he Haryana government has banned the use of liquid nitrogen under the section 34 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. The prohibition of the product in drinks or food items has been observed keeping the health of the people in mind.
In a recent incident, a man who had consumed liquid nitrogen in his drink had to be taken to the hospital after complaining of severe stomach pains. He ended up with a hole in his stomach.
When exposed to air, liquid nitrogen creates a dense fog and is used by bartenders and chefs to add an element of visual drama to dishes or to freeze things quickly.
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department has banned the use of liquid nitrogen in food and drinks as it has been found to be detrimental to the human body. “There are possibilities of internal damage and harm to the tissues of the mouth and intestinal tract,” said Commissioner Dr Saket Kumar.
Narinder Ahooja, Joint Commissioner FDA, informed that liquid nitrogen has a low temperature of -196 °C and hence is used to freeze food in an instance.
Evaporation of liquid nitrogen can release a large amount of gas that could burst inside the stomach in case the quantity is high.
Dr Sanjay Wazir, director at Cloud 9 hospital in Gurgaon, said, “Liquid nitrogen is inert, colourless, odourless, non-corrosive, non-flammable but extremely cold. It may cause tissue damage due to cold temperatures. If ingested right away, it can freeze inside the stomach and cause perforation.”
“Liquid nitrogen is mostly used in dessert, which needs to be frozen. “People should refrain from mixing it in drinks,” added Dr Wazir.
