12-Year-Old Girl Gets Hole In Her Stomach After Eating Liquid Nitrogen Paan In Bengaluru

A 12-year-old girl suffered a severe injury, resulting in a "hole in her stomach," after consuming a paan infused with liquid nitrogen at a wedding reception in Bengaluru.

Reports indicate that she was hospitalised and diagnosed with perforation peritonitis, a condition involving a hole in the stomach. The affected part of her stomach, measuring 4x5 cm, had to be surgically removed through a sleeve gastrectomy, according to doctors.

The child spent two days in intensive care and was discharged after six days. Medical experts have noted that similar cases are emerging across India, highlighting the need for safety measures. They warned against the experimental use of liquid nitrogen in food due to its associated risks.

In another recent incident, a video of a boy from Tamil Nadu went viral, showing him screaming in pain after eating a "smoking biscuit." The boy was hospitalized, prompting the state's food safety department (FSD) to ban the use of liquid nitrogen in foods, deeming smoking biscuits or liquid nitrogen-laced foods as "dangerous."

The FSD also instructed designated officers and food safety officers to enforce the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, against any Food Business Operator using liquid nitrogen in food items like biscuits, ice creams, and wafer biscuits. They emphasized that liquid nitrogen must fully evaporate from food or drinks before serving.

However, Karnataka has not imposed such a ban. According to The New Indian Express, a senior official from the state health department stated that food safety officers have been instructed to take action against misuse under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Yet, a detailed directive on liquid nitrogen use has not been issued.

Liquid nitrogen, if misused in foods or mishandled, can cause severe burns resembling frostbite, scorching organs or body parts it contacts.