The Karnataka State Health Department recently reaffirmed restrictions on the use of liquid nitrogen in food products such as smoked biscuits and ice cream, introduced in early May. The decision was taken after a 12-year-old girl from Bengaluru developed a hole in her stomach after she ate bread containing liquid nitrogen.
The use of liquid nitrogen in prepared foods has increased in recent years, with the chemical used to impart a smoky effect to some foods, desserts and cocktails.
Liquid nitrogen in food products should be handled with extreme care. This is because nitrogen must be cooled to an extreme temperature of -195.8°C to liquefy. For comparison, the temperature in a home refrigerator drops to about -18°C or -20°C.
Refrigerated liquefied gas can cause frostbite if it comes into contact with skin and organs. Liquid nitrogen freezes tissue very quickly, so it can be used in medical procedures to destroy and remove warts or cancerous tissue. When nitrogen enters the body, it quickly turns into a gas when the temperature rises. The expansion ratio of liquid nitrogen at 20 degrees Celsius is 1:694, which means 1 liter of liquid nitrogen can expand to 694 liters of nitrogen at 20 degrees Celsius. This rapid expansion can lead to gastric perforation.
“Because it is colorless and odorless, people may be exposed to it unknowingly. As more restaurants use liquid nitrogen, people should be aware of these rare cases and follow the recommendations. Although rare, in some cases it can cause serious harm.” ” said Dr Atul Gogia, senior consultant, internal medicine department, Sir Gangaram Hospital.
Liquid nitrogen should be handled with extreme care, and operators should use protective equipment to prevent injury during food preparation. Those who consume food and drinks containing liquid nitrogen should ensure that the nitrogen has completely dissipated before ingestion. “Liquid nitrogen… if mishandled or accidentally ingested, can cause severe damage to the skin and internal organs due to the extremely low temperatures that liquid nitrogen can maintain. Therefore, liquid nitrogen and dry ice should not be consumed directly or come into direct contact with exposed skin. “, the US Food and Drug Administration said in a statement. He also urged food retailers not to use it before serving food.
Gas should only be used for cooking in a well-ventilated area. This is because nitrogen leaks can displace oxygen in the air, causing hypoxia and asphyxiation. And since it is colorless and odorless, leak detection will not be easy.
Nitrogen is an inert gas, meaning it does not react with many substances, and is used to maintain the freshness of packaged foods. For example, when a bag of potato chips is filled with nitrogen, it displaces the oxygen it contains. Food often reacts with oxygen and becomes rancid. This increases the shelf life of the product.
Second, it is used in liquid form to quickly freeze fresh foods such as meat, poultry and dairy products. Nitrogen freezing of food is very economical compared to traditional freezing because large quantities of food can be frozen in just a few minutes. Using nitrogen prevents the formation of ice crystals, which can damage cells and dehydrate food.
The two technical uses are permitted under the country’s food safety law, which allows the use of nitrogen in a range of foods, including fermented milk products, ready-to-drink coffee and tea, juices, and peeled and cut fruits. The bill does not specifically mention the use of liquid nitrogen in finished products.
Anonna Dutt is the chief health correspondent for The Indian Express. She has spoken on a variety of topics, from the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the challenge of common infectious diseases. She spoke about the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination program. Her story prompted the city government to invest in high-quality testing for the poor and admit errors in official reporting. Dutt is also keenly interested in the country’s space program and has written about key missions such as Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3, Aditya L1 and Gaganyaan. She is one of the inaugural 11 RBM Malaria Partnership Media Fellows. She was also selected to participate in the Dart Center’s short-term preschool reporting program at Columbia University. Dutt received his BA from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communications, Pune and PG from Asian Institute of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with Hindustan Times. When she’s not working, she tries to appease the Duolingo owls with her French language skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. … read more
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