States Put Ban On Use Of Liquid Nitrogen While Serving Eatables; Here's Why

The Tamil Nadu health department issued an order in April mandating that food and beverages include no liquid nitrogen at all when served. The order was given in response to reports that a boy who had eaten "smoke biscuits" at a Davangere exhibition experienced severe stomach ache and other issues. 

Recently, Karnataka has also called to ban the use of liquid Nitrogen gas following the incident that took place in Bengaluru, where a 12-year-old girl suffered a hole in her stomach due to the consumption of smoky paan.

What was the incident about?

The Bengaluru-born 12-year-old girl attended a wedding celebration where the popular "smoky" paan was being served. She was hurried to the hospital after eating it because she began to have stomach pains. Her condition was identified as perforation peritonitis or stomach hole.

The girl told The Times of India, "I just wanted to try the smoky paan because it looked interesting and everyone else was trying it too." "The discomfort I felt was terrifying, but no one else was hurt or in pain."

The girl's doctors at Bengaluru's Narayana Multispeciality Hospital determined that surgery was necessary to stop the issues from getting worse. Afterwards, an exploratory laparotomy was performed along with an intraoperative OGD scan to remove a section of her stomach, which measured around 4 by 5 cm on the lesser curvature.

This is not an isolated instance. An undated video that went viral last month showed a youngster from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, falling sick after eating a "smoky biscuit" made with liquid nitrogen during an exhibition.

Medical professionals are concerned about food trends that prioritize "novelty over safety."

Karnataka outlawed the use of liquid nitrogen while serving meals in restaurants and even made it a crime after the startling occurrence in Bengaluru.

On May 3, Srinivas K, the commissioner of Karnataka's food safety department, issued an order outlawing the use of liquid nitrogen when smoking sweets, cookies, and other food products while serving patrons.

Why is liquid nitrogen hazardous?

Medical professionals warn that direct contact with liquid nitrogen can result in severe frostbite, which can cause tissue damage or perhaps permanent harm.

"When exposed to the warm environment of the body, liquid nitrogen rapidly evaporates into gas causing a sudden expansion that can lead to internal injuries like perforation or rupture of the digestive tract," explained Dr Sangeeta Tiwari in an interview with Only My Health about what happens after ingesting liquid nitrogen.