to the fine, he faced two other related charges.

Michele Lemin expressed her relief that the outcome was not more tragic, reflecting on how much more severe the situation could have been had the children been even younger. “We’re lucky that the children weren’t younger,” she said. “If this had happened to toddlers, I can’t fathom what might have occurred.”

As a consequence of this incident, the restaurant has seen a significant downturn in its reputation and operations. Angiuli has since lost his business and no longer works in the hospitality industry, according to statements made by his lawyer.

The alarming situation has sparked discussions about the importance of rigorous food safety measures in restaurants, particularly those catering to families and young children. Serious incidents like this one underline the necessity for comprehensive staff training and adherence to health regulations to prevent such occurrences in the future.

Both the Department of Health and Perth Magistrates Court were approached for comments regarding the case, but no immediate response was received. Meanwhile, the Lemin family continues to process the incident and its impact on their lives.

As more details emerge from the investigation and its aftermath, it serves as a crucial reminder for all eateries to remain diligent in safeguarding the health of their patrons, particularly the most vulnerable.