120 food poisoning cases reported after consumption of buckwheat flour on Janmashtami

As many as 120 people, including men, women, and children, in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh were admitted to hospitalsbecause of food poisoning, after consumingbuckwheat flour, said officials on Tuesday (Aug27).

A special team from the district food and drug administration inspected and sealed the shops of two vendors who were selling contaminated buckwheat flour. A case has been filed against them.

The incident was reported from various villages, with complaints filed in the Farah police area of the Mathura district last night. All the affected persons are stable, as confirmed by the officials.

On the occasion of Janmashtami, many individuals follow the ritualof fasting.Many people experienced vomiting, dizziness, and shivering after eating pooris and pakoras made from buckwheat flour,one of the foods that are consumed during fast.

Affected individuals

“We had fritters made from buckwheat flour last night. After that, I started vomiting and felt a burning sensation in my stomach,” said Priyanka, a teenager admitted to the government hospital, according to the PTI video.

Mahesh, another resident, said in the PTI video, “My wife has become very weak, sje was almost unconscious.”

Dr. Bhudev Prasad, head of the health department's rapid response team, said similar instances were reported in several districts.

“Teams from the Health Department, Farah Community Health Centre (CHC), and District Hospital responded swiftly. Initially, patients were treated at the CHC, but as numbers increased, they were moved to the District Hospital, the 100-bed Joint Hospital in Vrindavan, and SN Medical College in Agra,” Dr. Prasad said, as quoted by PTI.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ajay Kumar Verma, asserted that 43 patients were admitted to the SN Medical College Hospital in Agra, 29 to the District Hospital in Mathura, 15 to the 100-bed Combined Hospital, 15 to Baba Jaigurudev Charitable Hospital, 10 to Chauhan Hospital, and others to the CHC in Farah.

“Patients showing improvement today will be discharged,” Dr. Prasad stated.

The affected people are from Parkham, Baroda, Mirzapur, Makhdoom, and Khairat villages. The flour was purchased by Jhagdu and Rajkumar, who supplied it from a grocery merchant in Farah.

(With inputs from agencies)