1-Year-Old Girl Hospitalized After Eating Popular Snack Contaminated with Dead Rat

Sabarkantha (The Uttam Hindu): A disturbing incident has emerged from Gujarat, where a one-year-old girl suffered from diarrhoea after consuming namkeen from a sealed packet of the popular brand, Gopal Namkeen. This alarming case highlights the growing concerns over food safety and hygiene, exacerbated by factors such as poor storage practices and the rush for speedy deliveries. Such lapses pose severe risks to consumers, potentially leading to foodborne illnesses.

These issues are not confined to fast food or online orders but also affect packaged snacks and namkeen from local stores. The shocking incident occurred in Prempur village of Gujarat's Sabarkantha district. The girl’s father explained, "We purchased a packet of Gopal Namkeen and my wife fed it to our daughter. Soon after eating, she began vomiting. To our horror, we discovered a dead rat inside the packet. My daughter fell ill with diarrhoea and had to be admitted to Davad Hospital." The father has urged the Food and Drugs Department to take strict action against the negligence of the brand.

This is not an isolated case. A similar incident was reported by Rajeev Shukla, a resident of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh who shared his ordeal after ordering food from a restaurant in Mumbai. Shukla had ordered a vegetarian meal box from the Worli branch of Barbeque Nation, only to find a dead mouse inside. This led to his hospitalization for over 75 hours. Sharing his experience on social media, he stated, "I, Rajeev Shukla, a pure vegetarian from Prayagraj, visited Mumbai on January 8, 2024 and ordered a veg meal box from Barbeque Nation’s Worli outlet. It contained a dead mouse. I was hospitalized for over 75 hours. The complaint has not yet been filed at Nagpada police station. I need assistance." Both incidents underscore the urgent need for stricter enforcement of food safety regulations to protect consumers from such hazardous lapses.