Key Points
Dry ice, is a solid form of carbon dioxide, and if swallowed by mistake, can cause burns and internal injuries..
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2) which is used to preserve food or create fog effect in theatre..
With a temperature of about -78 degrees celsius which is much colder than freezing point of water, any kind of direct exposure - touching, inhalation, or consumption is associated with severe health risks..
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), dry ice is used as a cooling agent for food products like ice cream, frozen desserts etc and is also used for food items that are needed to be cold or frozen, without the use of mechanical cooling..
Tissue damage can be caused by direct contact with dry ice and symptoms like breathlessness, vomiting, burns to the mouth, esophagus, and gastrointestinal tract, bloating, pain in the abdomen, and possibly asphyxiation if the gas replaces oxygen in the blood are reported," says Dr Ashutosh Shukla, Medical Advisor and Senior Director - Internal Medicine, Max Hospital, Gurugram..
