An Oregon woman with a rare beer allergy has taken legal action against a local wing joint after consuming beer-battered onion rings that triggered a severe allergic reaction. Mui Van, 32, of Salem, filed a $155,000 lawsuit against iWingz, a local arcade and restaurant, claiming that a server assured her the onion rings could be prepared without beer in May 2024, according to The Oregonian.
The Incident
Van suffers from a rare allergy to hops, which are derived from the Humulus lupulus plant and used to give beer its distinctive flavor. During her visit to iWingz for an early Mother's Day dinner with her husband, children, and sister-in-law, she allegedly inquired whether the onion rings could be made without beer. The server reportedly responded, 'Yeah, yeah, we can do that,' leading her to believe the dish would be safe.
However, Van later discovered that the fried appetizer came pre-battered in a beer mixture. 'She was trusting what she had been told by the restaurant,' her attorney, Jory Lange, who describes himself as a food poisoning lawyer, told The Oregonian. She is also represented by Portland lawyer Spencer Kelly.
Medical Emergency
Upon taking a bite of the onion ring, Van's lips began to swell, and she experienced a 'squeezing' sensation in her throat and chest, according to the complaint. Her husband rushed her to the emergency room, where she went into anaphylactic shock. Since the incident, Van has reported significant anxiety when dining out or even shopping for groceries, fearing hidden beer ingredients in food.
Despite this, Van has returned to dining out, noting that this is the only time she has been served something she was allergic to at a restaurant. 'Unless you're a farmer making your own food, you've got to be able to trust either the grocery store or the restaurant to tell you about what you're putting in the food,' Lange said.
Restaurant Response
The current menu at iWingz does not appear to include beer-battered onion rings, though it offers onion chips described as 'hand-breaded.' It remains unclear whether the current recipe contains beer. The Daily Mail has reached out to iWingz and Van's lawyers for comment.
Humulus lupulus is used in beer to keep it fresher longer and help retain foam, which preserves flavor. The largest hops growers in the United States are located in Washington's Yakima Valley.
