Mumbai: In the mysterious deaths of four family members in Pydhonie, the post-mortems have revealed the presence of morphine, a painkiller, and unusual green discoloration of tissues, hinting at possible poisoning.
Recently, a couple and their two minor daughters died after consuming watermelon. A total of 11 food samples were collected from the victims’ residence.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has found no evidence of adulteration in the 11 food samples collected from the Pydhonie family’s residence. The samples included biryani, watermelon, water from an earthen pot and refrigerator, raw and cooked rice, raw and cooked chicken, dates, and spices.
Official Confirmation
A senior official confirmed that the analysis conducted at the department’s lab did not detect any adulteration in the collected items. Delays in collection may have led to fungal contamination, reducing the chances of obtaining conclusive results.
The case has shed light on the state FDA's constraints to test food and product samples for harmful toxins. For such specialised analysis, it depends on other government agencies, officials confirmed.
FDA commissioner Shridhar Dube Patil said a proposal has been submitted to the state government to address this gap. He explained that detecting toxins such as pesticides, insecticides and disinfectants requires sophisticated and costly equipment along with trained professionals and dedicated lab space.
According to the officials, setting up advanced toxin-testing facilities would require an investment of `10 crore to `20 crore and also a team of 15 to 20 experts, significantly increasing maintenance and staffing expenses. Authorities also pointed out that the demand for such specialised testing remains relatively low, making it challenging to justify the expenditure.
Conclusion
Currently, the FDA’s primary role is to detect food adulteration and it is equipped for routine safety checks. However, experts warn that the absence of in-house toxin testing could delay crucial investigations and impact timely public health responses.
The incident occurred on the morning of April 27 in the Pydhonie area, where a family died after reportedly consuming a late-night meal of biryani and watermelon. Their condition deteriorated rapidly afterward. However, FDA tests on the collected food samples did not detect any adulteration.
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