Sony Pictures is under fire for a scene in its new Peter Rabbit film, which critics say trivializes food allergies when a herd of rambunctious bunnies weaponize blackberries to gang up on their human nemesis.

The controversial sequence in the popular movie shows rabbits attacking the movie's villain, the human character Tom McGregor, with the fruits, to which he is allergic.

After a berry flies into his mouth, the character attempts to inject himself with an EpiPen - but has anaphylaxis and crumples to the ground.

In an open letter to Sony, the Kids with Food Allergies charity admonished the film's "cavalier attitude" towards allergic reactions, saying "making light of this condition hurts our members because it encourages the public not to take the risk of allergic reactions seriously."

Sony Pictures and the filmmakers issued an apology Sunday, saying "Food allergies are a serious issue. Our film should not have made light of Peter Rabbit's arch nemesis, Mr. McGregor, being allergic to blackberries, even in a cartoonish, slapstick way."

"We sincerely regret not being more aware and sensitive to this issue, and we truly apologize," read the statement that circulated widely on US media.