1998 Delhi oil poisoning

{{Short description|Food safety incident in Delhi, India}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}

In 1998, adulterated mustard oil poisoning in Delhi resulted in widespread dropsy and deaths of 60 people and illness of more than 3000.{{Cite journal |last1=Verma |first1=S. K. |last2=Dev |first2=G. |last3=Tyagi |first3=A. K. |last4=Goomber |first4=S. |last5=Jain |first5=G. V. |date=2001-01-01 |title=Argemone mexicana poisoning: autopsy findings of two cases |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11056284 |journal=Forensic Science International |volume=115 |issue=1–2 |pages=135–141 |doi=10.1016/s0379-0738(00)00322-4 |issn=0379-0738 |pmid=11056284}}{{Cite journal |last=Kumar |first=Sanjay |date=1998-09-12 |title=Outbreak of dropsy in India linked with adulterated mustard oil… |url=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)60012-8/abstract |journal=The Lancet |language=English |volume=352 |issue=9131 |pages=884 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(05)60012-8 |s2cid=205941647 |issn=0140-6736|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last1=Aggarwal |first1=K. C. |last2=Prasad |first2=M. S. |last3=Salhan |first3=R. N. |last4=Yadav |first4=D. |last5=Pandit |first5=N. |last6=Goyal |first6=P. C. |last7=Garg |first7=M. |date=October 2001 |title=A two-centre collaborative study on clinico-epidemiological profile of a recent outbreak of epidemic dropsy in New Delhi (India) with special emphasis on its cardiac manifestations in pediatric patients |journal=Journal of Tropical Pediatrics |volume=47 |issue=5 |pages=291–294 |doi=10.1093/tropej/47.5.291 |issn=0142-6338 |pmid=11695729|doi-access=free }} It was revealed that white oil, a petroleum product, was mixed with edible mustard oil.{{cite news|title=Police focus on cooking oil container in Bihar mass poisoning case|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/india-bihar-children-food-poisoning-idINDEE96I09B20130720|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306163142/http://in.reuters.com/article/india-bihar-children-food-poisoning-idINDEE96I09B20130720|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 March 2016|accessdate=20 July 2013|date=20 July 2013|work=Reuters}} Sale of mustard in loose quantity was banned by a court order, to prevent more health hazards.{{cite news|title=Sale of loose mustard oil banned|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98aug27/head2.htm|accessdate=21 July 2013|newspaper=The Tribune|date=27 August 1998}} In September 1998, the ban on packed mustard oil was removed after a Cabinet decision with a condition that the date of packing should be prominently displayed.{{cite news|last=PTI|title=Delhi Govt to lift ban on mustard oil sale|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/ie/daily/19980920/26350054.html|accessdate=21 July 2013|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=20 September 1998}} Even though mustard oil is banned as an edible oil in countries like USA, Canada and EU due to its erucic acid content,{{cite news|title=Mustard oil has health risks|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-10/delhi/32155329_1_mustard-erucic-acid-cooking-oils|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726094809/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-10/delhi/32155329_1_mustard-erucic-acid-cooking-oils|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 July 2013|accessdate=21 July 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=10 June 2012}} the oil is widely used as an edible oil in North India, Pakistan and Nepal.