Nagpur: Ten people were hospitalized for food poisoning late on Wednesday night after consuming sev (snacks) made with singhada atta (water chestnut flour). Another incident involving the same food item was reported earlier this month.
All ten patients, employees of a pharmaceutical company in Butibori MIDC, experienced symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and abnormal body jerks within hours of consuming the sev from their company canteen on Wednesday. They were admitted to Kims Kingsway Hospital late in the night.
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Wednesday 15 Jan. 2025
Kingsway Hospital’s Dr Harshwardhan Bora, said, “All cases are toxin related. The food they had must have been infected by a fungus called Aspergillus flavus. This produced aflatoxins in th bodies of the patients.”
Dr Bora explained that these fungi are prevalent in warm and humid regions and can contaminate crops during various stages, including storage.
“Either the water chestnuts were infected with this fungus, or the flour must have got infected during storage,” Bora said.
While the patients’ symptoms are improving, some may require hospitalization for up to 48 hours due to the toxins lingering in their bodies, particularly those with lower body weight, said Bora.
Earlier this month, many suffered food poisoning after consuming food items made from water chestnut flour on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had already banned production of a specific brand involved in these cases.
Authorities are now investigating this case by visiting the hospital and speaking with the patients. Doctors have advised caution and recommend avoiding consumption of water chestnut flour and food items made from it for the time being.
