TIRUCHY: In the wake of the death of a 16-year-old girl here allegedly after consuming noodles from a Korean brand purchased online, food safety department officials on Monday seized about 800 kg of expired food products, including packs of noodles of a similar variety she consumed, from a wholesale dealer in Ariyamangalam.
Minister for Health Ma Subramanian revealed this while addressing media persons at the Tiruchy airport on Tuesday, where he inspected arrangements made by the health department to monitor monkeypox cases.
While food safety officials said that they are tracking shipment details to ascertain the dealer from whose supplies the girl purchased the noodles, the minister said the godown in Ariyamangalam found supplying similar products was sealed.
Mentioning the products seized from the godown having been destroyed, Ramesh Babu, designated officer (Tiruchy), food safety department, said, “Before that we took samples from a noodles packet resembling the one the girl consumed. Along with it we have lifted samples of the soft drink from the very batch she consumed. Only after lab reports can we proceed further.”
Meanwhile, police sources investigating the girl’s death said that she regularly consumed the same noodle brand owing to her “craze” for K-pop culture, which they said encouraged its consumption. She also had existing health complications, they added.
When contacted, multiple sources, including the dean of KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College, said the autopsy report is awaited to establish the actual cause behind the girl’s death.
In a related development, the state food safety department has instructed food safety officers across the state to inspect noodles packets for expiry date and their quality.
Stressing the importance of parental vigilance when it comes to online food purchases, Dr MA Aleem, a health expert, said, “Parents should let their children consume only after checking the expiry date and the ingredients.”
(With inputs from Chennai)