A wave of food safety scare swept Maharashtra on Sunday as eleven people, including seven children, were taken ill after they consumed a birthday cake which contained a dead lizard in Palghar district, police said. According to police, all the ones who consumed the cake were hospitalised, and three kids have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, where they are said to be critical.

The incident unfolded in the Neelkantheshwar area of Takipada in Nalasopara East on Saturday evening, when locals had assembled to celebrate the birthday of a 25-year-old woman. Subsequently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raided the bakery from where the cake had been purchased and cancelled its license, as per the officials aware of the development.

Children complained of burning sensation

As per police, some children arrived with the birthday cake at around 6 pm on Saturday to join the celebration. Shortly after eating it, several kids complained of a burning sensation in their chests.

As their health deteriorated, and they began to vomit, they were rushed to a nearby municipal hospital for treatment. A police officer said the kids told authorities that they had found a dead lizard inside the cake. The affected kids were admitted to Vijayalakshmi Hospital. Dr Vidya Sawant, who has been treating the kids, said the remaining ones were stable.

The local authorities plunged into action upon receipt of the information. A team from the Tulinj police station visited the hospital to take stock of the situation and gather information from the affected persons.

Cake samples sent for testing

The cops seized samples of the cake and sent them for laboratory testing as part of the probe. However, authorities have cautioned that the exact cause behind the illness has not been established yet. The authorities also alerted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which inspected the bakery from where the cake had been purchased.

Vasai-Virar region mayor Ajeev Patil said officials were probing the incident and had asked the FDA to examine the bakery.

FDA takes action against bakery

The FDA’s subsequent raid resulted in the cancellation of the bakery’s license, marking the first major regulatory action following the incident. Authorities are now examining the samples of the cake and other relevant evidence to determine whether contamination occurred during its preparation, storage or handling.

Police said they are continuing their investigation into the case, while further action shall be taken on the basis of the findings of the laboratory tests and the ongoing probe.