A fine dining experience at Laforessta cafe in Sector 90, Gurgaon turned into a dangerous event for 5 friends on 4th March 2024. At around 9.30 pm, the five — Neha Sabarwal, Manika Goenka, Pritika Rustagi, Deepak Aroda, and Himani received mouth fresheners after their dinner, mistakenly they were served ‘Dry Ice’ instead of mouth fresheners which led to vomiting and bleeding from the mouth.
Five individuals ended up being hospitalized after consuming the dry ice. This incident has sparked a conversation about food safety, regulations, and potential dangers due to the negligence of staff and the authorities.
The evening was as normal as any other day, 5 patrons just finished their dinner and were later served with ‘mouth freshener’. Unfortunately, the substance was not even remotely connected to a mint or mouth freshener. The substance was granules of dry ice, but relying on the expertise of their waiting staff, they consumed those granules which later they realized was a life-taking moment for them. Consumption of dry ice led to a sensation of burning in their mouths followed by bleeding and vomiting. Individuals were immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment.
In a video recording by Kumar, his friends, and his wife can be seen screaming and crying in pain. “We don’t know what they have mixed. Everyone here is vomiting. They have cuts on their tongues. Their mouths are burning. Don’t know what type of acid they have given us,” he adds.
Dry ice is a solid form of carbon dioxide and is extremely cold with a temperature of about -78 degrees Celsius. It should never be ingested as it will lead to severe internal injuries. Dry Ice is commonly used in industries for refrigeration purposes. Direct contact with the substance can cause frostbite due to its very low temperature. Authorities such as the Food Safety And Standards Authority Of India(FSSAI), the United States Food and Drug Association (FDA), and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention have strongly emphasized careful handling of Dry Ice as consumption of same can be lethal.
Kumar has filed the complaint stating that upon asking the waiter told them it was a mouth freshener but looking at the packet of the mouth freshener the doctors declared it to be dry ice.
Police have registered a case against the waiter involved, with a potential charge of causing hurt by poison and criminal conspiracy. The alleged restaurant might also face charges for its role in the incident as it shall take responsibility for the training of the staff.
Although the victims received immediate medical attention, 2 out of the 5 are in critical condition and are still being held in observation in the Aarvy hospital. This incident has raised concern in the public regarding food safety regulations and staff training across India.
Experts emphasize the need for restaurants to implement robust training programs for their employees, making sure that they can distinguish between toxic and non-toxic substances.
