Punjab: Synthetic sweetener detected in cake linked to girl's death
The cake which led to the death of a 10-year-old Punjab girl had high concentration of artificial sweetener, reports said on Monday. On March 24, the girl's family fell ill after consuming the chocolate cake ordered online from a bakery "Cake Kanha," for her birthday celebration. District Health Officer Dr. Vijay Jindal said tests on a cake sample showed an unusually high concentration of saccharin—a synthetic sweetening compound known to cause rapid spikes in blood glucose levels when used excessively.
Viral video captures last moments of birthday celebration
A video that has since gone viral on social media shows the victim, Manvi, cutting the cake and celebrating with her family just hours before her tragic death. Following the celebration, Manvi and her younger sister began experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, dryness in their mouth, and extreme thirst. When Manvi lost consciousness, she was immediately rushed to a hospital. Despite receiving oxygen treatment, she was declared dead shortly after arrival.
Bakery faces legal action over tragic incident
The family has accused "Cake Kanha" of using toxic substances in their chocolate cake. Officials have confirmed that punitive action will be initiated against the bakery soon, which may include imposing a fine. A First Information Report (FIR) has already been lodged against the owner of the bakery. The tragic incident has sparked widespread concern over food safety and quality control in online food delivery services.
