To those who were impressed by the use of fancy dishes and drinks served on the table emanating smoke that soon evaporates,the news that a liquid nitrogen drink burnt a hole in a businessman's stomach came as a shock. A party with friends in Gurugram went downhill for a Delhi businessman,who gulped down a drink prepared with liquid nitrogen before the smoke coming out of his drink could evaporate.The doctors had to remove a part of his stomach after he was rushed to the hospital complaining of uneasiness.
His blood tests revealed severe lactic acidosis, which refers to the presence of high level of lactic acid in the blood, resulting from oxygen deprivation in the body. The incident has not only left people shocked, but has also highlighted the flip side of the growing fad of molecular gastronomy that has been picked up even by city restaurants. Staff members' lack of training and poor knowledge on the use of liquid nitrogen or other such additives can lead to disaster, say restaurateurs.
PRESENTATION OVER QUALITY?
Presentation of food was always an important aspect for restaurants, but over the years, the presentation of a dish has become a priority to impress those who are more interested in taking pictures of the dish and sharing it on their social media pages even before tasting it. One of the reasons why molecular gastronomy or the use of chemicals in food became a trend at restaurants is that it makes the dish look more presentable and fancy. Chef and restaurateur Abhijit Saha says most restaurants use liquid nitrogen for two reasons — one, to cool the food rapidly and two, to create visual drama. "Liquid nitrogen is used to cool food rapidly. It is usually used to create ice creams, mousse and sometimes used in cocktails," he says. But how safe it is to use liquid nitrogen is, we ask. "Liquid nitrogen is as safe as water and as harmful as fire. We all know what fire can do but that doesn't stop us from using fire while we cook. Similarly, it is safe as long as all necessary precautions are taken and as long as it evaporates from the dish or the drink. Liquid nitrogen is used in my restaurant as well but we do so with all the precautions," he adds.
Hospitality Consultant Aslam Gafoor says that liquid nitrogen is part of molecular gastronomy, leading to creative dishes. "It gives the dish that drama and theatrics that makes the customers go wow. There is no harm in using it but caution has to be maintained while serving such dishes," he says, adding that certain basic necessities should be in place while transporting and serving liquid nitrogen. "By virtue of it being available so easily, often people handle it recklessly," he says.
Restaurateur Amit Ahuja says that a lot of restaurants use liquid nitrogen as it gives the element of drama to the dish. "Using liquid nitrogen is more about impact these days, it has become like a gimmick," he adds.
TRAINING FOR RESTAURANT STAFF A MUST
Although the use of liquid nitrogen in drinks and food has become common in restaurants, there are several establishments who do not train their staff to handle such ingredients.
"It is a relatively new ingredient and many use it without precautions and safety measures. Many restaurants don't train their staff and their serving team on how to handle liquid nitrogen," he says, adding that the ingredient must not be a deciding factor for the quality of a restaurant. "Let's not make a monster out of it. Liquid nitrogen is used all over the world and this incident in Gurgaon was an accident. It could've happened anywhere," says Abhijit. Similarly, Amit says that liquid nitrogen needs to be addressed with caution. "In my restaurant, when we use it for some drinks, we have a server who stands next to the customer and waits till the fumes go away and then allows the customer to consume the drink," he sums up.
CUSTOMERS UNPERTURBED BY THE INCIDENT
Though this incident has raised concerns among restaurateurs, many customers say that it won't deter them from eating out. "The incident definitely puts a doubt in my mind, and has made me aware. I will be cautious about what I order from now on but I also expect the restaurant to inform me if such an ingredient is being used by them," says Rohan Palkar, a city-based software professional.
Hem Chander Singh, a senior analyst, agrees. He says that restaurants should be more transparent in these matters. "What would help is if the restaurants mention a note below the dish or the drink about the ingredients. That way even if the customers are not aware, they can ask the servers and get clarity about the same," he adds.
'Using liquid nitrogen in drinks more harmful than in foods'
Despite the growing fad, there are restaurants who have stayed away from molecular gastronomy. "Once you create a drama, people are so impressed that sometimes they don't even focus on the food's quality. Molecular gastronomy is only liked by a few young guests, but those who want quality, always stay away from it," says Gurugram restaurateur Umang Tiwari and adds that the use of liquid nitrogen is more harmful in drinks than in food. "Serving a drink with liquid nitrogen without even informing the guests about how it should be consumed is definitely hazardous and there are restaurants who are taking the risk," he adds.
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