Woman hospitalised after allergic reaction to feta

A woman wound up in Thames Hospital when she reacted to a piece of a feta in a salad.

The Whitianga woman in her 40s who is allergic to cheese was at a dinner party at a friend's house when she had a reaction to the feta.

But it wasn't until her and her partner were walking home on Waitaia Road in Kuaotunu, near Whitianga about 9pm when it really hit her.

Local man Paul Reilly was driving past when he noticed the two in distress and turned around to help.

"The woman was staggering a bit and I though I would check because I'm a local."

The man's partner asked if he had an EpiPen and Reilly ran down the road to grab the local doctor who was able to give the woman a shot.

Reilly said reception was poor where they were and he returned back to the house to call the ambulance which took her to the reserve to meet the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter arrived and flew her to Thames Hospital in a serious condition.

An Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust spokeswoman said a doctor arrived to the scene first and the woman's condition started improving.

The reaction had been caused by a piece of feta in the woman's salad, she said.

Reilly's son Luke had spoken to the woman's partner after the incident and had been told she had recovered.

"He said she's all good now. She's come out of shock I guess or whatever happens when you eat cheese and you are not supposed to."