Did 2 children die after eating dosa made with store-bought batter (Khiru)? Here's what went wrong

Dishes like dosa, idli, and uttapam are often considered gut-healthy because they are made with fermented batter of rice and dal. The technique of fermentation is an age-old practice followed in Indian kitchens. But, as per recent reports, a family of four fell sick in Ahmedabad after eating dosa made with store-bought batter. In a tragic turn of events, the two children died. According to initial reports it was a suspected case of food poisoning. It was reported that the entire family fell sick after eating dosa made from ready-to-use khiru that the man of the family brought from the nearby market.In a statement, the grandfather of the deceased girls said that on April 1 his son Vimal had purchased the batter from a local vendor. After eating the dosa made with the batter, his wife and the two daughters began suffering from severe vomiting, and their condition deteriorated rapidly, after which they were hospitalised. On April 3, the couple's 3-month-old daughter passed away followed by the death of the 4-year-old. In the wake of the incident, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation collected samples of the batter from the vendor and sent them to the Food and Security Laboratory (FSL) for analysis.What was the actual truthWhen the police investigated the dosa seller, it was found that he makes 90 kg of dosa batter daily and non of the customers who bought the batter had any complaint. Moreover, the police found it hard to believe that a 3-month old baby would be fed dosa by her parents. During the investigation, police found a diary from the house of the mother's parents in which, she wrote that she wanted a boy and vowed to visit a temple if her wish was fulfilled. It is also reported that according to toxicology tests, traces of aluminium phosphide, used in insecticides and rodenticides were found in the parents' blood.

What is Khiru

Khiru refers to a fermented batter used in Gujarati cuisine for making South Indian dishes like dosa, idli, uttappam, and handvo. Traditionally, it is made from a blend of rice and skinless urad dal. It is later allowed to ferment for 4–5 hours or overnight to achieve a light, airy texture, which is necessary for such dishes.

Ensuring food safety

According to experts, during summer months, it is very important o take extra care while eating outside or outside food at home. When it comes to store-bought foods, which are often uncovered and not handled with hygiene, they are prone to causing side effects, which can be fatal too. Take a look at 5 reasons why such fermented batter should not be consumed.Risk of contamination: This type of batter is exposed to air and bacteria. And if not refrigerated properly, it can spoil quickly and may lead to stomach infections or food poisoning.Over-fermentation: While fermented food is good for the human gut, over-fermented food, especially in warm weather, makes it too sour and sometimes causes acidity, bloating, or indigestion. Added preservatives: Packaged or open batters may contain preservatives or stabilizers, which, when consumed frequently, may not be ideal for gut health.Gas and bloating: Touching the batter and mixing it with unhygienic hands also leads to bacterial growth, which reacts and can cause gas formation and discomfort, especially in people with sensitive digestion.Quality of ingredients: When it comes to making batter at home, we always wash dal and rice multiple times, until the water is clear, but at carts, one can't be sure about the cleanliness of ingredients and it can also cause severe gut issues. These days polished dal and rice are flooded in the market and of they are not cleaned and used properly they might cause health issues. Also, there are vendors who use sub-standard rice and dal sources from local markets, which are often infected with pesticides and even have worm and insects in them. Batter made with such sub-standard produces are also a threat to human health. Contaminated water: At eateries, they often use tap water to make batter and it can lead to major health issues. The regular tap water is breeding ground for many bacteria-borne illnesses and hence one must avoid such foods. The same water is used in batter and even for preparing curries and for cleaning the utensils as well. It is one of the major reasons for food-borne illnesses. Hence, it is suggested to be avoided. The tap water used for washing the dal and even for blending it is often unclean and during fermentation, the bacterial growth further increases which makes the batter unsafe for human consumption.Art of whisking: With fermented batter, whisking is also important. Whisking the batter in one direction help incorporate air and makes the batter lighter and results in fluffier idlis and uttapams. While whisking, it is important to pay attention to whisking it in one direction only to incorporate air in the batter. Adding salt: With fermented batter, avoid adding salt to the entire batch, as it further leads to faster spoilage of batter during summer months. It is always suggested to separate the amount of batter you are going to use, add salt to it and rest of it should be refrigerated. Avoid using baking soda: When it comes to fermented food, people often use baking soda instead of fermenting the food naturally, and as a chemical it might not work well with many people. Hence, it is best to let the batter ferment naturally and avoid such chemicals. Use of chemical often increase the risk of reaction, which can impact the human gut and overall health. Hence, it is always suggested to avoid such practices.Uncleaned utensils: The vendors selling ready-to-use batter often don't pay attention to hygiene levels of utensils and even blender in which batter is made. Such utensils often become the breeding ground for germs and bacteria and can lead to health issues. The use of sub-standard containers and the chemical reactions that happen due to the use of local dishwashing liquid and powders, often leads to reactions, which are not visible to open eyes and result in bacterial growth, which ultimately impacts human body. The local shops and carts also use open dish liquids, which are prone to bacterial growth and when the same liquid is used to clean tawa and pots, it increases the risk of contaminating the dish being prepared in it. Batter get too sour: While idli and dosa batter is meant to be sour, but due to mishandling at these stores, they often get too sour, which is not good for gut health. Over-fermented batter can encourage the growth of unwanted bacteria or wild yeast, which may upset the natural balance of your gut microbiome. Instead of aiding digestion, it can cause gas, heaviness, or even mild digestive distress. While dosa and idli batter is meant to be sour, but when it turns too sour, that is where the problem lies. It is important to take extra care while dealing with such batter.

How to make khiru at home

Ingredients: 1 cup rice (regular or idli rice), ¼ cup urad dal (split black gram, skinless), 1–2 tbsp poha (flattened rice), ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, salt to taste, and water as neededMethod: First, wash and soak rice separately. Also, wash and soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds together. Add poha to the rice while soaking. Let them soak for 4–6 hours or overnight. Now, first grind urad dal until light and fluffy. Next, grind rice to a slightly coarse texture. Mix both together in a large bowl. Add salt and mix well. Cover and keep in a warm place for 8–12 hours or overnight for fermentation. Make sure it is properly covered. Your batter is ready, use it when needed, or else refrigerate it in a closed and clean jar.Also Read: Nearly 100 hospitalised after suspected food poisoning: Food storage mistakes that turn dangerous in summer