Nabha- Patiala, 14 October, 2024: Three members of a family in Nabha died last month due to dropsy, caused by consuming mustard oil adulterated with poisonous argemone mexicana seeds, according to a lab report from the state food laboratory in Kharar, outskirts of Chandigarh-Mohali area.
The victims, two women aged 26 and 32, passed away in private hospitals, while a 72-year-old man died at his residence. Moreover, a 7-year-old girl from the same family is currently receiving treatment in Patiala.
“The lab report has confirmed that the family used mustard oil adulterated with argemone mexicana seeds, which led to their deaths,” said Dr. Jatinder Kansal, Patiala’s civil surgeon.
“We have surveyed the area where the family fell ill, and no other individuals have been found suffering from dropsy,” he said.
The case came to light after a 52-year-old woman, also a family member, was admitted to PGIMER-Chandigarh.
While taking her medical history, doctors diagnosed her symptoms as dropsy and alerted the Patiala health department.
The department immediately collected oil samples and sent them for testing, which confirmed the contamination.
Dropsy is a condition resulting from the consumption of edible oils adulterated with argemone mexicana seed oil. The illness causes symptoms such as bilateral pitting edema, skin redness, localized tenderness, and issues affecting the heart and lungs.
Dr. Divjot Singh from the Patiala health department revealed that the mustard seeds had reportedly been donated to the family by a religious devotee in August.
The family later had the oil extracted from the seeds, and shortly after they began using it, family members started to fall ill, he said.
“Two women of the family died in private hospitals, while the 72-year-old man passed away at home,” Dr. Divjot said.
Authorities are investigating the source of the contaminated mustard seeds and urging residents to be cautious about the origin of their cooking oils.
