A tragic incident that came to light from Mumbai has raised many questions in the minds of people. Notably, four members of the same family suddenly fell ill after eating biryani, following which they died. It is being told that the family members had eaten watermelon after eating biryani, after which they were admitted to the hospital. However, the most important question arising from this incident is whether eating watermelon after biryani can be fatal? As a result, different doctors are giving their own opinions on this matter. Keeping this in mind, let us try to know today whether eating watermelon after biryani is really fatal, and what medical experts say about it.
Can eating biryani and watermelon together cause death?
According to medical experts, it is highly unlikely that consumption of foods like biryani and watermelon—whether consumed together or at short intervals—would directly cause death. Dr. Ishwar Gilada explains that these are two different types of food, and both may take different times to digest. However, it is not usually the case that such a combination would immediately lead to a life-threatening situation. According to the doctor, in such cases, the main suspicion usually goes to ‘food poisoning’. If food or fruit has been kept open for a long time or has become stale, dangerous bacteria can grow in it. *Staphylococcus*, *Salmonella*, and *E. Bacteria like E. coli* can enter the body through contaminated food, causing symptoms ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to serious infection. In some cases, this condition can progress to ‘sepsis’, which can prove fatal.
Can food poisoning cause instant death?
Doctors say that after food poisoning, it usually takes some time for symptoms to appear in the body and the condition to become serious. If the person is otherwise healthy, his or her body will try to fight the infection. However, persistent vomiting and diarrhea can cause loss of fluids and electrolytes in the body, which can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and the person may go into a state of ‘shock’. In some cases, this particular physical condition of the body can prove to be dangerous.
What do experts say about food combinations?
Some experts believe that non-vegetarian food and water-rich fruits take different time to digest. Watermelon is digested quickly, whereas meat takes more time to digest. As a result, eating both together can cause digestive problems; However, it cannot be directly attributed to the cause of death.
Experts say: The picture will be clear only after investigation
According to infectious disease specialist Dr. Ishwar Gilada, it is often difficult to find the real cause in such incidents. He said that if many people had eaten food together, but it did not affect everyone, then it becomes very important to investigate whether the victims had eaten separately, or whether there was some other reason behind it. According to him, eating spoiled food can cause bacterial infection; But, in some cases, the possibility of external factors—such as adulteration of chemicals or poisons in food—cannot be ruled out. He clearly said that the real cause of death will be known only after postmortem and forensic investigation. Doctors say that, many times, chemicals are injected into watermelons to deepen their color. If there is any such chemical contamination—or if there is a conspiracy in which someone has deliberately added poison or toxin to the fruit—then the poison can spread to the bodies of people who eat it. However, the real reasons behind the death of those four people will be completely clear only after the postmortem report comes.
