Liquid nitrogen in foods draws Tamil Nadu’s ire, yet again
Liquid nitrogen being poured from a container into a bowl.
A week ago, a video of a child screaming went viral on social media. There were visuals of adults spewing white smoke from their mouth and nose. What the child said was garbled but it was soon apparent the child had consumed a food item infused with liquid nitrogen.
Television channels and online media took up the issue. The Tamil Nadu government issued an advisory banning the use of liquid nitrogen in food and warned of stringent action against violators.
In 1991, The Hindu reported that a London-based company developed a system to improve the quality and shelf life of food by introducing droplets of liquid nitrogen in the packaging. When nitrogen evaporates, it displaces oxygen in the food pack, preventing microbial action and preserving freshness.
The technique was useful in packing coee, potato crisps, peanuts and peanut butter, milk products, cheese, and dried potatoes, the article said.
As with every novelty, some chefs also experimented with liquid nitrogen to make food more interesting. In 2016, a few upmarket restaurants and eateries in Chennai and elsewhere used it to entice customers.
But in August 2017, the then Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Rajya Sabha the government would investigate the addition of liquid nitrogen
The Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department has issued a circular on the use of liquid nitrogen saying the substance can only be used to preserve packaged food
in food and drinks served in some restaurants.
Six months ago, in Tiruchirappalli, a vendor’s shop was sealed after authorities found liquid nitrogen in food, the city’s designated food safety ocer said.
“Liquid nitrogen, an inert, colourless, odourless cryogenic uid has traditionally been used in the management of many benign pre-cancers and cancers since the 1960s,” Arvind Krishnamurthy, professor and head of surgical oncology at the Adyar Cancer Institute, said. “This form of treatment is generally used to manage cancers wherein conventional surgery is not possible or can be used as an adjunct to conventional surgery.”
The procedure involves using the element at a frosty -196 degrees C to freeze and destroy cancer cells. “The treatment is scientically described as cryotherapy. It can also be used to obtain biopsies from cancer tissues for further molecular analysis. Another application is to use it as cryo-adhesion to remove foreign bodies,” he explained.
Cryotherapy has been attempted to treat many cancers, including those of skin, bone, breast, cervical, eye, kidney, liver, lung, and prostate.
“Liquid nitrogen should be handled by trained professionals with proper protective gear, preferably in a controlled lab or industry, as improper handling or consumption of liquid nitrogen can cause severe damage to the skin, mucous membranes, and internal organs,” the surgeon said.
A day after the viral video, the Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department cited the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, and the Drug Administration department issued a circular on the use of liquid nitrogen saying the substance can only be used to preserve packaged food.
The department also warned of stringent action, including nes and legal proceedings, if it is used for other purposes.
(sujatha.r@thehindu.co.in)