‘Be wary of smoky paan, ice creams, drinks’

Experts warn against consuming foods and drinks laced with liquid nitrogen, which is added for a smoky effect. If caution is not exercised, it can lead to frostbites on exposed skin, internal injury, or gastric issues.

It was recently reported that a 12-year-old girl from Bengaluru had to undergo surgery after she ate a liquid nitrogen paan at a wedding reception. She experienced discomfort and was later diagnosed with a hole in her stomach, a condition called perforation peritonitis. About 4x5 cm of her stomach was removed.

Too cold for the body

A food scientist says liquid nitrogen is used to flash-freeze food items such as peas to keep them fresh and store them. It also lends a velvety texture while making ice creams. In dining, it is being used for theatrics while serving desserts and drinks.

Dr Srikanth K P, pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology consultant, explains why swallowing liquid nitrogen is dangerous: “It boils at -196°C, which means it quickly turns into gas at room temperature. Due to the warmth of the human body, it rapidly evaporates when ingested. This sudden expansion can cause the stomach or intestines to distend beyond their capacity, leading to tears or perforations.”

Asphyxiation is another risk. He shares, “If the expanding gas can’t pass quickly, the pressure build-up in the lungs and airways may cause breathing difficulties or respiratory failure.”

It can also cause cold burns to the mouth, throat, oesophagus, and stomach. “This can lead to bleeding, ulcers, and long-term complications in the digestive tract,” he adds.

Safe use guidelines

Food safety consultant Dr Mamatha Mishra says liquid nitrogen-laced foods and drinks can be considered safe to consume only when all the smoke from them has evaporated. The FDA warns against the addition of liquid nitrogen to foods and beverages immediately prior to service so they aren’t too cold.

When this journalist ordered cream wafers topped with liquid nitrogen from a cart in V V Puram on Thursday, the seller said the wafting smoke was harmless. However, he warned her against touching the ‘liquid’ settled at the bottom of the paper cup in which he had served the wafers.  

Mamatha shares other FDA guidelines prescribed for food handlers: “Use only food-grade nitrogen. No residue of liquid nitrogen should remain in the service container, and no refill should be provided. Never use it with bare hands (use gloves and tongs). The opening of the serving container should be narrow so it doesn’t spill on customers.”

However, liquid nitrogen is not safe for everyone. She flags it for “children, pregnant women, and people with gastrointestinal disorders, compromised immune systems, respiratory issues or allergies”.

Mixologist-entrepreneur Yangdup Lama is aware of the potential hazards. “That’s why we use liquid nitrogen only to chill the glass. We neither use it as an ingredient nor do we serve drinks with a bed of liquid nitrogen on the side. We can’t be sure how customers handle it,” he says.

Metrolife could not reach the food safety commissioner for a comment.

Other incidents

In 2017, a 30-year-old was hospitalised after drinking a liquid nitrogen cocktail at a pub in Gurugram. Nearly half of his stomach had to be removed. The Tamil Nadu government recently issued an advisory that the smoke should fully evaporate before foods and drinks are served to customers. This came after a video of a young boy screaming in pain after eating a smoky biscuit at a street shop, purportedly in Davangere in Karnataka, emerged online.