Haryana govt bans mixing of liquid nitrogen with drinks, after man gets hole in stomach

Chandigarh: After the shocking incident of a 30-year-old Delhi man ending up in a hospital with a huge hole in his stomach by drinking a cocktail containing nitrogen at a Gurgaon pub, the Haryana government has banned mixing of the chemical in drinks and food items.

 Any drink or food whose preparation involves the flushing or mixing of liquid nitrogen is harmful to people, said Dr Saket Kumar, Commissioner (Food Safety) in Haryana’s Food and Drugs Administration Department.

He added, “Due to its low temperature, liquid nitrogen could be extremely damaging to body tissue, causing frostbite and cryogenic burning on contact. Moreover, if ingested, it could lead to severe internal damage, destroying tissue in the mouth and intestinal tract.”

It was reported that the man apparently did not wait for the chemical, that creates a white smoke, to dissipate before consuming it.

After the gory episode, he underwent a surgery and was hospitalized for several days. The FDA official said liquid nitrogen releases a large volume of gas as it evaporates, which could “burst the stomach” if ingested in a sufficiently large quantity.

He said the ban has been issued under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006).

Liquid nitrogen is used at bars to quickly chill glasses, freeze ingredients or provide a smoky effect to drinks.

(With PTI inputs)