A restaurant manager has been arrested after customers had to be rushed to hospital 'vomiting blood' after being served dry ice as a 'mouth freshener'.
Five customers have been hospitalised after the restaurant, located in India's Gurugram city, served a common sugar and spice 'palette cleanser'.
The cleanser included potentially fatal dry ice, a solid carbon dioxide that isn't fit for human consumption.
While dry ice is commonly used in restaurants for theatrical purposes, there are many health risks associated with it.
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According to Dr. Dipak Patade, a consultant physician at Adhikari Lifeline Multispecialty Hospital, Palghar, exposure to dry ice or its vapour can provoke eye irritation, manifesting as redness, tearing, and discomfort.
And as for consuming it? It can "freeze tissue in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach," said Dr. Ranga Santosh Kumar, consultant physician at Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.
A shocking video of the incident taken by one of the diners proves just this, with the footage showing a group of people panicking with blood filling their mouths, which later led to vomiting and two days of hospitalisation - two of which were in critical condition.
Police confirmed that the packet mouth fresheners that are regularly used as palette cleansers contained a solid form of carbon dioxide, which is added for it's cooling properties.
The consumption of dry ice caused the customers to begin vomiting and left them in agonizing pain.
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They desperately tried to swill their mouths with water and spat onto tables to clear their mouths of the toxic concoction, with one customer even 'throwing up his entire dinner onto the floor.'
Consumption of dry ice can be fatal and causes a intense burning sensation to the mouth - in the viral video, it appears that people are filling their mouths with standard ice in an effort to stop the burning pain.
Ankit Kumar, who was also dining at the time but declined the mouth freshener, told The Straits Times of the incident: "I showed the packet of mouth freshener to a doctor, who said it was dry ice.
"According to the doctor, it is an acid which can lead to death."
A complaint was filed by the diners, who also alleged that during the panic, restaurant staff at the scene 'did nothing to help.'
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Gurugram City Police have confirmed that the manager of the restaurant has since been arrested and is now under investigation for the charge of 'poisoning and intent to cause harm'.
Forensics are also being carried out on the contents of the freshener packet, along with an on-going search for the restaurant owner, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Topics: Crime, Food and Drink, Police, Health