VIDEO: Five People Vomit Blood, Complain Of Tongue Cuts After Eating ‘Mouth Freshener’ At Gurugram’s Laforestta Cafe
The incident at Laforestta Cafe in Gurugram, where five individuals fell ill after consuming mouth freshener, has left many shocked and concerned. Ankit Kumar, along with his wife and friends, visited the cafe in Sector 90, only to have their pleasant outing turn into a nightmare. The video captured by Kumar showed his friends, including his wife, in distress, screaming and crying due to a burning sensation in their mouths. One person even vomited on the restaurant floor, while another attempted to alleviate the discomfort by applying ice, exclaiming, “It’s burning.” The situation quickly escalated, causing panic and confusion among the group.
The incident unfolded when Amit Kumar, accompanied by his wife and friends, visited La Forestta Cafe in Sector 90 of Gurugram. After finishing their meals, the restaurant staff offered them mouth fresheners, which led to an immediate deterioration in their health. Amit Kumar expressed his concerns to NDTV, stating, “We don’t know what they have mixed in the mouth freshener. Everyone here is vomiting. They have cuts on their tongues. Their mouths are burning. Don’t know what type of acid they have given us.”
Whatt ! This is Scary
5 people hospitalised after consuming mouth freshener at #Gurugram restaurant, experiencing vomiting & bleeding from the mouth
Incident at La Forestta Cafe in Sector 90. It looks they were served Dry Ice as Mouth Freshener. Gurugram Police files FIR… pic.twitter.com/DFjeq1GCJQ
— Ankita (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Cric_gal) March 5, 2024
The severity of the situation became evident as those who consumed the mouth fresheners began vomiting continuously and experienced bleeding from their mouths. Despite their worsening condition, the restaurant management allegedly failed to provide any assistance or explanation.
The group wasted no time and promptly informed the Gurugram Police about the incident. The police quickly arrived at the scene and transferred the affected individuals to a nearby private hospital for urgent medical treatment. Subsequently, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against the restaurant owner, and an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of this alarming incident.
According to a complaint lodged by Kumar, a resident of Greater Noida, he went to a restaurant in Sector 90 here with his wife and four friends for dinner on Saturday.
After the dinner, a waiter at the restaurant brought mouth freshener and five people in the group had it. Their health deteriorated soon after and they were taken to a hospital, Kumar said, adding that the restaurant staff fled.
In his complaint, Kumar said that a doctor identified the ‘mouth freshener’ as dry ice – a solid form of carbon dioxide that is used as a cooling agent. Dry ice can be potentially dangerous if not handled properly since it is extremely cold and can cause frostbite if it comes in direct contact with the skin.
Whatt ! This is Scary
5 people hospitalised after consuming mouth freshener at #Gurugram restaurant, experiencing vomiting & bleeding from the mouth
Incident at La Forestta Cafe in Sector 90. It looks they were served Dry Ice as Mouth Freshener. Gurugram Police files FIR… pic.twitter.com/DFjeq1GCJQ
— Ankita (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Cric_gal) March 5, 2024
The Food and Drug Administration of USA has cautioned against ingesting dry ice, noting that it can cause severe injuries and internal damage.
“Both liquid nitrogen and dry ice can cause severe damage to skin and internal organs if mishandled or accidently ingested due to the extremely low temperatures they can maintain. As such, liquid nitrogen and dry ice should not be directly consumed or allowed to directly contact exposed skin. While retail food-related incidents of accidental ingestion or direct contact with liquid nitrogen and dry ice in the United States have been low, injuries have been severe,” states the FDA.
“I showed the packet of the mouth freshener to a doctor, who said it was dry ice. According to the doctor, it is an acid which can lead to death,” said Kumar, according to news agency PTI.
Four out of the five people who fell sick have been hospitalised.
Based on the complaint, police said, an FIR was registered under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Kherki Daula police station on Sunday.