An undated video of a boy falling ill after consuming nitrogen smoke biscuit is making rounds on social media. The video is said to be from Tamil Nadu’s Chennai. The video has sparked a heated discussion among netizens on how parents should be careful before letting their children consume such products.
The trend of consuming liquid nitrogen is ongoing in cafes and restaurants to make the dish look fancier but at what cost? Is consuming liquid nitrogen safe for your health? According to a study published by the University of Iowa, liquid nitrogen has severe health hazards. It states, “The vapour of liquid nitrogen can rapidly freeze skin tissue and eye fluid, resulting in cold burns, frostbite, and permanent eye damage even by brief exposure.”
To get a detailed answer on how liquid nitrogen can harm your health, OnlyMyHealth interacted with Dr Sangeeta Tiwari, Clinical Nutritionist, Artemis Lite, New Delhi.
Is Consuming Liquid Nitrogen Safe?
Answering to this, Dr Tiwari said, “Consuming liquid nitrogen is not safe. Although it's very commonly used in certain food preparations like molecular gastronomy to create a dramatic effect, directly ingesting liquid nitrogen can potentially cause severe injuries to the mouth, throat, oesophagus, and stomach.”
Explaining how it causes harm to our health, Dr Tiwari said, “Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold, having a boiling point of -196 degrees Celsius, and it can freeze tissue on contact, resulting in frostbite or tissue damage. If ingested, liquid nitrogen can rapidly expand into gas, causing a dangerous increase in pressure within the digestive system, potentially leading to perforation or rupture of organs.”
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Health Risks
Liquid nitrogen poses various health risks if mishandled or ingested. As per Dr Tiwari, direct contact with skin or eyes can cause severe frostbite, causing tissue damage or permanent injury.
Talking about what happens after ingesting liquid nitrogen, Dr Tiwari said, “When exposed to the warm environment of the body, liquid nitrogen rapidly evaporates into gas, causing a sudden expansion that can lead to internal injuries like perforation or rupture of the digestive tract. This can lead to severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and potentially life-threatening complications like pneumoperitoneum or pneumothorax.”
Who Is At Risk?
Normally, liquid nitrogen is not safe for consumption for all ages but children and pregnant women should completely refrain from consuming it. “Children's bodies are more vulnerable to the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen, and they may be less aware of the potential dangers, which increases the risk of accidental ingestion. Pregnant women should also avoid consuming liquid nitrogen because of the potential risks it poses to both their health and the health of the developing fetus,” said Dr Tiwari.
Adding further, she advised that people with underlying medical conditions like gastrointestinal disorders or compromised immune systems stand at higher risk of experiencing severe complications if they ingest liquid nitrogen. Furthermore, people with respiratory issues or those prone to allergic reactions should avoid inhaling liquid nitrogen gas, as it can lead to asphyxiation or exacerbate existing respiratory issues.
Additionally, people who work with liquid nitrogen in industrial or culinary settings are at risk of accidental exposure if safety protocols are not followed rigorously.
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Conclusion
Concluding, Dr Tiwari said, “Ingesting even small amounts of it can cause serious health complications or even death.” Therefore, it's necessary to handle and consume liquid nitrogen with extreme caution and only under the guidance of trained professionals in controlled environments, like in culinary settings where safety protocols are strictly followed.